Consumer credit act (cca is just an easy ref )
Here is some info with the refs to the act
Re:
debt collection
Agencies
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It is also worth asking them to supply a true copy of the original signed agreement. You need to request this under Consumer Credit Act and send a postal order (not a cheque if you can avoid it) for £1. The following text is nicked from the debthelpuk forum:
I do not acknowledge ANY debt to your company. I require you to supply the following documentation before I will correspond further on this matter.
1. You must supply me with a true copy of the alleged agreement you refer to. This is my right under your obligation to supply a copy of the agreement under the legislation contained within s.78 (1) Consumer Credit Act 1974 (s.77 (1) for fixed sum credit) - your obligation also extends to providing a statement of account. I enclose a £1 postal order in payment of the statutory fee, PO Serial Number xxxxx.
2. A signed true copy of the deed of assignment of the above referenced agreement that you allege exists.
3. You are notified that you are obliged to supply these documents, whether you are the original creditor or not under S189 of the CCA 1974.
Non-compliance with my request is a criminal offence under the above Act and will result in a report being submitted to the relevant statutory authorities.
As you are aware, a credit agreement that is not properly documented and signed by the customer is totally unenforceable under the CCA and therefore is a complete defence to any court claim that is issued.
Take note at this stage, that any legal action you may contemplate will be both vigorously defended and contested.
The deed of assignment line should only be used if the debt has been purchased by a debt collection agency. If they fail to provide the copy agreement within 12 days then court action can only take place with permission of a judge. After 30 days the creditor commits a criminal offence and can be reported to the OFT and Trading Standards.
Cabot are, to it mildly, debt buying parasites who scavenge through the trash of the financial service industry hoping to pick up a few tasty morsels. Challenge everything they do. If you think the debt is
statute barred
, challenge them to provide that it is isn't. Challenge them to produce a copy of the original agreement. If they start charging
interest
challenge them to prove that it says they can do this in the original agreement. Above all. if they have purchased a debt which includes penalty charges, challenge them over this. If the debt is actually exceeded by the penalty charges they have levied, go through the process set out on this site and get the excess back.
This I hope should do the trick just use the bits you need.