Asset link capital

A question about : Asset link capital

Hi there, i an not sure if this post is in the correct category so please accept my apologies if it should be somewhere else.

We had a smile visa card many many years ago which was paid off.

Today we have received a letter from The Co-operative bank informing us that 'your smile visa account has been sold to Asset Link Capital (No 5) Limited', along with a letter from asset link confirming that our account has been sold to them and state that the sale balance is Ј175.31 and to make payments to them in future.

We paid this off many years ago - there was no outstanding balance.

There is no contact number for The Co-operative for us to speak to them, just asset links contact number.

Does anyone know what we do now, other than contact asset link directly and tell them we dont owe any money!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

Best answers:

• Sorry for the omission, letter states asset link capital have appointed Link Financial Outsourcing Limited.
  Also please note there is no demand for payment, just states all future payments need to be made to them.
  Really concerned about this - do we wait until a demand for payment is made and then dispute it? Is it possible that there has been a mistake made?
  Many thanks
• How many years ago did you pay this off?
• Have a think how long then and see if you have any paperwork.
  There is a basic "prove I owe you" letter here if they start making demands
  --> Letter when you know nothing about about the debt - AKA "Prove it" letter
  but if it is over 6 years anyway since you would have last acknowledged or paid anything on the account, you could supplement that letter with a statement to say anything from that time would be statue barred to produce a letter somewhat like
  --> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...57&postcount=5
• Thank you so so much for your advice.
  I will search for any paperwork for this because i know we paid this off.
  Thanks once again and merry christmas.
• Have a good Xmas and don't worry about this.
  If push comes to shove the onus is on them to prove something is owed, not for you to prove it isn't.
• Sorry to jump in but,
  We have received the very same letter, ours is showing over 3k.
  I thought it was a scam as the last time I delt with the coop was over 5-7 years ago via the cccs.
  I am unsure if it was completely paid off but since then they have not contacted us, nothing until today via letter.
  nothing appears on my credit file.
• I rang the cccs but as it was so old our details are archived.
  he did mention though statue debt where if they hav'nt been in contact or payments havnt been made in 6 years it would be classed as statued debt.
  From what ive read they will try to convince you that it is still enforceable.
  upon reading the coop letter, only the account number has been sold, and it is not an escalation of action against us, it is a strategic decision by the bank in relation to how it manages accounts in arrears.
  this letter didnt mention amount, only the asset link did.
  ive been advised the following:
  1st, sort out a letter to the coop asking for further information on this, DONOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEBT, sent recorded and keep a copy.
  2nd if this fails you then go fsa.
  im reading up on everything inc statued debt, etc.
  time to go in the loft and get my paperwork down.
  one things for sure it has had a negative effect on xmas, as I was sure this was sorted out.
• But the bottom line is im now unsure if this was sorted, but why wouldn't they contact us sooner if it wasnt sorted out.
  Nearly Ј4k id be chasing if I was owed it.
  They could be firing a warning shot in the hope we call and scknowledge the debt, once that happens then the procedure for recovery starts.
  if no acknowledgement has been received or it is queried this im unsure about.
  under 6 years the its not statued and can be recovered, over then not.
  I dont know im tired, didnt have much sleep, trying to work this out and reading up.
• I would guess that a significant proportion of people who are faced with such a financial demand will pay it without question, whether the debt was genuine or not. Somebody with a degenerative mental disease who is still able to manage their finances would be an ideal mark.
  I have been sent demands for other peoples debts who have a similar name and live within 10 miles.
  The statistical likelihood of success makes it profitable to send out a flood of demands randomly for money, under the guise of a collections company.
  Proof is the key. MSE is the place to go if you have been targeted and require advice.
  J_B.
• Daniella ive pm a coop number.
  wont let me, try this
  0161 8294193
• Daniella,
  How did you get on.
  With me ive checked the loft for paperwork, and the pc.
  Checkmyfile and noodle. Found nothing relating to it, no ccj's.nothing.
  I've sent a statued barred templated letter to Link Financial recorded.
  with the words alleged debt etc asking for proof of contact within 6 years blah blah.
  After calling stepchange it was apparent that was the next move, after checking credit agencies.
  Now the balls in their court.
  I'm expecting some calls re it, but im ex directory so I unsure if they will get my number.
• Hi Folks,
  I am in exactly thesame position as Daniella.
  Today (Thursday 22nd January 2015) , I have also received a pair of letters, one from the Co-Op Bank and one from Asset Link Capital, claiming that I owe a sum of Ј150.51
  I have never banked with the Co-Op, but have with "Smile", and in fact still have a current account with them.
  I can vaguely remember having a "Smile" Visa card, but this was paid off and closed many years ago, I have just checked my "Noddle" credit report, and there is no mention of a "Smile" Visa card, going back as far as 2009, so 6 years ago.
  I have just drafted the "Prove It" Letter, which I post tomorrow.
  has anyone else who has sent Asset Link Capital a "Prove It" letter had any response from them ?
  Thanks In Advance,
  Jeff
• I too have received the same 2 letters, giving a Sale Balance of just over Ј100, hence me seeking guidance from this site. I actually still have the credit card (don't ask me why I kept it) which expired in Feb 2003. Having been through a period of financial turmoil in the past, and having worked hard to get myself back on track, these things really annoy me.
  My standard response would be to do nothing, probably not the best advice, however it has worked for me in the past. My experience is that they will chase the people that respond. I will let you know what happens when you do nothing.
• I have also had the very same letter oustanding balance Ј 140, I have had no dealings or contact with the Co Op for somewhere between 20 or 25 years. It states an account balance but doesnt clearly ask for or confirm an amount to be paid.
  Is this a fishing letter to be ignored or something to respond to ?
  Asset Link have not searched my credit file nothing shows, but a company called Lowell did an unrecorded search mid Oct.
  Asset also wrote to my old address I moved early 2014.
  Statute barred is all well and good and clearly appropriate but do we really want to get into correspondence with these people.
• Hi there,
  Just to update you all, I looked all through the loft paperwork and found nothing. I also checked my PC for any information, again absolutely nothing.
  Got completely fed up of wasting my time searching for something I 100% know was paid off years ago.
  I simply wrote back telling them that this was paid off and recommended that they go back to The Cooperative and get them to double check their information before contacting me any further.
  How did you lot get on?
  Thanks for reading