Husband’s 6-year-old collections debt

[bjk]

In January 2018, my husband (then friend) ordered furniture from Leon’s. The bill was about $2,500. For some frustrating reason he didn’t pay it, so it went to collections and has been haunting his credit score ever since. I discovered this shortly after marrying him last year.

My questions are: Since it is 6 years from the first missed payment (and since Leon’s hasn’t taken legal action), will this collections debt soon just disappear from my husband’s credit report as if it never existed? And what happens if he doesn’t ever pay off this debt?

Our house and vehicles have been fully paid off for several years, so he doesn’t seem to care about his credit score and has no intention of paying. I, however, am stressed and want it dealt with.

We live in Ontario, in case that’s relevant. Thanks for any insight!

 

[resjudicata]

@bjk This is more of a moral issue than financial. Good luck with your marriage.

 

[mina198]

@bjk Sounds like a great guy, I’d imagine if Leon’s owed him $2500 he wouldn’t expect a penny back also?

I absolutely can’t stand people that do shit like this, several small businesses and start up mechanic shops in my town have went out of business because of people like your husband, some dill knob chooses to ignore the fact they owe a few thousand for a new set of tires, some fuel, farm supplies etc etc. But continue to go out and buy new vehicles, boats and houses the entire time. Tell him to be better

 

[jessecromo]

@bjk Former debt collector.
Don’t pay. Don’t acknowledge the debt when collectors call you. After 7 years, credit bureaus like equifax and transunion will no longer show the debt.

Also, there will be some collection agencies who will try to collect after 7 years. If you still get calls after 7 years, tell them that you don’t know anything about Leon’s, but you can tell them that it sounds like should put you on their do not call list. Do not confirm any information with them. Be polite. Be firm.
Honestly, don’t feel guilty about it.

 

[akibahara]

@jessecromo This is the only advice I'd suggest listening to here.

Leave the AmITheAsshole-style partisan advice alone -- your husband is not a deadbeat. You both paid off your house together FFS.

 

[fromofold]

@akibahara *Paid off the house with an insurance injury settlement lmao. But not Leon's. F&[sup]k[/sup] Leon's apparently.

 

[activewear]

@bjk Former collector... Dont pay it. His credit is already ruined and it will soon fall off his credit report anyways. If you become tired of the collections calls, send a cease and desist letter through registered mail (important).

 

[marko959]

@bjk Your husband is a fucking deadbeat.

He should ignore any contact and vigorously dispute any adverse reporting on his credit report. He’s well past the limitation period, and also nearing or at the credit reporting limit.

He should learn a good lesson about this and never be be in this position again, but the creditor didn’t bother to exercise their legal rights so fuck em.

 

[ophanim]

@bjk He should not pay the debt. He should let it age off, or if it doesn't age off, call Equifax and TransUnion and state that he requires the entry to be removed from his file (He should do this once the required amount of time has elapsed).

Anything he does to acknowledge the debt now will refresh the bad credit - logically speaking there is no good reason to pay it anymore from your husband's point of view.

This opinion will be severely downvoted but it is the only choice that makes sense, people advising otherwise are being deceitful and it would put your husband through another 6-7 years of bad credit.

And in case it wasn't clear, if collection agents are calling him, do not acknowledge anything. You may be best off telling them they've reached the wrong number and insist that they stop calling your number as you / he are not the right person. You're not required to tell your name to a collections agent, they have less than zero authority.

 

[kennybest]

@ophanim Also just to add to this, the collections agency can sell the bad debt to another agency and they can start harrassing your husband for payment and once he shuts them down by refusing to acknowledge the debt they can sell it on down to the next agency. They can't enforce the debt but they can use all their tricks to try to get a payment and this zombie/ghost debt can be sold on forever. Expect the debt to pop up every 2-5 years. Some people will try to say it's not allowed but it absolutely is and it does happen.

 

[jessecromo]

@kennybest They do.
Just be calm and tell the collector that you are not sure what they are talking about. They have to disclose dates. Then tell them it sounds like a long time ago and it doesn’t sound correct. Don’t confirm any of your personal information.

Tell them it sounds like they are doing something improper. A good collector will try to convince you otherwise. Do not listen to them. Don’t get angry but get swayed by them either. Ask them to put you on a DNC list.
If they don’t you will file a complaint with the ministry of consumer protection in Ontario. All collection agencies have to be registered in each province to operate.

The reality is that double-d debts are so old, but so cheap that some collection agencies are hoping they can just call enough people that they can get 1 or 2 people out of 100 to pay some amount of money. There are so many of these that they don’t have the energy to pursue each one, especially if they are status barred already. Just don’t be that 1 guy who is dumb enough to pay an unenforceable debt.

 

[childofgod001]

@kennybest Happened to me for a debt way back In 2001 for $150 to Zellers that I had forgotten about. Two years ago started getting harassed TCR.

 

[kennybest]

@childofgod001 Hah hah same, a Zellers card, except it was $700 and suddenly in 2014 I started getting calls about it but I had paid off all the bad university debts I was aware of and was rebuilding my credit. At that point they wanted about $1500 and then in 2021 when I last heard about it they wanted $2300. Forget it, tell them it's not your debt and to sue you or leave you alone. It's really that easy, they just file it away to be sold off to some other garbage agency.

 

[hello_there]

@bjk Very soon it'll be off his credit report and his credit will be like it never happened.

The collectors will still call. He doesn't owe them money so long as Leon's sold the debt to collectors. If that's the case, nothing will happen except calls. They can't sue him for it. If they were going to, they had their opportunity years ago.

 

[beraps]

@bjk If you’re in B.C., Alberta or Ontario no one can force you to pay after 2 years as long as you don’t acknowledge the debt.

You’re already at 6 years so just wait for it to fall off your credit report in the next few months.

 

[cyberherbalist]

@bjk It falls off the credit report after 7 years so it’s almost gone.

 

[kennybest]

@cyberherbalist Equifax - 6 years in all provinces
Transunion - 6-7 years depending on province

 

[annythinkstoomucj]

@bjk Am I the only that read the title as her husband's 6 year old kid is a debt collector?

 

[musicgirl91]

@annythinkstoomucj I read it that way as well

 

[5ravens52]

@bjk He is a thief until he pays it