RMA Debt Collection Agency

iwanttoberich

That is my response too. I get a letter every 2 weeks either asking me to contact them urgently or to tell me they have a great deal for me. It just goes in a pile with all the others. Once I am paying what I said I could afford I am happy. They are welcome to take me to court.

lizzy_s_3

Found this thread through Google and thought it worth relating my own RMA story.

My partner's father is in a care home, suffering from senile dementia. He is nunable to conduct his own affairs and has no assets. He is paid a state pension, which the care home takes most of for his care, leaving him with a small amount for "pocket money".

He also has a very large outstanding loan, which has been passed on to RMA.

Because my partner manages his affairs, through a registered power of attorney, the creditor passed our address on to RMA when they passed the loan on to them for collection. They don't have our phone number, but write to us every few days, demanding payment in full, demanding my partner's father contacts them (that would be a fun conversation, I'm sure; he doesn't know what day of the week it is, what year it is, or who his own relatives are, and that's on a good day).

So we phoned RMA to try and explain the situation, and initially they refused to speak to us, until they received a copy of the POA document. This was duly sent, with instructions to return it, which they never did. They will deal with my partner now, however. Eventually one of their operatives agreed to a token amount (his pocket money, basically - it won't even service the interest on the debt), but sure enough, the letters keep coming and they "have no record" of the agreement we reached with them.

So now we're just ignoring the letters, and hoping that court action is eventually initiated.

I mjst say that RMA don't seem to have anhy idea of how to deal with the situation where they're only dealing with a representative of the debtor. We don't owe them (or anyone else) anything, and they have no hold over us. All they seem to be able to do is waste postage sending us stupid letters, which we're now ignoring. Despite that many (not all) of the RMA operatives we've spoken to have been rude, incompetent or both.

I take the view that their rudeness is entirely unwarranted here, because they're being paid to deal with this, whereas we're quite literally just doing it out of the goodness of our hearts. In other words, we're doing them a favour by handling something that is not our responsibility, but they don't seem to understand this.

While I understand that having a DCA phone and harass you is going to be very distressing, there are times when it's almost a shame they don't have our phone number - it would be fitting to mess with their heads a bit.

RAS

Hiya

How much exactly are you paying them each month?

What sort of sum are you talking about?

And does FIL/FOL have any other assets than his pension?

lizzy_s_3

RAS wrote: »

Hiya

How much exactly are you paying them each month?

What sort of sum are you talking about?

And does FIL/FOL have any other assets than his pension?

Hiya - they're being paid five pounds a month. He indeed has no assets - just the clothes he wears and the few pounds he gets left over after the care home take their fee.

The debt is for five figures... We have no idea what he did with the money - probably just lost it as he was already suffering the onset of senile dementia when he took out the loan, and in the habit of withdrawing money from the bank and simply not having it on his person when he got home.

RMA, and the original creditor have had financial statements explaining all of this. I'm not sure where they think they're actually going to get any money from, as there isn't any. The creditor, before they passed it on to RMA, actually suggested that we pay it off on his behalf! I do wonder what planet these people are from sometimes.

RAS

Well, pursuing someone other than the debtor is against the OFT Guidelines and I am not sure but I think taking more than £1 or £2 per month off him is also out of order if his only income is benefits.

I have been POA but in a rather diffferent situation. When I started helping her, DM was spending every penny on her not insubstantial pension each month, on stuff she never used etc, but I managed to reduce her outgoings by 30%.

I am assuming that you have seen the original signed CCA as well as the statements and it is his signature, albeit rather muddled? Was it signed in the bank?

hav you contacted the Financial Ombudsman abouth this case?

I know that OH has to act purely in FIL interest, so this may seem a bit extreme, but in the circumstances, has OH considered contacting the Court of protection (forget their new name), explaining the situation and seeing if he can declare FIL bankrupt?

Providing it is legally possible for an attorney to do this, it is not going to affect FIL credit rating, he is not in a position to be embarressed and I would have thought that a judge and an OR would be extremely sympathetic. The judge might also decline to publish the details in the paper as well. You would need to make sure that OH was not linked on any account in FIL name, but otherwise, it would get rid of this load of ***********.

Otherwise, what about contact martin, or another money expert in the media and asking them to put the case to RMA. I am sure RMA would love the publicity.

lizzy_s_3

Thank you, RAS, for this - looks to be excellent advice.

Having him declared bankrupt is definitely something we'll look into - embarrassment won't be a factor as he'll never find out, and my other half is his only surviving relative.

And it would be quite sweet if the media did get involved, wouldn't it?

davek1

what an absolute bunch of bankers these people are. Here you have a guy who in his twilight years is suffering and to add insult to injury this lot are persuing him for what really amounts a small amount of money in the great scheme of things.

I entirely agree with RAS. Get him declared buncrupt ASAP. That will get rid of this lot. Also who is the original creditor? I would be inclined to write to their chairman or CEO and explain the case asking them to intervene and do something about the situation before you go to the press, and make sure you mention this site and BBC watchdog.

i really feel for you and hubby as if you don't have enough to deal with.

Keep us in the loop as to how it goes.

Dave

lizzy_s_3

davek1 wrote: »

I entirely agree with RAS. Get him declared buncrupt ASAP. That will get rid of this lot. Also who is the original creditor? I would be inclined to write to their chairman or CEO and explain the case asking them to intervene and do something about the situation before you go to the press, and make sure you mention this site and BBC watchdog.

Thank you, Dave, for your kind words. The original creditor is Barclays, and the letter to the chairman sounds like a really good idea!

Many thanks for your reply,

Lizzy

novelli

I have these idiots calling me several times every day, its driving me nuts!!!!

I have repeatedly told them do not call me i will only deal with these things by letter. Lovely lady said to me well we will go the legal route then, so just said fine go ahead, but do not phone me!!!!
I have no idea what the debt is for or who it is to as i refuse to go thru the security check.
If i answer and theses a slight delay their end i put the phone down, if they do manage to get thru now i just say no she is not here!!!!!!!!!!
I suffer from M.E and depression and also care for my disabled child, so i feel i can only deal with these things when my head is reasonably straight to be able to concentrate, not over the phone but in writing, in my time, which invaribly is in the wee small hours!!!
they phoned 7 times yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad:

rog2

novelli wrote: »

Lovely lady said to me well we will go the legal route then,

RMA need to appreciate that 'legal' also includes respecting your legal rights.
Telephoning 7 times in one day is 'Harassment' which is not only illegal, but also criminal.
You should report these thugs to the Trading Standards for harassment.