Ignore them... no they wont take you to court... they just play on the hopes you will get scared and pay up

No one has ever been taken to court. Send them a letter saying as is your right you don't want anyone to visit you and they should stop all communication unless passed through a british court of justice and that if they don't you will report them to the OFT and sue them for harassment. Also point out that their letters and charges go against OFT guidelines on debt collection.

They wont take you to court either... don't pay up! Edit: and they can't hold your data for ever so tell them they have a set term to take you to court otherwise they have to remove all personal information they have on you! (data protection act)

Craftycat... the fact that you went to the doctor means they will have a record of it so you are covered from that point. Your plan and case are solid. I did exactly the same and have not heard from them since. Cheers

@Kat: Do you have a prescription for the rash or anything that proves you got a rash? If yes your case is solid and write them a letter saying you do not want them to contact you unless through YOUR LOCAL British Court. They will not take you to court so simply ignore them. It is not your responsibilty to let them know anything as you already have in writing that your debt is settled with the gym. @sparkles55: Firstly.. don't panic they wont take you to court...! Did you write to your gym at all explaining your circumstances? or did you just cancel the DD and not say anything to the gym? @chazbang: 150 in debt collection is more than 50% of the actual debt and would certainly be "disproportionate" if you ever went to court. I can't believe you have actually been paying them for 3 years... right on you to cancel the DD!!

Can I just advise you to include the following: You told them to take you to court ages ago... they chose not to do so DESPITE having already filled out the court form (normally they send it out as their second or third letter). This shows that they were prepared to take you to court and they deliberately stalled to increase the interest due. You will therefore argue any interest claimed blabla. Don't sweat it... I am willing to bet they won't take you to court... but please do keep us updated on occurrences. Edit: Yes it proves they did not have the right to contact you regarding the debt, thus they were harassing you. When they take you to court you receive a letter to which you can reply and file a counter claim. So just wait until they take you to court (which will never happen) at which point you will be able to claim more than they will on your debt

dcwinter, how have they proved the purchase of your debt?

HAHAHA "approved by the OFT" that's really a good one! £5 says they will be sending that round to everyone now. What is more interesting is if the OFT did not approve it... you then send it to the OFT... boy oh boy does that sound like carnage for CRS. Na.. I stopped replying to them ages ago... bunch of crazy people. Never heard anything since. I am expecting at some point they will start writing again at which point I will take them to court. Enough is really enough, plus I have nothing to lose. Edit: "The contract was approved" ... does not mean your case!! Plus if the OFT says you cant charge for debt collection I find it hard to believe they would turn around and approve contracts that say we would have to pay for it.

No one has ever been taken to court. Dont ignore them, write them one letter with the following -I acknowledge no debt -Halt all communication unless passed through a british court (cease and desist) - should you chose to take me to court it must be done at my local court. - Any action that you chose to undertake outside of a court is at your own expense. (as they will probably try to send someone to your door.. not to worry if it gets to that just post back here and ill point you to the corresponding letter to stop them from sending someone round) That's it... and once you have sent that by registered mail you can ignore everything

Looks good DJ_Markstar.... but I wouldn't worry too much.. no one has ever reported CRS taking them to court

They will not take you to court. Just write them a letter stating the debt was settled with heartlands prior to them passing on your details and that they are to halt all communication both written and verbal as is your right under British law.

Cutoff... just remember: -Take me to my local court because... (what ever reason you want) - some of your communications APPEAR to be in breach of OFT guidelines - Halt all further communication unless passed through a british court But seriously get that contract up on here!

Post a copy of your contract please.. I would be interested to see a three year contract that you have no way of getting out off... (black out any private information that you dont want the world to know like your name and address)

TH3_WiLL, you are absolutely in your right to tell them to get lost. You gave verbal notice that you would be cancelling and in your contract it does not state that you have to give written notice. The 30 days is only if they want to change your policy not if you want to. I suggest you do the following; write them a letter highlighting the following points: - You gave the gym verbal notice as per your contract that you would be moving and would therefore be cancelling your membership - If CRS choses to take you to court it must do so at your local court because (make up what ever reason you want...) - CRS is to halt all further communication unless passed through a British Court and if it fails to do so all correspondences including recorded telephone conversations will be passed on to trading standards highlighting that it would APPEAR CRS's is in breach of the OFT guidelines for debt collection agencies. It is extremely important that you write APPEAR otherwise you are accusing them.. by saying appear you are basically saying... "i'm not positive but im pretty sure a judge would back what I am saying". The part about taking you to your local court is also important otherwise they will do so at the ass of the world, you wont be able to go and they will win by default. I wrote a similar letter recently and have not heard anything since. Keep me updated!

TH3_WiLL - If you still have all the documents showing that you gave more than one months notice then tell CRS to go screw themselves and that you acknowledge no debt. Debt collectors are NOT allowed to charge for debt collection under the OFT guidelines. Check your contract... if it says that they need cancellation in writing then we will play a different ball game... if it doesn't then just write to CRS saying you gave them verbal notice four months in advance as the contract did not stipulate the need for written notice. The MAXIMUM and I mean ABSOLUTE max you will have to pay at the end of this is £50... keep me updated I will be glad to help. @Cutoff: How is the amount outstanding 220 when 5 months missed is 82.5?! £80 charges you can ignore because that is illegal regardless of what the contract says.

After sending them a nicely edited copy of the "don't send anyone to my doorstep letter"... they have decided to half the amount I owe them They must have a random number generator in the back somewhere!

Yea I just got a letter saying they will send someone from face2face and because of that are adding £46.02. Jokers. I am looking forward to them coming... will video it and I'm sure that will scare them off... if not... a 999 call certainly will.