On first line of my post!!! are you always so quick to jump down someone neck? On the 17th March I bought a 1.6 16v petrol Citroen Xsara Picasso 77k on clock from Trade Cars of Cleckheaton for £1200 paying £700 cash and £500 on a debit card. tried to upload a copy of the pre inspection sheet but it kept failing will try again later, in the fluids section of it they have ticked the Power steering fluid as satisfactory, which it wasn't the level was low and its leaking. As for the valve oil seals in the engine section they have ticked it satisfactory for fluid leaks but an x unsatisfactory for oil pressure and most other things

Sorry its long just want to include all the details. On the 17th March I bought a 1.6 16v petrol Citroen Xsara Picasso 77k on clock from Trade Cars of Cleckheaton http://www.tradecarscleckheaton.co.uk/ for £1200 paying £700 cash and £500 on a debit card. On viewing the car when I first started it the car gave off quite a bit of smoke for about the first 30 seconds which cleared, the garage staff said, "it will be just condensation as its been standing for while". I test drove it and it drove ok apart from a front anti-roll bar needing replacing which I agreed to do so I bought it for £90 off the price. I didn't notice it giving smoke on first starting for first couple of days then when I did I monitored it for a few days and it was smoking quite heavily for about the first 30 seconds which then clears, and there was oil on the drive. I have monitored the oil level and it hasn't gone down. The oil leak was Power steering fluid coming from the steering rack. From Googleing the symptoms of the smoking I diagnosed it to be the valve stem oil seals, which when I got round to taking it to my mates garage he agreed and confirmed, he estimated about £650 to do the oil seals on that engine model, we didn't even discuss the steering fluid leak. He suggested trying some Oil Leak Stop fluid stating "it tends to either work or it doesn't with no inbetween" the can said it can take 200 miles to have its full effect. It was Thursday 30th March when I got round to contacting the garage after giving the fluid a chance (it didn't work). They insisted I contact Warranty wise and try and claim on the warranty, I told them they would not pay out but they still insisted so I submitted a repair request that was declined by Warranty Wise, the garage said they would now take it up with them and should get it through. This toing and froing took until Monday 3rd April when Warranty Wise offered me a goodwill gesture of £150 as they say the repair is not covered on the warranty I have been given by Trade Cars. At this point I emailed Trade Cars last night at 10pm stating I want to return the car in the morning for a refund due to it being of unsatisfactory quality and quoted the Consumer Rights Act 2015. I received an almost instant reply at the top in block capitals it said WITHOUT PREDUDICE, then : Dear Mr Leonard Thank you for your email. I will forward this to our legal advisor who will be in contact with you shortly. In the mean time we can not accept the return of your vehicle and suggest you await this response first of all. I telephoned them today asking when I can bring it back and the woman I have been speaking to said "we can't just take it back there's a process we have to go through our legal advisor should contact you shortly. One thing I am a little concerned about now is that when buying the car I was signing all sorts of stuff and counting money with a woman when a man came in and gave her a sheet which she asked me to sign and gave me a copy which I did not paying it much attention at the time it was a pre-delivery inspection sheet. Now the sh**s hitting the proverbial fan I have looked at it and most of the car is marked x for unsatisfactory, so much so it wouldn't get far at all if these items all had problems. I am beginning to get really annoyed about it and am thinking of taking it down there tomorrow and blocking the entrance to their lot with it until I get some satisfaction. Any advice appreciated thanks

Another update my file was passed to some firm called Zinc who bombarded me with texts and phone calls for a while all of which I ignored. Now they are emailing me. Last week they offered me a discount if I settled with them. This week its: We note that as yet you have been unable to contact us so that we can start the process of closing your account. As a result we are concerned that time is now running out on the options we have made available to you as a Zinc Priority Customer. Today and for a limited time you can still: Call us on 0141 230 9101 and ask to speak to your personal account manager, who is ready to help and assist you with a variety of options. We are keen to help you resolve this matter before it is escalated so please contact us now. Do they ever give up?

