Evidence bundles for debt disputes
A clear file you can use with creditors, credit agencies or the court, showing what is yours — and what is not.
When this helps
Letters about someone else’s debts are stressful, especially after a relationship has ended. Some of those debts may be jointly yours. Some may be in the other person’s name only. Some you may not recognise at all. An evidence bundle puts the facts in order so you can deal with creditors, credit reference agencies, or, if needed, the court.
This is a desk-based service available to clients anywhere in the UK, including Crewe, Nantwich, Cheshire, Stoke-on-Trent, and the other North West towns I cover regularly such as Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Chester, Warrington and Bolton.
What the bundle can include
- A timeline of the relationship and the separation, with the documents that support the dates
- A schedule of each debt: the creditor, account details where known, whose name is on it, and the amount
- A review of the free credit reports you obtain from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, mapped against that schedule
- Proof, where it exists, that a particular debt is not yours — for example an opening date after you separated, or an account in the other person’s name only
- A note of anything that may need to be reported as fraud, so you can take that to the lender and, if appropriate, Action Fraud
- A signed witness statement with a statement of truth, and an exhibit index so each document is easy to find
The honest limit. If a debt is genuinely joint, no bundle can make it not yours. What it can do is distinguish the joint debts from the ones that are not yours, and support a claim against the other person for their share. If court papers have already arrived, get advice quickly — National Debtline is free, and a solicitor can review any defence. Deadlines can be as short as 14 days.
Evidence bundle questions
What is a debt evidence bundle?
A structured file that sets out the facts around the debts you are being asked to pay. It can include a timeline, a schedule of each account, supporting documents, and a signed witness statement with an exhibit index.
Can you make a joint debt go away?
No. If a debt was taken out in joint names, splitting up does not make it someone else’s alone. Each person can still be pursued for the whole amount. The bundle can, however, help show which debts are solely the other person’s, and support a claim against them for their share of any genuinely joint debts.
I have already received court papers. Can you help?
I can help organise the evidence. I cannot act as your solicitor or file a defence on your behalf. Court papers often have short deadlines — commonly 14 days — so you should take legal advice promptly. National Debtline is a free starting point, and a solicitor can check any defence.
Do I need the other person’s address?
Sometimes, yes — for example so a creditor or the court can contact the right person, or so you can bring a claim for their share. If that is part of what you need, I can quote for a lawful trace as well.