thanks for your replies, I think I will take your advice and ignore them!

Hi all, Great posts, really helpful – I’ve got a similar problem with CRS, they just wont leave me alone! In late 2008 I joined Golds Gym on a minimum 6 months contract. When I was due to move abroad in June 2009, I hand-delivered a letter to the gym which they accepted of me cancelling my membership since I was moving abroad with my husband. I had made all payments due for the 6 months up to when I cancelled my direct debit. When I returned to the UK, I was shocked to find these letters from CRS, the latest one sent in January 2010 telling me they were taking me to court for £445 for unpaid fees and charging me their costs for the debt recovery too! I was so angry! I wrote a letter to CRS following advice on this forum that they are in breach of OFT guidance and therefore I was not going to deal with them, and would be writing to GG directly. I wrote to GG explaining the situation and enclosing a copy of my cancellation letter to them – I have not heard back from them. I did receive a reply letter from CRS straightaway stating that “it is written in the contract that you will be liable for cost of recovery if your account is in default for over 30 days” and that the OFT are aware of their charges and have not informed them that they are in breach. They don’t seem to understand that the contract itself is in breach of OFT guidelines as it has been drafted in such a way that contradicts the guidelines and therefore it is unlikely a court would uphold the clause on debt recovery. They concluded the letter with a “generous offer” that I can pay a reduced sum of £280 to settle the matter – or more perversely, that if I agreed to pay the whole £445, I would be entitled to 6 months’ use of the gym – that’s the last thing I’d ever want to do! I would like to know if anyone has actually ever been taken to court by CRS? I’m unsure as to whether to just ignore them (which many of you have suggested), or write back to explain myself further – or will this further exacerbate the issue? Any advice would be much appreciated - thanks!