Ruthbridge Ltd-already paid now regretting!!

[maggieking]

I would start to off by firstly saying im sooo glad I googled Ruthbridge Ltd before paying those £$%^@~ any more money!!

We got a letter from this company back in august to say my father owed RBS around £1700 from a credit card he had around 7 years ago! I spoke to my father and asked if that was the case but he insisted and was adamant hes never ever had it before and any outstanding balance was paid off before we moved houses 4 years ago!

Considering my father is 50+ I thought he has probably forgotten so I decided to pay off the debt on behalf of him. I spoke to a Mr Tibbs (who was an arrogant and abusive %^&*) and he finally did agree for the debt to be paid in installments. I know it wasnt very wise to go into this but I just thought I was rectifying my fathers mistake and just didnt realise that this could have been solved by demanding proof etc. I has just had a newborn baby and I handle all my fathers finances and just thought it was the best thing to do at the time!!

My problem is that the final installment is to be paid this month and now that ive read most of these threads I feel stupid for having given them the money which my father didnt really owe them in the first place!!!!

Can anybody advise of what I can do to get my money back? Ive already paid £1400 and another installment of £160 is left!!

Ive probably left it too late but any replies more than appreciated!!

God bless x

[ScarletPimpernel]

The first thing to establish is whether you are formally acting as your father's authorised representative. Do you have power of attorney, for example, or do Ruthbridge have anything in writing signed by him authorising them to dislclose his private data to a third party?

 

If not, then they are in breach of the Data Protection Act, and the OFT guidance.

 

This is not your debt, so it seems to me that you have every right to ask for your money back, then sue Ruthbridge in the Small Claims Court if they don't comply. Then, if they pursue your father again, you'll be able to sort them out with CAG's help.

[maggieking]

There is nothing on paper to say I act on my fathers behalf! The guy at ruthbridge just took verbal authority of my father and the standing orders have been taken from my account. Im just conscious if I demand my money back they will be at my fathers case again (which I dont want at all since hes got enough worries as it is!!) Isnt there anything else I can do?????

 

I forgot to mention the original letter had my fathers name misspelt as well as a digit wrong of the address!!!!

 

Aaah I feel like such an idiot!! I want my money back

 

HELP!!

ps: like I mentioned before I have a newborn baby so I dont really want to take things to courts etc, if there is any other possible way please advise!! thankyou much

God bless x

[ScarletPimpernel]

Any dealings with Ruthbridge will need to be in writing; you have already seen the sort of company they are, so getting your money back will require some effort. I'd have thought it worthwhile, not least because people here will help you with every step; all you'll need to do is post the letters!

 

To start off, make sure you cancel any standing order to Ruthbridge.

 

Although the issue of them persuading you to pay someone else's alleged debt should be kept separate to your father's case, it should be possible to pre-empt any action on their part, again with a couple of letters.

[maggieking]

Thanks for your support.

I cancelled my direct debit with them yesterday as our agreement was 1 * one off payment off £700 followed by 5 x monthly installments of £140 and a final payment by cheque of £138 (which I was going to send off today!!!!).

I take it I shouldnt send off the cheque to them, but what should I do if they phone or contact for it???

They were actuallu suggesting my father took some money off a 'third party' to pay off the debt as I told them theres no way he could afford to pay it of!! and when I suggested if they would take money from a third partys account they were happy with it!!!

[ScarletPimpernel]

We'll come up with a suitable letter to send them shortly. Don't send them any more money. In the meantime, if they phone because the payment hasn't arrived, just tell them that everything must be in writing. You'll probably need to be assertive with them - if you need a strategy for this let me know. However, a crying baby is as good a reason as any to put the phone down.

 

The suggestion that your father should borrow money to pay a debt is contrary to OFT guidelines. There's nothing wrong per se with someone paying off another's debt, provided they do so willingly and have not been deceived, misled or pressurised into doing it. Ruthbridge have not proved that the debt is either owed or enforceable.

[maggieking]

Oh thankyou very much!! I know fine well how to be act with those $%^&*!! I look forward to seeing the letter, in the meantime I think im feeling confident enough to be able to manage them on the phone! Thanks for everything!!

God bless xx!!

[ThisVeryMoment]

Nothing you can do im afraid. Important thing is that the debt has virtually been cleared.

 

The comments here are so wrong! There is nothing in the OFT guidelines saying that a DCA can suggest an option is to borrow money to pay a debt. The phrase is PRESSURISING. Crikey, people borrow off one card to pay another and get loans to clear debts on a regular basis!

 

Also you have not said that they deceived, misled or pressurised you into paying. into doing it. Clearly this poster is encouraging you to lie to try and get this money back, very poor behaviour. You hardly want to lie on oath do you?

 

Finally Ruthbridge do not need to prove that the debt is either owed or enforceable. They asked, you paid. You need to prove the debt ISNT owed. The fact that it may be statute barred is irrelevant by the way.

[maggieking]

Hiya, sorry for being away for so long - motherhood had taken over my life!

Just to say I cancelled my final direct debit off with Ruthbridge in February, and surprisingly NOBODY ever contacted me or my father again re the debt??!!

Im sitll in dire need of money and want to do everything possible to get my money back from them without having to go to court etc?

Any advice on where to go from here appreciated!!

Thanks xx