I have had two flats with Merchant Lettings, a company now owned by Countrywide. My mother, who was my guarantor for the first flat as I was a student at the time, has suddenly started getting letters from the Countrywide for a flat I lived in 3 years ago asking her to pay 1000 pounds of rent that I definitely do not owe them (and if I did why did they let me rent out the second property!). We have phoned the number on the letter (which is a Countrywide number) and got through to a call center overseas. They claim to know nothing about it, and have directed us to Merchant Lettings, who claim that no letter has ever been sent. This is absolutely ridiculous as they have never contacted me directly about this supposed debt (especially as it appears to be three years old), and "" neither countrywide or merchant lettings are claiming responsibility for it but the letters keep coming. I am especially concerned that this misunderstanding will end up effecting my mother's credit rating. The amount of admin fees the company wanted to charge I would hope at the least I would be dealt with competently.