What to do

Both the Council for Debt Collectors and the National Credit Regulator urge consumers to raise prescription as a defence when asked to pay a debt that’s been dormant for more than three years.

Demand to see proof of your alleged debt: the original contract, proof of the date of default, the handover amount and a breakdown of all the costs and interest which have accrued since. According to the in duplum rule, costs and interest may not exceed the handover amount.