please help.... ruthbridge limited

[kitty78]

hi all

 

i have no idea what to do i recieved a letter this morning off the above people telling me they are retreving the balance of £1795.36 from some time in 2002 and that tey want the balance in full, i tried ringing them and the peson i had to speak to is in a meeting, im unemployed and worried can they demand the balance in full? i have not long moved in with my fiancee and im so scared of him finding out what will i do?

[gizmo111]

hi all

 

i have no idea what to do i recieved a letter this morning off the above people telling me they are retreving the balance of £1795.36 from some time in 2002 and that tey want the balance in full, i tried ringing them and the peson i had to speak to is in a meeting, im unemployed and worried can they demand the balance in full? i have not long moved in with my fiancee and im so scared of him finding out what will i do?

 

You have posted in Baliffs Ruthbridge are not a baliff just a Debt Collector - Ihave moved you to dca forum

Don't ring again, and I hope you haven't left your phone no with them. Do you recognise this debt?

As you are on benefits they aren't going to be able to get a lot off you.

I would send them a CCA and SAR request if you can afford it to see what the situation is with the balance.

[kitty78]

hi all

 

i have no idea what to do i recieved a letter this morning off the above people telling me they are retreving the balance of £1795.36 from some time in 2002 and that tey want the balance in full, i tried ringing them and the peson i had to speak to is in a meeting, im unemployed and worried can they demand the balance in full? i have not long moved in with my fiancee and im so scared of him finding out what will i do?

[djdave]

Hi,

 

Don't phone them, whatever you do.

 

Write to them, using letter template N from the library, to request a copy of your CCA.

 

Ensure you include I do not acknowledge any debt in your letter.

 

You must enclose the £1 fee, but make it clear that this is not to be put aside any alleged debt.

 

Send it recorded delivery (costs £1.04), and then wait. They've got 12 working days from receipt to send you the documents, after which the debt becomes unenforcable until such time as they do comply. After a further month they commit an offence.

 

If they do send you anything, give as many details as you can on this thread and we'll take it from there.

 

If it turns out the debt is legit, then only pay them what you can genuinely afford, even if that's £1 per month. But we'll cross that bridge when, and if, we come to it.

 

As for telling your fiance, that's your call. But in my personal experience hiding money problems from your partner only leads to more problems down the road.

 

Edit: in fact, you might be best off telling him everything. In the unlikely event they phone or call at your house, it's better that he knows the score so as not to accidently drop you in it!

 

Don't worry about being judged on here, that's not what this forum's all about.

[kitty78]

thanx djdave

 

i probably will tell my fiancee, you couldnt post the link to letter template n i cant find it.... i know typical woman

thanx

[djdave]

Here you go:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html

 

Use letter N

[danmav]

Hi Kitty,

 

You haven't said whether you believe the debt to be correct.

 

Did you have credit pre-2002 which is what they are trying to collect or do you have no idea what this debt relates to?

 

If you did take out credit it would be useful to know what the credit was for, as well as if you have made any payments since 2002 or had contact with the creditor.

 

This info may be useful because if the debt is for you then you are approaching the time when the debt will become Statute Barred under the Limitations Act, possibly within 12 months if the debt hasnt been acknowledged since 2002.

 

It is vital that any letters you send to the creditor include the statement "I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT", otherwise you risk resetting the time under the Limitations Act.

[kitty78]

hi all

 

just wanted some help ruthbridge are coming to my house today they say to serve me with papers what will i do?

[tomterm8]

I am no longer welcome on CAG

[djdave]

What exactly did Ruthbridge threaten you with? Was it in the form of a letter or phone call?

 

They're debt collectors, and have as much legal power as the guy who puts takeaway menus through your letterbox. If they've misrepresented themselves, implying they have powers which they clearly don't, that's a big breach of OFT guidelines and should be reported.

 

In the highly unlikely event that they do turn up, as tomterm8 says don't accept anything from them, and politely but firmly ask them to leave - through a letterbox or window if needbe.

 

Also keep in mind that if they act in a way likely to cause embarrassment (eg talking to your neighbours) that's also a big no-no!

[sequenci]

They won't turn up (it costs them £100, and they can't get it back). If they do, they have no legal powers, don't accept any paper work, don't acknowledge who you are, and order them off your property THREE times, your voice getting louder each time. If they refuse, call the police and tell them someone is tresspassing.

 

what costs £100?

[kitty78]

they sent me a letter through the post addressed "to the occupier" didnt say who they were but it was an express delivery and to phone them urgently.... im actually expecting something from america and thought it could bethat so i phoned and they stated who theywere and named the vender as LO and then arranged today to come out to me to serve papers.... ive stayed in all day and they never came suprise suprise... im so scared incase they come into my home the person on the phone said when asked will they want into my house said probably not but i couldnt rule it out!!!! ive told my fiancee alll about it but this is so not fair on him.... can they come into my property?

[djdave]

Shall we count how many OFT guidelines they've broken?!

 

Did you send them the CCA request? If so, you've put the debt into dispute and they should not be taking any collection action.

 

That notwithstanding, they're a debt collector, not a baliff. They've got absolutely no more right of entry than a double-glazing salesman. The fact that they're trying to make you believe otherwise is shocking and should be reported to the OFT.

 

Sending cards addressed "to the occupier" is a breach of best practice, as is not making it clear who it was from.

 

They're talking absolute and from what I can see succeeding in making you frightened. You're stronger than that, and the fact that you're here asking questions shows you won't be bullied.

 

You should search for the Harrassment template letters and have nothing more to do with them until such time as they respond to your CCA request - and even then only if they have complied properly.

 

Please keep posting if you need any support in dealing with these jokers.

 

[Samphire]

Kitty they do not even have your name they have addressed it to the occupier. They cannot come into your house, that much I have learnt. Only court balifs can enter your house. Do not accept anything off of them at all, do not even open the door would be my advice.

[kitty78]

thanx dj i do feel better, yes ive sent them the cca request but to no avail yet.

[djdave]

Take a look at their nice slick website with all their fluffy customer pledges and quotes of the day.

 

Then have a read of this thread to see how they really treat their customers:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt/74305-ruthbridge-ltd.html

[pmhcfc]

Ruthbridge 'specialise' in trying to collect Statute barred debts...If no payment or acknowledgment has been made on this 'debt' it's statute barred anyway, and that's probably why Ruthbridge now have it...Just a thought.