Boots-RLP 16yr old girl £93.17 for testing mousse !

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

Ok help! Now I'm really annoyed. My daughter has today received another letter from RLP. So far I have only written to Boots requesting a copy of the letter she signed in store, due to her age I believe I have a right to a copy especially as no Police were involved.

 

Since I joined this forum a few weeks back it seems more and more people are coming forward especially in relation to minors. I wondered whether a new thread could be set up with names and addresses of where and who to complain to next.

 

What has annoyed me so much today is the final paragraph of RLP's letter in which it states

 

'You are advised that the personal information we hold may be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, to make employment decisions, decisions regarding the provision of credit and for the purposes of crime prevention and detection.'

 

Surely she can't be blacklisted in this way before she reaches 18.

Edited March 25, 2009 by MARTIN3030

[flyingdoc]

This is nothing short of demanding money with menaces.

 

Also we apparently here are starting to stray into the realms of contravention of article 6 of the human rights act (right to a fair trial)

 

It would appear that they have acted as judge and jury in this event and have imposed a fine upon your daughter when they have not gone through any legal process at all.

 

Can you post the exact circumstances of what happened with your daughter so that we can look at it.

 

thanks

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

Daughter and her friend (both 16) went into Boots to purchase some hair products. She did do wrong in testing a Boots own make hair mousse, decided on buying a more expensive brand and proceeded to the self scan tills where she spent £15. They were approached by security on leaving the store.

 

She offered to pay for the mousse but the offer was declined. Security staff decided not to contact Police but she was asked to sign a form and then left the store.

 

Two days later letter from RLP demanding £93.17 addressed to my daughter. Her friend also received one.

[MARTIN3030]

Edit-This was first post about this matter.

 

 

Hi, I've had a similar letter today, regarding my 16 yr old daughter who tested a product in Boots. No Police were involved and she did offer to pay for the product but this offer was turned down by security at the store. Had a letter today from RLP demanding £93.17 (they'll accept £75.67 on a 'without prejudice' basis if I pay within 21 days). Her friend that was with her at the time has received the same letter.

 

My daughter said that she did sign something at the store. This is quite worrying when RLP can send letters out like this to anyone over the age of 14.

 

Don't know what my next step will be here I feel I need to contact Boots first, glad I'm not on my own with this one though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will change thread title

[MARTIN3030]

The complaints should be with both RLP and the Store-although you can voice your concerns in replies to RLPs letters.

Next the ICO.

The letters need to inform-we are working on some temps that can be sent-The ICO would expect any complainant to have first sought a response from the store and RLP,and its likely that copies of any replies will need to be sent with any complaint to the ICO.

 

Additionally your local trading standards,informing them that Nottingham TS have ongoing investigations.

[raydetinu]

Whatever you do not pay, they cant take anyone under 18 to civil court and anything signed is not legal as a minor.

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

I was informed by my daughter tonight that she did not actually leave the store before being approached by security. She paid for her goods through the self scan till and hadn't even made it to the exit doors when she was approached by security.

 

At this moment in time I really don't want to enter into any correspondence between RLP and myself.

 

As I have a strong believe that minor's are being targeted (easy way for security staff to get their brownie points, Boots to get their money and RLP to get theirs) I feel that a way forward to maybe bring client's of RLP to shame is to involve certain Children's charities and maybe bring the matter to the attention of the Children's Commissioner. I know with my daughter's case I am in a position to do this and certainly will.

 

Any pointers as to what to include in my letter will be gratefully appreciated.

[MARTIN3030]

Lets see what Boots come up with.

They should be getting a few of these complaints lately,thats why we need to be able to monitor replies and try to get a response from the same people/department.

Equally your suggestion is a good one.

[JonCris]

Gawd RLP & their clients really are getting out of hand......... they have to be stopped

 

Also GOOD retailers (of which Boots is no more) used to & still have testers on their cosmetics counters

[JonCris]

It's just occurred to me to ask are there any clear signs telling customers NOT to test the products as would normally be the custom & if not could someone visit a store with their camera phone &......discreetly photograph their display...........look like your taking a call

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

JonCris, I'm quite prepared to photo any notices Boots have about testing products, although I'm pretty sure Security staff will approach me for doing so.

 

Shouldn't they also be displaying notices warning of civil action?

 

Hope its okay to post this link, I know RLP weren't involved, possibly due to the child's age and her parent's going to the media.

 

Nailed! Security guard and three police officers interrogated grammar girl who painted one fingernail in Boots | Mail Online

[MARTIN3030]

Course its possible-but surely it would need to be the store in question ?

[MARTIN3030]

The newspaper story should be sent to RLP.

I am a little confused as to why they needed to check on the family for previous-How on earth can that be of any relevance ?

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

Probably checked via RLP!

[JonCris]

The newspaper story should be sent to RLP.

I am a little confused as to why they needed to check on the family for previous-How on earth can that be of any relevance ?

 

Obviously no matter how young or innocent the cretins at RLP believe in guilt by association

[Bookworm]

Hope its okay to post this link, I know RLP weren't involved, possibly due to the child's age and her parent's going to the media.

