reliable collections/ fashion world

A question about : reliable collections/ fashion world

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.
I had an account with fashion world and due to be being made redundant i couldnt pay the balance. I was paying a small amount each month.
It then was passed to reliable collections. I have been in contact with them by letter numerous times but never recieved a reply, i have also emailed them but again no reply. I wont ring them as the advisors are soooooooooooo rude!
I was paying Ј10 per month by direct debit, byt as they wanted payment every 28 days they were puttingЈ12 interest each month and Ј25 per month on charges for late payment!! The balance was Ј1000 its now Ј3000 !!! I have asked them to stop the interest and reimburse all charges but they wont reply. I just dont know what to do????????

Best answers:

• Complaint in writing signed for. Those charges are in my opinion a joke. No reply after 8 weeks you can take to FOS. same if you don't like their final response.
  If you consider you have already made a complaint then ring FOS for advice.
  When did you lat pay/acknowledge debt in writing?
  How old is the account? Maybe consider a CCA request if not taken out say after 2007
• Please note that the Ј12.00 will be charges not interest if payments not got before the 28 days are up, plus admin fees, l was with simply be, they was terrible phoning nearly every day, even on Sunday. so l reported them to Oft, some things charges was refunded, also what happen to you also happened to my hubby.. it soon amounts up. again checking figures, they did not match up so got most of charges interest refunded. When l complained also reporting them to Oft. for harassment
  I would not use direct debt, because of the 28 day thingy.. I would pay it over the counter at your bank, or postal order.. making sure of the time it reaches the account, well within this date.
  Do all things in writing, keep copy if poss send it registered post.. we did get lot of charges off. IF you can match up payments, date, like this
  13/2/00 paid at bank
  20/2/00 reached company
  1/3/00 when statement date of needing to pay by.. you will soon see if charges should been applied correctly also doing this you will not incurred any more charges etc.. watch out for bank holidays or weekend for payments to reach the company
  also if you are on a dmp they will refuse to talk to your dmp company, they are economical with the truth. (porkies or lies). When they say they do not communicate when they actually do.. good luck with your problems with them
• Thank you for all this info its very helpful. I recived a email back from them today i told them i was reporting them to the oft and that i want all charges and interest reimbursed. They didnt answer any of my questions. They just said they cant stop any action.and the account will be sent to a debt collector! I always pay by direct debit. And have not missed one payment. Believe it or not i recieved a letter from them today to say possible court action!!!!!!!! And i have just recieved another email to say i need to speak to you urgently about your account, please ring us now!! This company is a nightmare..... Do you know if theysend it to a debt collector im thinking it might be better as i can set up a new payment plan and continue to pay it on the 1st of each month and also then the interest and charges will be stopped???? Im absolutely fuming.
• reliable collection is a in house debt collection dept for J D Williams group..
  make a copies of all letters, and emails. Also if you can get written proof of all payments to company, with your bank statements.. Have you saved all their statements, try match payments to go with interests.. it should come clearer to prove you have done the best to pay each month. good luck with this one
• My sister had the same issues and ended up with balliffs coming to the door even though she was paying albeit late and only minimum payments.I`d advise to see CAB for advise on where to go from here. My sister had a string of catolgue issues and they sorted most of them out for her - unfortunately after she had battled with fashion world alone and lost!
• Baliffs to the door????? Omg im so worried now ....
• what you can do is to sell some of the stuff you've bought and that you probably don't need and with what you raise make them an offer to settle what was due
  don't panic... and best of luck :-)
• Thank you everyone, and thanks lensman you have put my mind at rest, i was sick with worry all day
• i know this thread is a few weeks old, but ive just had a battle with this company also. my original debt 3 years ago was for 900 after a relationship split and christmas approaching i regrettably used the catalogue to buy xmas things for my 3 kids, a washing machine and fridge.
  however, 3 years later and after paying over the minium payment most months, and the debt keeping me and my 3 children barely about to feed ourselves, the debt is now 2000 still!? . Ј24 and month fees and Ј48 a month interest. ouch.
  anyway, i managed to get the money to pay it off in two large lumps so i askd them for a settlement figure and they refused. i wrote letters and went to cab. but they still refused a settlement.
  there in house debt collection means, you'll never be passed to a decent debt collector who may offer a settlement or halt any charges.
  i warn anyone who contemplates using any of the linked catalogues to think again!! in tiny writing at the bottom of the form you sign to agree to an account, it says 1049apr . this really does mean 1049% on anything you purchase from them!! BEWARE PLEASE AND DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID X
  i hope others like bristolgirl have more joy x
• Hi anjybabes, they are really terrible arent they
  I am still waiting for them to reply. Ive sent a recorded delivery letter and Ј5 emails. I paid Ј43 to clear what they said was so say arrears. The balance in nit Ј3351.00 !!!! Looking back the charges have been Ј88 every 28 days. I am now going to try and pay as mych as i can every 28 days but wirh the charges and interest i am never going to clear this.
  Im at my wits end i just dont know what to do
  Ive threated them with OFT and my mp, but they just dont care
• Also had issues with this bunch. Referred the whole thing to MOPS. mail Order Protection Scheme, they are / were pretty good.
  Copy everything so you have two piles of letter, send one with a covering letter to MOPs explaining what has happened and send the other with another covering letter to say you have contacted MOPS and are awaiting their response. Explain what you think should be amended.
  Have learnt a big lesson and now do not have any catalogues at all and don't even pay cash/card with anything registered to Lever Street, Manchester.
  Mail Order Protection Scheme (MOPS)
  16 Tooks Court
  London EC4A 1LB
  Tel. 020 7405 6806
  And don't worry about bailiffs, they are just using scare tactics. There is a process to go through and they havent even started it yet.
  Just a thought that maybe contacting the Financial Services Authority, it might be worth calling them?
  Good luck
• Im having terrible problems with them. Ј800 debt went to cccs sent them pound token payment... harrassed every day , 3-4 phonecalls even 8-9 pm at night. Now a debt of Ј2200.00 dont know what to do Ombudsman?
• I would report them for haressing you to Oft, check your statements when they come in, to see if you have incurred charges as they use a 28 day month, go back to the start of my prievous answer on this thread here.
  If you are able to pay token payments, how can they increase the debt, its does not make sense to me, but they are a law to themselves.
  What could happening, example
  payment Ј1.00 paid in on 2nd of month
  statement say payment due on the 4th of month. payments may not reached the department that deals with your account so they will automatic charge you Ј12.00+ also default you too!
  I ask if they would change their statement date, when we had aproblem when paying within a 28 day span. The answer was a big No. I think that instead of helping, they make more by adding charges etc, because sometimes its impossible to pay within a matching time when it would clear and on the arrangement with your dmp. good luck with this,