Hi all, I'm looking for some advice...went shopping this morning at Tesco and as I got my trolley I put my handbag in there

Got some shopping,about £40 worth and was about to make my way to the checkout when I thought I'd look for some makeup as I'm going out this weekend.

I decided to get a lipstick and put it in the trolley then made my way back to the checkout when I bumped into someone and stood talking for ten minutes or so

Went to the checkout put all my shopping on the belt,paid and left.

I'd just got outside when two security guards shouted excuse me have you any items you haven't paid for? To which I said no..he asked for my receipt which I showed him and then asked me to come back in,at this point it dawned on me that I had picked up the lipstick last minute and didn't recall putting it on the belt

They marched me through to the back room and asked me to remove my bags from the trolley where the lipstick was under my handbag,at this point I was close to tears and tried to explain it was a genuine mistake and offered to pay right away but they didn't acknowledge what I was saying and asked me to wait there,left the room and comeback 15 min later asking if I had any identity on me,I said my bank card,gave it him and again apologized and offered to pay for the lipstick,again he ignored me.

I then said what's going to happen will the police be called? He said no you're lucky the value of goods was under £10 meaning we can issue you with a bang from store fir 12 months and you'll get a fine through the post

He gave me a sheet explaining the ban and a sheet from rlp saying my info might be shared with third parties and that I will have to pay for the goods plus a fine...I wasn't asked to sign anything

I'm really worried about what will happen next,feel ashamed and also angry that it was a genuine oversight and I never meant to steal anything but wasn't allowed to try and explain myself

Please help,will I have to pay a massive fine? Will the police get involved?

The title of your thread is interesting !

The only thing that will happen next is RLP will send you a few letters with veiled threats. DO NOT PAY THEM ANYTHING.

When you get jackies letters, come back here and we'll give you a letter to send to her. Be warned, she loves to intimidate and threaten people into paying. She and her company have absolutely NOTHING to do with the law, so do not give in to her purile demands to pay her. The shop has already washed their hands of you and have forgotten about you. You need to do the same to RLP.

@renegadeimp...thank you so much for your reply,the security guard made it sound like I'll be receiving a demand for a big fine and if I don't pay up immediately the police will be the other option...he said apparently they recover costs incurred for the time they've wasted to deal with me aswell so I can mount up?

@renegadeimp...thank you so much for your reply,the security guard made it sound like I'll be receiving a demand for a big fine and if I don't pay up immediately the police will be the other option...he said apparently they recover costs incurred for the time they've wasted to deal with me aswell so I can mount up?

At the time of writing you have only looked at this thread. It would serve you well to read other threads in this forum about RLP.

You will very quickly get the idea of what they are about.

You will receive a "speculative invoice" from RLP. It is not a fine. It will be followed by all types of threats, intimidation and pleadings to pay them money.

Do not pay them anything, do not let them intimidate you.

ALso remember that only the police or courts can issue a fine. RLP is a private company and as such cannot do ANYTHING to you at all. As IMS has said, have a good read of the RLP forums, you'll soon breathe a sigh of relief.

At the time of writing you have only looked at this thread. It would serve you well to read other threads in this forum about RLP.

 

You will very quickly get the idea of what they are about.

 

 

 

Hello...I've had a quick look around based on your advice,and reading threads on here it has put my mind at rest some what...I also looked at rlp website which I have to say looks pretty scary when you read the section regarding what will happen if you don't pay...according to their website,they can ultimately send county court bailiffs to your home? Is this a possibility? ...they also mention people taking advice from a consumer website (this one?) and strongly advise against it as the people who have ended up paying more in the long run

 

I'm new to all this,so just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing before ignoring their letters...reading threads on here though seems to suggest that it's the way to go,are they just scare tactics on the rlp Site?

 

Thanks again for the help I really appreciate it

Listen to the advice on here and you won't go wrong, look for my post I have put the letters on that I received from RLP that will give you some idea what to expect. Keep all the letters together the DCA will be around in about 9/10 months. When the time comes just write the one liner to RLP.

@renegadeimp...as mentioned their site suggests that they can get bailiffs involved for non payment..is this wrong?

@pawsforthought...thank you very much I will look at your posts...feeling much better after posting here

@renegadeimp...as mentioned their site suggests that they can get bailiffs involved for non payment..is this wrong?

Completely 100% wrong. bailiffs will NEVER be involved. Ever.

Forget about what jackies website says. Even in court she was railed by a judge. She then went on her site and said the judge was completely wrong. That just shows what kind of mentality she has.

Renegadeimp,thanks so much...really can't believe that these people can use tactics like this! Thank goodness for sites like this I've done some more reading on here of some ofvthe threads regarding rlp and I am definitely going to take the advice from here...I will update as and when I receive any letters...thanks again

If you do post any letters always remember to remove any personal details. Certain people do look at these sort of sites

Hi

Just to be absolutely clear, the only way a bailiff could get involved is if Tesco took you to court. They won't as it is not in their interest to do so.

