About 2 1/2 years ago I made a purchase of an item from a national chain store. The item was around £900 and I paid an initial deposit of £200, leaving £700 to pay. Delivery was about 6 weeks. I was having a lot of work done on my house at the time and paid the remaining £700 about a week before delivery in cash.

Anyway this week I get a letter asking me to settle the account as there is £700 outstanding. I was quite taken aback as this was over 2 years ago. So I phone them up to say that as far as I am concerned there is no money owing, however, the store in question has no record of me making payment.

They have sent me a letter asking me to sign a statement witnessed by a third party stating that payment was made and to include any supporting documentation, I have. After this amount of time I cant find any reciepts for the item.

They also want me to state the date that payment was made and describe the person that payment was made to, including age, colour of eyes, skin, hair etc. I cant even remember whether it was a man or a woman, let alone the colour of their eyes, and I have no Idea the date payment was made.

They say they want this information so that my statement can be produced as evidence as part of the ongoing investigation or in any court proceedings that may follow.

Now this concerns me somewhat, as I have no evidence to prove that I actually made payment, so I guess it is my word against theirs. Could this go to court with no evidence to support whether payment was actually made or not.

What sort of company would deliver an item with £700 still outstanding and then not chase it up for over 2 years, and if this is the sort of thing they do, it does not surprise me that they could misplace records of my payment.

So I guess I am asking how I stand, and should I fill out and sign this statement, although all I can say is that I made payment, I cant confirm when it was made or to which employee.

Thanks