Hi All, I've had finance in place with the above company for around 4 years now, as i used them initially for a season ticket scheme for a couple of seasons. I also loaned around £1500 off them about 2 years ago (I only have around 4 payments left to make, about £330 oustanding). Around november last year i was laid off from work, but still managed to make the complete months payment of £82 for november. In december, when i realised i couldn't make the payment, i rang Zebra and advised them of the situation and was told if i make a payment of £26 it would stop the default process against the records. I made this payment of £26 in december on my debit card. Last month (january) i had agreed once again to make a token payment of £26, however on friday i had to use the last of my money to attend a job interview. I spoke to them on monday (feb 1st) and advised them and i agreed i would make the payment by this friday (feb 5th) and also advised them that i may be able to make a little more towards the payment later in the month, to which they agreed. Yesterday (wednesday) i logged onto my online banking account and found several transactions on switch payment that i had not made. The transactions were for 5 x £20 & 1 x £10, totalling £110. I immediately rang my bank and was advised that the payments had been taken by ZEBRA FINANCE. They had basically emptied all the money i had in the bank account, which was set aside for food shopping. I left several messages yesterday for their manager (elliot barlow) to call me back. I eventually got through to him this morning and was met by a very pompous attitude. I asked him why he would take the money from my bank without my authority, to which he replied that they could do this as it is written in the T&C's. I asked him why he would take the money when i had an agreement in place made only 2 days prior, to which he replied as i had not made the £26 token payment last month my account is now in default. I asked him why i had not been advised of any default notice, even when i spoke with his colleague on monday. He replied that a notice had been sent out on the 28th Jan, i have not received this. I then explained that this was counter productive as i needed the money to get to interviews and therefore getting back into work and therefore paying off their debt. He offered no explanation other than talking over me. I explained to him that my partner is unable to work, so me being laid off has had a devastating effect on the incoming finances at present and emptying my bank account in this manner has deprived my children of the basic food essentials, to which he scoffed that the debt was more important. I lost my rag with the guy at this point and he hung up on me. In the meantime, i have cancelled my old card with the bank & I have reported this matter to the FSA & OFT. Not sure where i stand with this tbh, but its hardly grounds for a working business relationship is it

thanks itsa/odc & pt...cheers for the advice....tbh, if it wasnt for this forum and picking up hints from other peoples threads, i wouldnt have known about all this...keep up the good work

thanks ODC mate, i thought that may have been the case

thanks curlyben for the swift response....i will do just that

Hi again peeps, hope you all had a good xmas and new year!! Following on from the door-step letter i received from Ruthbridge back in December.....Today i received another door-step letter, this time offering me a 50% settlement figure, then going on to threaten me with adding interest (which according to them as been frozen for the last 32 months)to the original amount if i dont contact them. I have sent them a door-step letter before xmas asking them not to call. It is also my understanding that since the 21st December (timescale for CCA request) and their failure to comply with the requests, that the account is in dispute. Therefore, no charges or interest can be levvied against the account. Is it in my best interest to reply to the letter stating that the account is now in dispute and they cannot levvie or continue to chase me without offering the paperwork i requested. Thanks in advance for any further assistance on this

edit: bah...double posted

well...they are now in breach of regulations.......i huess i sit back and see what the next scope of action ill be from them....i haven't sent the above "doorstep call" letter yet, i was going to wait until after xmas....do you think i should pop that in the post now?

dca = debt collection agency op = original poster??

yeah...thats the one i read on babyhollies thread ta very much to you both

i have noticed on other threads that ruthbridge have been pretty forthcoming in supplying CCA docs for some posters....i am just wondering on this occassion if they are struggling as the original agreement dates back to 1994

yeah, this what i thought...getting me to sign for something direct from them and on their paperwork, when i dont have a clue what it is i'm signing for. i have had no reply regarding the cca request, not even an aknowledgement, although i did yesterday receive a further letter from them demanding i contact their litigation and enforcement centre within 7 days or their legal agent will call at my house. I know for fact what my rights are on this matter as i have been reading up on here the last few days...so they will getting a severe case of door slammed in their face if they do

hi again, just a quick note to confirm my dates on this i sent the CCA letter dated 3rd Dec 2007 by recorded delivery and i have electronic proof of delivery 5th December. I take it they have 12 days + 2 days to provide me the details They then have a further 30days to comply or they are committing an offence Delivery date = 5th Dec 12days + 2 = 19th Dec further 30days = 18th Jan can someone please confirm that these are correct also, i'm a little concerned regarding the above courier letter and mine/their response (see above post)...are they likely to sit back and state that i refused to sign for documentation and state that they tried to send me the items but i refused.....should i be writing to them advising them that this is a possible breach of guidelines any help would be most appreciated

fantastic letter and a great incitive read PT mate i only hope you are around when/if my ruthbridge stuff comes to court

i recently set up a standing order to send a one-off payment for some gaming servers...the server comapny had given me one digit incorrectly on their account info when i found out i spoke with my bank manager about making a claim for the money back and was advised that as it was a standing order i dont have the same protections as a direct debit and could not claim. I was lucky in this case has the money had gone into the clients banks holding account so i managed to trace and retrieve. In your case the money has been paid and cleared, keep badgering the bank tbh mate

with direct debits, the money is requested by the person who is owed the money and this amount varies, so to protect you they have to write to you i think 2 weeks before the revised payment will be taken and advise of the new amounts However, with a standing order, this is deemed to have been set up by you and it is a request by you to send a set amount to a certain account every month. Therefore, if the amounts or dates change, then realistically the bank are saying its you that would know the changes and this had to be instructed by you and not the person you are paying. Although, in real life we can all see the fundamental flaw in this as they have your bank account details and can set up at anytime they want according to the bank. i dont think standing orders are covered by the same jurisdictions as direct debits although more clued up people on here may be able to tell you differently. Does your bank have the capabilities to advise you whenever a new direct debit or standing order is set up on your account, it may be worthwhile asking them for the future mate. Definitely cancel the standing order, cca the debt collectors and sit back