They have refused telephone conversations to be sent to me direct and said they would only give them out if a solicitor or court requested them. I think they're bluffing. Does anyone know how much county court costs are if I attend court and lose?

Thank you both for your advice - I'd love to ignore them but am really worried if they issue me with a court summons - it would mean me having to pay for legal help I can ill afford. I have written to them today to ask them to send all evidence that they believe entered me into a contract - paper and telephone conversations. Unfortunately, every solicitor I've been to will not give free advice due to the recent government changes that mean the CAB alone can do so. The one quote I've had from a solicitor was £200 up front, and even then they may say I'm liable. Thanks for the two names, that will be my next port of call. I hope they're bluffing when they say they will issue papers on monday if I don't settle. Hopefully this letter will put them off for a few days while they gather up the necessary Thanks again PS I ceased my arrangement via letter after my bank advised me to go to the CCCS to clear my debt quicker - something gemstone are furious about and are demanding his name and role - like I can even remember it anyway!!!

Hi, first time poster on here, looking for some help from anyone who has experienced something similar. The titled company called me to help set up a debt management plan. I had previously been a carer for a disabled child who died suddenly - not only leaving me heartbroken but also unemployed and plunging into debt. It all sounded good, paying £174 a month, £45 of which was Gemstone's cut, in return they would hold all charges etc. I signed a letter of authority saying that they could contact my creditors and negotiate on my behalf, I gave them a list of creditors/balances and direct debit details. There was no contract and I did not receive a set of terms and conditions other than what was in my starter pack. I was advised by my bank that the consumer credit counselling service did this for free and that lost £45 a month could go to creditors, so I ceased my arrangement with Gemstone after just one payment, and went with the CCCS. The CCCS ran a benefits check and saw I was eligible for tax credits, and with that in mind was earning enough to make my own creditor arrangements, earning too much to qualify for a debt management programme, so I did just that and have been paying off monthly payments to my creditors. Since then, Gemstone wrote out of the blue to say that I was tied into a 12 month contract and was eligible in their terms and conditions to pay over £700 in cancellation charges. I have had a few arguments with them over what constitutes a contract, they state that the letter of authority acted as a contract and that "anyone who knows anything about contract law would back that up". They also claim they sent me terms and conditions (they didn't) and that I could have requested them any time (I didn't know additional terms and conditions even existed) and that I am still liable for all the fees. They reluctantly agreed to come down to £500 but no lower. I don't feel I owe them a penny as I didn't sign a contract, and I wasn't given a set of terms and conditions detailing cancellation charges. I just pray they didn't trick me into a verbal contract when I besides myself with grief, stressed over my fast-declining financial mess and desperate for a way out. Any help would be eternally grateful David