RLP cannot take court action independently of Tesco.

After a retailer and RLP got a massivbe slapping in a fully defended claim at Oxford court, we have heard of no other cases being taken. In fact, if you were to visit the RLP website, the last case listed there is July 2012.

These letters are staying just this side of harassment (IMO) as they don't state what 'WILL' happen, only ambiguous statements containing 'may', 'could' 'might' and 'recommend'.

If you do post any letters always remember to remove any personal details. Certain people do look at these sort of sites

Thank you for the heads up,I'll be sure to remove any details before posting

Hi

Just to be absolutely clear, the only way a bailiff could get involved is if Tesco took you to court. They won't as it is not in their interest to do so.

 

RLP cannot take court action independently of Tesco.

 

After a retailer and RLP got a massivbe slapping in a fully defended claim at Oxford court, we have heard of no other cases being taken. In fact, if you were to visit the RLP website, the last case listed there is July 2012.

 

These letters are staying just this side of harassment (IMO) as they don't state what 'WILL' happen, only ambiguous statements containing 'may', 'could' 'might' and 'recommend'.

I did in fact notice that their successful cases were no more recent than 2012 now I see why!...so I am correct in thinking that I need to completely ignore any letters they send regardless of how threatening they seem? How long roughly does it take for them to give up trying to make you pay? From what I can gather reading here,around 6 months is the usual timescale?

One more question siverfox...is there any possibility that Tesco would take me to court if I did ignore the letters?

Thanks in advance

Tesco won't do it which is why they pass these civil recovery claims to RLP to do the chasing for them in the hope some mug pays up.

All that will happen is that you will get a few letters from RLP who then pass it on to their 'specialist' debt recovery practice

They send you a few more begging letters followed by one where they will say that they will recommend to their client that they take action.

Now remember, the DCA is acting on behalf of their client who is RLP. RLP cannot take independent action so after all the stress, what will happen......

Bu**er all

Thank you silverfox, I just wanted to be clear that I won't cause myself any more trouble by ignoring the letters from rlp...I will certainly be taking all the advice I've been given here as I said earlier and can't express how thankful I am for everybody's kindness,I feel much much better about the whole thing now

I will continue to update you all...thank you once again

On the first letter send the one liner just to cover yourself. Then when the DCA get involved you have covered yourself. Mine as been going on since March last year to give you some idea. Now the DCA have taken over but there is a letter you can send them as well so no worries there.

Hi pawsforthought...is it best to reply to their first letter with the one liner then as opposed to ignoring it all together? I take it they don't give up too easily then going off your experience!

Hello all,sorry to be a pain but I'm now sitting here with the thought going through my mind of the days events,I think the reality of what happened is now hitting me and I'm plaguing my mind with the thought of will all of the staff know about this? Thing is,my friends relative works in there and obviously I don't want the shame of people knowing about this...will Tesco tell all their staff about people they have banned or is it just the security people that know the details of this? I'm upset aswell as I know how it looks but I honestly did make a mistake and just feel mortified by the whole thing now sorry to go on...

I doubt they have a "Wanted Dead or Alive" wall, it will just be their security meat heads. I had a similar experience with Asda, forgot to take shopping bags from car and grabbed one of the green plastic baskets and went about my shopping. Paid for items and put shopping back in basket and headed out towards my car. Upon leaving exit alarm thingy went off and i continued on towards my car, next min two meat heads were all over me and one grabbed me by the shoulder. I was 10 foot from my car and knew i had paid for everything in the basket and it was the security strip on the plastic basket that had set the alarm. Told the security guy to remove his hand from my shoulder and told him that once i had placed my shopping in my car they could take the basket and stick it where the sun never shines.

Awful experience you have had and it is so easily done especially with kids. If i was you id shop at Sainsburys as they are better and just as cheap/expensive.

Hello all,sorry to be a pain but I'm now sitting here with the thought going through my mind of the days events,I think the reality of what happened is now hitting me and I'm plaguing my mind with the thought of will all of the staff know about this? Thing is,my friends relative works in there and obviously I don't want the shame of people knowing about this...will Tesco tell all their staff about people they have banned or is it just the security people that know the details of this? I'm upset aswell as I know how it looks but I honestly did make a mistake and just feel mortified by the whole thing now sorry to go on...

The matter will be finished with as far as Tesco are concerned. Some stores have a wall of shame but this is not widespread - and depending on who has access to that area it would also be a breach of data protection laws. Similarly, details of who has been stopped are not routinely shared around amongst staff

Personality I would send the one liner after you receive the first letter that way you have covered yourself and don't have anymore involvement with them. Keep your head up and be strong don't let it get you down.