Debt Collector Ignoring Letters

lily09

I hope this is the right place to post this, please feel free to move if its not. I will give you the shortened story of my problem and hope anybody could advise.
1. Joined gym August 2010.Went twice, financial circumstances changed drastically. Rang and went in to talk to manager 3 times never returned calls. Wrote a letter stating predicament and could I speak to him. No reply. Wrote again stating I would cancel direct debit if heard nothing more. I didnt so I cancelled the direct debit.
2. Nov 2010 -got letter from Management company in England stating I owed them 500 euro. Rang gym they rudely said they dont deal with membership. Wrote to management company explaining situation. No reply.
3. Dec2010-Jan 2011-Numerous letters from management company. Wrote again offering to pay 5 euro a week no reply.
4. April 2011-Letter from Debt Collection Agency-Wrote explaining situation offered to pay 5 euro a week to clear debt, no reply.
5. May 2011-Letter from solicitor stating they were putting my name on Bad Credit List-sent letter again offering 5 euro a week, yes you guesses it no reply.
This morning got letter from management company saying I had to pay 634 euro immediatly to get my name off list.
Firstly thanks for reading, my question is where do I go from here. Have never had a bad rating and it is extremly distressing. What have I done wrong. Have copies of all letter sent.
THANKS..

Ken.

A gym CAN NOT put you on the credit blacklist. A lot of companies say this to scare people.

lily09

lucyfur09 wrote: »

A gym CAN NOT put you on the credit blacklist. A lot of companies say this to scare people.

Really, I didnt know that. They have sent me a letter stating that I am on the blacklist and the implications for this. Cheers.

coylemj

It's a bluff, unless they take you to court and get a judgement against you, you won't be on any list that matters.

Trade organisations (e.g. landlord organisations and financial institutions) have lists of people with poor records i.e. who have left their members with unpaid bills but for legal reasons they do not share this data outside their membership.

There is no such thing as a generic 'bad credit' list that I know of outside Stubbs Gazette and someone has to get a judgement against you in order for you to make it into that list.

Debt collection agencies typically stretch the truth to the limits and beyond in order to scare you into paying up, this looks like a classic case because it's obvious to them that they cannot recoup the money by going down the legal route. They know that if they drag you into court that you will tell the judge about all the offers you have made which have been ignored and they will be kicked out of court so they probably reckon that by bullying you with threats you will borrow the money from friends and family just to get them off your back.

glic71rods46t0

lucyfur09 wrote: »

A gym CAN NOT put you on the credit blacklist. A lot of companies say this to scare people.

The only way a company like a gym can affect your credit rating is if they attempt to bring you to court and secure a judgement against you. It is unlikely that they will do this as it would cost several hundred euro and it wont make it more likely that you will be able to pay it.
What companies do is suggest that the "list" is something that can affect your credit - it can't, complete BS. Stop offering them €5 - tell them that you cant afford the service you signed up for and the contract you entered was too one sided (you must pay for the full year even if you stop using the service) and wont stand up in court. Suggest they stop expending further monies as you have none to give them and, as you didnt use the gym (except for the period where you actually paid), your conscience is clear and you dont owe them anything.

charlemont

Ignore it.

lily09

Thank you so much for the replies I was awake half the night worrying. I have kept all the correspondance they have sent me and never once has it been anything but a generic letter i.e they have never responded to the anything personal I have sent.
I think I will write a letter tommorrow outlining these ideas.
You are all very good to reply. Will never be signing up for a contract like this again.

coylemj

lily09 wrote: »

I think I will write a letter tommorrow outlining these ideas.

What exactly are you going to say?

I think the consensus here is that you should just stop replying to them i.e. ignore them. If you keep responding to them they will feel that they have you on the ropes, just ignore them.

Every time you write to them they will write back with yet more empty threats, if you want it to stop just stop communicating with them.

lily09

Ok, Ill leave it alone so. I suppose their is a part of me that wants to appease them but its just force of habit.
Again many thanks for your replies. I really needed the advice.

crotalus667

Hi op , i have been invloved with the fitness industry for a few years, i have heard of a number of gyms using debt collectors ,its not the norm , most times you might get a few letters but that is it , i have never heard of a gym taking some one who has broken their contract to court as it would be a PR nightmare, you owe them the money but have made offers to pay it so i would leave it, just be aware that some one might knock on your door, maybe some one else could tell you how to deal with them if they turn up, my only experience with these is watching them back away from my sisters letterbox with out knocking after her rottie noticed them and charged the door

MILF

Hey OP, the same thing happened me only I didn't bother letting them know I couldn't fulfill the contract (Not proud of that fact, just couldn't face explaining how I lost my job etc)

The wrote to me demanding the full amount after my Direct Debit bounced - I ignored it. They wrote again saying the Big Bad Debt Collectors were gonna bang my door down if I didn't pay up - I ignored again. That was the last I heard from them!

Learn from it (I have!), sleep better at night and move on. They won't hound you for it, it will cost more to do that then your whole membership!

Hope that makes you feel better

Rabidlamb

OP, don't sweat it, it's only scare tactics which will catch the weak.
I've received the same credit score threat contained within a solicitors letter which turned out to be from the same address as the agency.
Then I received a draft summons which was filled out with all the details & had the harp on top.
I moved house 6 years ago & for all I know there's still scary post coming to the old address, probably my death warrant or something.