Comment by denton-scratch

Reply: "Thank you for your letter. I am awaiting your writ." Say nothing else.

Without a writ, you have little idea what the substance of their legal claim is; there's no purpose in hiring an attorney, because there's nothing for him to work on. So you are saying: "I don't fold to hollow threats and bullying. If you have a proper legal claim, make a proper legal claim."

If you then get a writ, show it to a lawyer.

If you have no substantial assets, it might be worth pointing that out (once the writ arrives). Nobody wants to sue a man of straw.