 

Nailed! Security guard and three police officers interrogated grammar girl who painted one fingernail in Boots | Mail Online

But if things run true to form, they probably will be billing the girl sometimes in the next couple of years.

[JonCris]

Course its possible-but surely it would need to be the store in question ?

 

True but normally their signage is common throughout their branches

 

Also taking a photo using a mobile phone can easily be concealed. Stand in front of the display (not to close as we want to see as much as possible) & take a phone call

[Zamzara]

JonCris, I'm quite prepared to photo any notices Boots have about testing products, although I'm pretty sure Security staff will approach me for doing so.

 

Shouldn't they also be displaying notices warning of civil action?

 

Hope its okay to post this link, I know RLP weren't involved, possibly due to the child's age and her parent's going to the media.

 

Nailed! Security guard and three police officers interrogated grammar girl who painted one fingernail in Boots | Mail Online

 

The trouble with relying on the tabloids as an ally is that they would be just as likely to take the line: "shoplifter claims arrest breached her human rights" or something. The fact that she is Christian and goes to a grammar school should be irrelevant but they have made them the main points in her favour, when they aren't.

[MARTIN3030]

Yes good point-Its stereotyping,which the tabloids are often quick to do.

[shanty]

Whilst I think know Boots have various signs in their makeup section asking you to use the testers (I guess kids may well not always be looking out for these,they are just being kids), I don't think mousse comes into the same category does it? Why would you want to try out hair mousse,unless we are talking about the coloured stuff that puts colour in your hair? Are Boots/Stores REALLY expected to have signs for every single type of product displayed around the store though?

 

E.g. I may want to find out what food tastes like in a Supermarket-but is the Store expected to have a sign saying "please do not try the food before you buy. Or-please do not open the packets"-a lot of this is common sense.

 

The common sense thing to do would have been to let her pay,and tell her not to come in again,if they wanted to. I think a lot of the blame on these threads needs to be placed firmly on the shoulders of highly incompetant Security Guards,who,if they were any good at catching real shoplifters would not be wasting time getting involved in these trivial incidents,but Security guards are actually employed to deter, by standing around the shopfloor,not sitting on their lazy backsides the office on the cameras,trying to do a job they clearly have not been trained to do. Many better security companies will not even allow their Guards to make arrests unless they have had additional training.

Edited April 2, 2009 by shanty

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

I'm still awaiting a reply from Boots as I have no copy of whatever my daughter had to sign.

 

Can anyway in this situation regarding a child please contact the Childrens's Commissioner. I have done so myself, they are looking into things and are thankful for bringing it to their attention. They are concerned that a child's slate isn't wiped clean when then reach adulthood regarding RLP. Just to add I am in Wales and it would be a different Children's commissioner elsewhere.

[JonCris]

Well sugar plum I agree they should be concerned that this firm could black list your daughter thereby blighting her life & that they + ICO will close this firm down once it becomes apparent to them what this outfit is up to

 

Now you know what this firm do PLEASE complain direct to the ICO and Boots....... in the meantime don't pay them a penny

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

Just an update - firstly I sent a letter to Boots asking for a copy of the rlp letter my daughter sighed. - No Reply

 

Sent a following letter in more detail last week, sent recorded delivery, still no reply.

 

Children's commissioner is still looking into matters.

 

A visit to Boots, no show of any signs warning of testing products. Took a while for me (in the biggest city store) to find a sign warning about civil recovery, could only spot one on the exit of the store, a small one that no one would notice warning about shoplifters and local civil recovery scheme.

 

I'm visiting all clients of RLP, (it'll take a while) but, there seems to be no problem with any client of theirs that have big visible signs of civil recovery, yes it would be a deterrent to any potential shoplifter, why then are Boots, Tx Maxx hiding their civil recovery signs and approaching innocent shoppers. As I'm new to this scenario but learning by the day, is there not a policy that retaillers should follow if they intend to go down the civil recovery route?

 

I did speak to ICO via telephone, not a good idea, but that could be my lack of knowledge. If anyone could give me reasons of complaint please let me know as apparently rlp are well within their rights to hold my daughters details on file.

[JonCris]

As is often the case the ICO are wrong. They can only hold such info, without your consent, if there had been a successful prosecution or an admission of guilt. They certainly can't black-list anyone which is effectively what they are doing

 

The problem with the ICO is that they licensed these cretins & must know by now that they have boobed big time. Anyway put your question in writing & see what comes back - make no mention of your earlier phone call..

 

Also as Boots have collected data on your daughter they are now subject to the DPA & are required to comply with a SAR should you chose to send one

[Sugar Plum Fairy]

Another letter today from RLP, I don't want to pay them at all and am happy for them to take this further, although in today's letter they are stating that whilst the debt remains unpaid it is accruing interest on a daily basis at the rate of 8% per annum.

 

These really aren't good letters to be sending to a 16yr old. There is more to the letter regarding details of her wrongful act being held on a national database of incidents of dishonesty.

 

Where to I go from here?