If I know I owe the collection agency and they no longer contact me does that means I still have to pay or not

Question

If i do have to pay how do i figure out what i have to pay.

Answer 1

In the UK there is a staute of limitations.

This means that if you go for more than 6 years without making a payment or acknowledging the debt, then they cannot take Court action to recover it.  This does not mean that you don't owe it, just that they can't recover it.  However if at any time, you make a payment or acknowledge the debt the clock starts again.

If they get a Court order during the 6 years then the order is enforcable.

Debt companies often start court action after the 6 yrs in the hope that you may not know about the Statute.  (The Court won't tell you about it, and if you do not enter it as a defence then you will lose)

12 years in the case of mortgages etc.

Answer 2

You still have to pay.

The collection agency is preparing to go to the next stage: You will receive a threatening letter from a lawyer. Legal steps they may take include garnishing your pay, (legal) seizure of property, repossessing your car, personal visits.

It is your responsibility to pay. You really should get in touch with the collection agency right away, find out just how much you owe and pay up. They will not let you go until you do so. They do not give up.

Answer 3

No they stop calling because they have put it into collections which means its gaining alot of interest now and you will have to pay alot more if they take you to court. The only way to find out how much you owe is to call them or call whoever you originally owed the money to. In most states, if 7 years go by then you do not have to pay anything back by law so if its been 7 years since you last talked to them, then you dont owe anything anymore but everytime you speak to them then the clock is erased and the 7 years starts all over again. But if you dont pay them back ever, it will forever ruin your credit and you will have problems getting a house and stuff like that forever.

Answer 4

No it just means they're letting it the account marinate so that it can attract even more interest. After a while longer, they'll likely just get a court judgement against you. When you're handed a summons to appear in court you'll figure it out.

If you want to know what to pay, call the collection agency and ask. Better yet, write them and ask so you have it in writing, they have a way of changing verbal figures. I suggest you negotiate a pay for delete option in the process.

Answer 5

It depends on last contact and your state's statute of limitations (from last promise you made to pay).

**Edit: By the way, this is only the case if there's no judgment against you from a court. Once that goes in the statute of limitations is done.

Answer 6

do not worry about it go to the citizens advice burea , they cannot take your car or send baliffs only a court can do that , and the court will ony make you pay what you can afford , i ran up loads of debt and then went bankrupt take no notice if you know how to work the system you can get away with it

Answer 7

If you owe money, you owe money.  It's possible that the agency is now exploring other options (involving a lawsuit), or that they have sold your debt to another agency.  

To learn what you owe, call them and talk to them.