Another update. Sorry its taken me a while to post, my dad's still in hospital so lots of visiting to fit in with working full tine coaching kids rugby and looking after my own lad who I take to rugby, boxing and gymnastics. Anyway to the real issue I have received 2 letters from CRS as well as numerous calls and texts all of which I have ignored, The first letter dated 27th April stated: They still wanted to reach an amicable solution. They believe I am breach of a legally binding contract and if they decide to pursue through the courts the following process would apply. 1- Legal Action 1, They will write formally explaining what they are demanding and give a final opportunity to pay/reply 2, If this failed to settle the matter they would issue proceedings in the county court. 3, I could then either make payment ending the legal process, dispute some or all the money involved. 4, If I dispute the amount owed the court process would continue at the end of which the court would decide on their claim. 5, A strict court imposed timescale will reply in relation to the court process. 2- Outsource To Legal Agents The account would be passed to another collection agency who will take further action. Then on the 18th May I received a letter stating: We regret our attempts to reach an amicable resolution to your account you remain in arrears. If I don't reply to this letter within 10 days they will pass my account to Zinc Group PLC. It then goes on to say they would still like to resolve this matter and are happy to listen to listen to my reasons for not paying and do whatever to reach an acceptable solution for both parties. Should I ignore this latest letter too? Thank you everyone for your ongoing advice so far, if it wasn't for this forum I may have cracked before now and made arrangements with them

Thanks will do, just having a moment of weakness my dad's in hospital in a bad way n think it must be getting to me.

I sent the letter to Harlands and the gym on the 22nd Feb and gave them 2 weeks to accept it

Update on this., I did write as advised offering a months fee as a goodwill gesture and sent it to the gym and Harlands. I have since had numerous phone calls which I have not answered just by chance followed by text requests that I ring CRS. Also I have received letters on the 12th Feb from CRS stating my debt is now £196.42 and they want to reach an amicable solution offering me a chance to pay and start going the gym or to arrange a payment plan. Then on 2nd March a more threatening letter stating they would like to reach an amicable solution, but they believe I am in breach of a legally binding contract and they may pursue a claim through the courts and if they are successful I will be liable for their costs and interest. Or the account could be passed to another collection agency. They gave me 10 days to reply. Then on 8th April another letter from CRS responding to my letter to them in which I stated the membership had been missold and I never received any terms and conditions. They attached a copy of an email which looks like it was sent to me giving some terms and conditions and links to full terms, however on my sons life I can categorically swear I never received this email or I would have gone straight back to the gym to challenge the girl who signed me up. The letter then goes on to say they believe I was given all the information relating to terms I allegedy agreed to and the opportunity to raise concerns. They advise the balance of £196.42 is correct as a goodwill gesture they will accept £146.92 if paid in 7 days or I could make a payment plan that they will charge extra for. Please arrange payment in next 7 days to avoid further action. Am I fighting a losing battle here?

No I didn't write to them, is it worth doing so?

Quick update had a letter today from CRS saying my debt had been passed to them, advising me I now owe £196.42 including their fee of £66.50. Should I just ignore this???

Thanks for the advice I will keep you updated as things happen.

Signed up in July there was a fee cant remember if it was £15and first months membership of £9.99, then I also paid for August and September

Hope somebody can help advise me how to proceed with this, sorry is a bit long. I work as a support worker for people with mental health problems as part of my job I promote healthy living and exercise with the service users I work with. In July I agreed to take a service user to our local Exercise 4 Less (Wigan) and train with him, I can claim back my expenses from work as long as I am taking service users. We signed up but it was never pointed out that it was a 12 month contract I even asked "what if I can no longer make it to the gym due to work", in fact the girl told me "no problem you can cancel any time if its because of work illness or moving home". Happy with this I did the direct debit. the sessions with the service user never came off as he got a job so I never ended up going to the gym. I paid the direct debit until October when I decided to cancel. I wrote a letter asking them to cancel my membership and dropped it off at the gym in person and cancelled the direct debit. I heard nothing until last month when I got a call from Harlands telling me as I had defaulted on my direct debit I owed them £34.99. I explained that I had cancelled my membership. He told me "no you can't it is a 12 month contract. I tried to explain what had been told to me in the gym but got the impression he didn't believe me, so just told him I wasn't paying it and the call ended. Fast forward to this month Monday I received a letter from Harlands saying I now owe £69.98 as I have defaulted again on my arrangement. If I don't pay it will be £129 by 26th December. I rang them and again explained the situation they told me to go directly to the gym and explain to them which I did, I was told to ring head office and given the number. Head office told me they could not help and I need to go and speak to the gym manager, who told me I need to pay its a 12 month contract and its in the terms and conditions, I had to leave before I punched his head in On the day I signed up to the direct debit at the gym, I left the gym with no paperwork what so ever no copy of any agreement or terms as I usually read such things. I have checked my emails and the day I joined I received an email titled "All you need to know about your gym membership" there are no terms and conditions on it just advertising and a link to the website. Sick of being given the run around, what should I do? Charlie