'Trace confirmation' letter from SRJ Debt Recoveries

[beest]

Hello,

 

I've received a letter from SRJ Debt Recoveries saying that I owe one of their clients nearly £250. The letter has 'Trace Confirmation' written at the top, and all the usual threats about court action.

 

What do you advise as the next step? CCA them?

 

Thanks for your help! I've spent the last 30 minutes reading through these forums and they really are excellent.

 

Beest.

[PriorityOne]

What is the debt for, how old is it and who are the supposed clients ?

 

Have you ever been taken to court for a CCJ ?

[beest]

The client is Boxclever Ltd. The letter doesn't give any details about the debt other than who I supposedly owe and the amount. I've never been taken to court.

[PriorityOne]

I've seen the name Box Clever on the forum before... to do with TV rentals, I think. There is also an online store selling PC equipment and the like. Does any of this sound familiar ?

 

Does the letter go into any detail about how much is owed and for what ?

[beest]

I have a vague memory about renting a washing machine once, probably back in 2000 or 2001, so perhaps that's it.

 

There's absolutely no detail about the debt in the letter at all, only the client name and the amount.

[PriorityOne]

In that case, just file it away for now. If the debt occurred that long ago, it would be statute-barred for now, or very close to it. See if they contact you again (in writing) and if/when they do, come back on here for advice.

 

In the meantime, if they try and reach you by 'phone, just hang up. Speaking over the 'phone doesn't count as a re-acknowledgement of a debt... it's just their way of telling people a load of bowlarks to get them to pay. Chances are, they won't have your 'phone number anyway though....

[beest]

Thanks PriorityOne, much appreciated. Hopefully I won't have to ask you for advice again!

[PriorityOne]

FYI... a debt becomes statute-barred if a period of 6 years has gone by from the last written contact between parties.... or from the last payment made on the account.

 

If the account is re-acknowledged in writing within this timeframe, the 6 year clock starts again from the date of that new letter/payment..... but if an account is already statute-barred, then it remains statute-barred forever. Most Debt Collection Agencies live in hope that we don't realise this, of course...

 

[ScarletPimpernel]

Incidentally, the 'Trace Confirmation' thing is just bluster - I suggest putting 'Moron Confirmation' at the top of any letters you send to SRJ.

[PriorityOne]

Don't write to them for now though, in case the account is not yet statute-barred.

[beest]

I've trawled through my bank statements, and I think the last payment I made to them was March 2002, so still within the 6 year timeframe. Does this change anything?

[sosumi]

Boxclever was the name given to former Radio Rentals. I don't think Boxclever exists now? All the Radio Rentals shops became Boxclever, then they shut.

Anyhow, P1's said all you need.

[PriorityOne]

I've trawled through my bank statements, and I think the last payment I made to them was March 2002, so still within the 6 year timeframe. Does this change anything?

 

It means that the account is not statute-barred for another 4-5 months. Under the circumstances, I would do nothing and sit tight.

 

Chances are that they have no info. on when the last written contact/payment was made to Box Clever anyway....

[beest]

Sorry to dredge up this old thread. I've received 3 or 4 letters since I started this thread, all with the same generic threats. However the last one said they would initiate court action if I didn't respond by the 18th.

 

I imagine it's all bluster; they've still not supplied any information what this debt it and I've not responded to them at all.

 

What do you think? Sit tight still or write to them?

 

Thanks!

[Boro]

Its up to you realy, i dont know what this particular dca's reputation is like for issuing proceedings, even if they did though you can still fight it if it came to that, being this close to statute barred and the amount being relatively low personally i would probably continue to ignore it

[mr.ton]

"Trace confirmation" ???

 

Confirmed by whom exactly?

They havent "confirmed" diddly squat

[beest]

Thanks guys. I'll file this letter away with the other ones and see what happens.

[ODC]

Treat the threats as they really are. Empty threats.

[bedders50]

All -

I have been away on holiday and returned yesterday to find a letter from S.R.J. Debt Recoveries dated 30/07 which states the following;

 

Dear **

You have failed to respond to previous correspondence sent to you and we have therefore made tracing enquiries for confirmation of your current place of residence. Information has been received confirming that your address details have changed to this address.

Please contact us immediately on 08453137203 quoting the above reference number.

Yours sincerely

SRJ Debt Recoveries

 

It also has the words 'TRACE CONFIRMATION' at the top of the the letter.

 

I have no idea what this letter is for - What does 'Trace confirmation' mean and what can this company do? Are they able to turn up at my address?!!

 

Please help - Not sure how to proceed

 

Thanks

[mr.ton]

All -

I have been away on holiday and returned yesterday to find a letter from S.R.J. Debt Recoveries dated 30/07 which states the following;

 

Dear **

You have failed to respond to previous correspondence sent to you and we have therefore made tracing enquiries for confirmation of your current place of residence. Information has been received confirming that your address details have changed to this address.

Please contact us immediately on 08453137203 quoting the above reference number.

Yours sincerely

SRJ Debt Recoveries

 

It also has the words 'TRACE CONFIRMATION' at the top of the the letter.

 

I have no idea what this letter is for - What does 'Trace confirmation' mean and what can this company do? Are they able to turn up at my address?!!

 

Please help - Not sure how to proceed

 

Thanks

 

Its simply their silly attempt to prove that they can read a map or the phone directory

No-one from these fools will turn up, they can simply be told to go away.

Ignore

[ODC]

The twats love to send letters making thyemselves sound important. Trace Confirmation is a meaningless statement but they think they are like MI5 when they use such terms.

 

You could ignore them or send them the following

 

ASSHOLE CONFIRMATION

 

Dear idiots

 

Thank you for your recent communication. Thank you for confirming what I suspected. You are in fact ASSHOLES.

 

yours etc

[F_DCAs]

Box Clever accounts are often passed to the likes of First Credit, Mackenzie Hall, Meritforce and others. Any original paperwork will have long vanished into the ether. I have never known any of these three companies to have ever turned up paperwork.

[ScarletPimpernel]

SRJ's letter is no more than a barefaced lie; they do not confirm anything, they simply send their template letter to the address passed to them by the OC. It is, therefore, a misleading communication and a breach of OFT Guidance.

 

If anyone from SRJ is looking in and would care to challenge my assertion, I am able to prove it - and indeed will be doing so soon as part of a formal complaint.

[mr.ton]

They do make it sound like they've done all these covert investigations etc...when infact nothing could be furthur from the truth

[Wilma Shoozfit]

Looking at your earlier threads this became statute barred in March - so it's tough poop! Any more grief send them a Statute Barred letter and a piece of tracing paper and tell them to stick to brass rubbings.

 

Cheers

Wils