Mum and son 'harassed for a 27-year-old debt' they say do not owe

By njarvis

by Nikki Jarvis

nikki.jarvis@essnmedia.co.uk

A Sanderstead man and his elderly mum are being hounded for a debt – which they claim is 27 years old.

The debt of £1,280 allegedly relates to an Abbey National account Mike Parsons had in 1982.

Mr Parsons, of Arkwright Road, is adamant he has never owed anybody any money and is furious he and his mum, Margaret, 77, are being sent letters asking for payment by debt collectors CapQuest.

Mrs Parsons, of Foxcomb, New Addington, started receiving the letters calling for payment in June this year.

She said: "Mike hasn't lived here for over 30 years and I was scared they would catch me unawares one day and try to come into my house."

CapQuest tracked down Mike's address in a way he claims left him feeling "tricked and conned".

He said: "Someone rang up saying I had a telegram waiting for me – who gets telegrams these days?

"So I said 'no, you are from CapQuest' and from that moment they have known where I live.

"I have got a Porsche on the driveway and now I am constantly scared someone is out there trying to tow it away.

"I want to go to court and face them because the judge would laugh in their faces.

"I would rather pay out £2,000 to my solicitors before I give them a penny.

"Why on earth would Abbey National have not chased me up for this debt 20 years ago?"

Mike is concerned for other people who may be going through the same problem.

He said: "People like me are all right because I can afford a solicitor, but what about the vulnerable single mothers and old people?

"They just get so scared they sign up for payment plans when they might not even owe anything."

Mike's solicitors have sent out two letters to CapQuest to deal with the matter.

But the group operations director for CapQuest (which has bought the debt), Tommy Musgrave, doesn't believe the debt is 27 years old.

He said: "We believe he last used his Abbey National account 12 years ago.

"We have not received anything from his solicitors – CapQuest will, and do, speak with representatives of debtors, whether they are solicitors, debt management companies or debt counsellors.

"We have not been 'harassing' either Mr Parsons or his mother and merely asked her if we could speak to the individual with whom we have business.

"Any correspondence we sent would have been addressed personally to Mr Parsons."