Ruthbridge and Argos

[Welshcake15]

I have had a letter from Ruthbridge saying that I owe £1500 from an Argos card. I thought this had been paid by my ex wife (we are divorced) but they say it hasn't. I think it was originally £800. I have asked them for full details ie dates and amounts etc but they just sent another letter saying i had to pay it but no details. If I owe this money I will pay it but how do I find out how the amount has been calculated? Also how dfo I know that the debt will be cleared and tha noone else will chase me for it. Can I just pay Argos the money? Any help will be great.

[Welshcake15]

Sorr not as stated.y - it is £2500!

[Huff&Puff]

You have already asked them to prove that you owe this money. I would give them a couple of weeks and then send the "in dispute" letter. If they continue to chase you after that, report them to Trading Standards and the OFT.

 

http://www.consumerforums.com/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/571-failiure-to-provide-a-copy-of-the-agreement-within-the-prescribed-timescale

[Welshcake15]

Thanks. I asked them about 10 days ago, all they did was send another letter asking for the money and threatening a CCJ. Do I need to ask them in writing for the full details or is it enough to ask bt telephone - which is what I did. I will pay what I owe but the interest seems pretty steep.

[fuzzybobble]

Ignore until they provide 100% evidence you owe them anything. Knowing Argos this will end up as nothing and they will still pass it from one DCA to another for the next few years. Then they'll sell it to a DCA who cannot provide anything, but the threat-o-grams will still keep coming.

 

Just send the prove it letter to anyone who comes begging, then after 6 years send the Statute Barred letter instead.

[Bazooka Boo]

So you asked them to prove that you owe this, and they have failed miserably to respond to your questions.

 

Send them this again http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/573-general-debt-letter-if-you-know-nothing-of-the-debt

 

If they still decide to ignore you, then do the same to them, if they can't be professional enough to answer an honest question then getting into letter ping pong with them is futile.

 

Keep an eye on you credit file also, if they do decide to furnish you with a mature reply, then you can always ask them to provide you with the agreement.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/581-cca-request-letter

[Welshcake15]

Yes I asked but verbally on the telephone. I am not denying that i owe Argos money but I can't undertsand why it is so much - seems liike loads of interest. Sorry if I sound thick but this is all so new to me. Even though I know I owe this money should nI still sedn the letter you say about?

[Bazooka Boo]

No worries, no one knows their rights until they feel they are being ripped off and they start looking for them.

 

If you keep everything in writing from now on, then you will have a paper trail of evidence, so, send them http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/573-general-debt-letter-if-you-know-nothing-of-the-debt

 

And wait and see what they come up with, if, as is common, they simply stipulate that you owe this money, you can send them the http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/581-cca-request-letter

 

Which they will have to provide you with the original agreement, or copy of, within 12 working days of their receipt.

 

The first letter you send, get proof of postage, but the second CCA request letter you should send by recorded delivery so that you know when they have received it and you can count down the 12 'working' days for your reply.