Hi everyone,

Same old story,

I cancelled my direct debit during August of this year and have been receiving the scary emails of debt collection from Harlands, who have then transferred this debt to CRS who continue to try and scare me.

The difference I have compared to others is I had in fact posted my intention to cancel my membership, as I was moving away from the area as I had finished a placement role there, and was returning back to university.

Now, to maintain that I cancelled my dd on the day of last payment I posted this letter a month and a few days before the scheduled date.

I would have done this online, but I was in the situation where the internet was not set up in my new house, and I had evidence of my new address in paper form. I didn't think much of it and simply posted my intentions to the letter box on my street, addressed to the Xercise4less branch I frequented.

Well it couldn't be easy could it?

I received communication from Harlands in September, a month after the dd was cancelled, so the day the dd was usually withdrawn from my account. i was on holiday however and didn't read it.

Then October came, and they emailed me again.

This time I read it, and this is where the journey began.

I owed them £72.80, (2 months of membership plus 2 emails).

I decided to contact the gym manager with my situation as well as Harlands about the situation. Harlands?

They decided to ignore me, and the gym manager didn't read my email but said they don't accept letters, which is (probably) why my cancellation never came into fruition.

So, because my life does not revolve around chancers, I set up an auto response to harlands emails referring them to my initial sob story, while I focus on my studies.

So now we're at this point, with CRS saying I owe them daft amounts, I would quote, but they sent the letter to my old address but I'm assuming it's over £110.40, their last quote.

I'll be honest, I have learned my lesson that I should have read the contract in order to prevent this fuss occurring, but I am not letting them punish me this hard for it.

So, I must ask, what should be my next steps, and should I seek to resolve this?

Thanks in advance guys.

if you let one DD comeout after you told them to cancel ignore then

bounce their emails back and block the email address

if you have NOT guaranteed to have informed them of your new address do so in one simple letter to harlands..end of.

Hi Hhman and welcome to CAG

The gym would probably have ignored the cancellation letter.

I suggest a letter now, posted to Harlands at their Haywards Heath address :-

Dear Harlands/CRS,

Xercise4Less in [town/city]

I wrote to the gym on xxdate confirming muy need to leave and relocation.

I allowed the final DD payment to be made on xxdate and cancelled the DD mandate.

If Harlands/CRS continue to harass me, I will make formal complaints as necessary.

Yours sincerely,

Get a free Certificate of Posting at the PO when sending this, and keep us posted.

Stay off the phone !

Hi guys,

Cheers for the feedback, I think this blatant attempt at swindling is beyond the level that even a clown could manage. With regards to my letter, I do believe that it won't be in their archives, and there would be no proof of sending as I used a post box, and didn't get it signed for on collection. They could easily have just binned the letter for all I know, is there any chance they'll investigate and pursue their claims?

I guess another fear is, could keep pushing up the value I owe them up to a suitable amount in which they may take to court? Of course, my assumption is they wouldn't because these fees are just beyond reasonable, especially as they haven't communicated back with me in order to resolve the issue.

I'm betting they won't, anyhow, I'll write up a letter with the information you've provided and see what they come up with.

Thanks a lot guys, cheers, will keep you informed.

gym debts don't show on credit files

gyms don't do court.

send the letter

forget about the fake debt

ignore them.

do not use email

The gym may well have binned the letter and Harlands/CRS will almost certainly deny it ever existed as far as they're concerned.

Harlands/CRS will continue to make demands AND increase those demands with added admin fees but this NOT make the demands enforceable !!

Send the letter I drafted and keep us posted.

This will never reach a court ! Nor will it ever impact on your credit rating, etc.

listen to what these guys tell you and DONT PAY i too have been royaly rogered by harlands ..xercis4less. i think my bill now stands at £390 lol from £14, and i mite add i cancelled my membership. and cancelled my DD because they kept taking my money. but ofcourse they had no record of my cancellation. and now there threatening county court, received said email today stating so. the amount of money they want from such a stupid small amount i think would even amuse a judge.. let harlands whistle. unless we make a stand these companies will continue to rip of innocent people and get nicely rich doing so.. kind regards, martin

CokeCan's thread is here - https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?490706-xercis4less

Generally our advice continues to be ignore Harlands/CRS and their threats/demands.