Fighting Debt - a user guide

5) DISPUTING A DEBT

a) Disputing a Debt

If you have a debt amount that you disagree with or have received a letter chasing for an amount that you do not recognise / believe belongs to you, you can put the debt into dispute.

By putting the debt into dispute you are requesting the Creditor to:

a) confirm what the debt is for

b) prove it belongs to you

c) provide details as to how it has been calculated (ie any interest or charges on the amount)

Be aware that just because you are disputing the debt, this does not automatically mean that you do not owe the balance being requested.

You can request the Creditor to provide details of the debt, by requesting a copy of the original signed contract that has the creditor and the debtor's name. This is called a CCA Request.

The company chasing you for payment is not neccessary the original lender. Many lenders / creditors will instruct a Debt Collecting Agency to act on their behalf, and some Debt Agencies buy old debts from Creditors.

Whether you are being chased by the original lender or an assigned Debt Agency, they still have to comply with the CCA request

See Asking for Proof for more details.

If the debt is over 6 years old and has not been aknowledged or recceived any payments then it may be classed as Statute Barred.

There are set guidelines and is regulated by The Limitations Act 1980.

See Statute Barred for further details.