Xercise4Less and Harlands. Odd situation?

[Toolio91]

Hi slick,

 

Sorry it's been a while, I've been waiting for a reply.

 

After the last email in which Harlands dropped the fees. I decided to propose an offer of settlement. It may or may not have been the correct thing to do but with them asking me to pay an amount which was less than what I would have been paying for the remainder of my gym contract, I thought it would be best to try and settle it ASAP. I simply didn't want to have this drag out longer than necessary.

 

I sent the following email:-

 

To whomever it may concern,

 

I refer to your email dated 01/05/2015.

I am willing to pay the amount stated in your previous email of £69.98.

 

I will only complete this payment by means of 6 consecutive monthly direct debit payments of £11.67 commencing on 28th May 2015, to be taken from my account every month thereafter on the same date, until 28th November 2015 when the last payment would be due. After the last payment has been received, my account/obligations to Harlands/Xercise4Less would be ceased. Owing to my current financial circumstances, this is the only feasible way for me to settle the arrears and thus no further offers to pay shall be made and I will not acknowledge any further requests for settlement. However, should the situation arise in the next 6 months where I am able to make a more substantial payment, up to and including the remainder of the outstanding balance, I have the right to do so.

 

By keeping all three parties informed of what is happening with my account, as to completely avoid confusion, I request that a direct debit mandate be sent in response to this email, along with a co-signed letter from Harlands AND Xercise4less, stating and acknowledging the above payment proposal so that there is no requirement for further correspondence apart from you/Xercise4Less acknowledging the receipt of the direct debit form, which I shall send to you upon my receiving it.

 

Regards,

 

Toolio.

 

Shortly after, I received their usual automated email acknowledging receipt of my email.

 

I still have not received a reply.

 

This is where I think it's about to get complicated - I went back to my parents' house this afternoon to find a letter from CRS saying my account has been passed to them despite previous correspondence. More added fees etc.

 

Seems a bit unjust to ignore my offer of settlement then add more debt?!

 

Thanks!

[slick132]

Hi Toolio,

 

We can offer our opinion but it's always YOUR choice about what to do. Although your email offer looks very reasonable, I would not have sent it as it gives Harlands mixed messages about how determined you are.

 

Your attempt to get Harlands and X4L to co-sign a letter shows you really don't know how Harlands operate. Also, you refer to CRS as if they are a separate entity but they are simply Harlands using different letterheaded paper !

 

Our advice here is based on years of seeing how Harlands/CRS operate.

 

I would ignore the CRS letter and reply to Harlands saying :-

 

I refer to my email of xxdate which you have not bothered replying to.

 

In the circumstances, I will not communicate further with Harlands/CRS and all previous offers to settle are hereby withdrawn.

 

Short and to-the-point - that's what you need to use with Harlands.

 

[Bazooka Boo]

And send it 2nd class post, with proof of posting which is free from the PO counter, just to show them exactly how unimportant and urgent this is.

 

There should be 'walk sort' post for these tedious letters for us to use, just like they do...

[Toolio91]

Hi everyone,

 

Long time no post.

 

Had another letter from CRS claiming the usual. Threatening court action/passing on to an external company (I assume they mean that other branch of Harland's/CRS which begins with a Z?)

 

Apparently I still owe them an amount in the region of £270.

 

I just wanted to check that despite their most recent correspondence that my stance/position has and should not change since I sent them an email using slick's message as a template from 18th May.

 

Thanks

[slick132]

Hi Toolio,

 

I would ignore for now and see what they do next.

 

[Bazooka Boo]

Simply trying to unnerve you, ignore, ignore, ignore!