Passed to a Debt Collector after 12 months of no contact, with no warning!!

cleanonme

Hi. Sorry if I've posted in the wrong place, I didn't know where else to put it

Are a company allowed to pass on your account to a debt collector after 12 months of no contact and no warning?

I joined a gym last year and cancelled my membership due to relocating. The staff member I spoke to at the gym was very helpful and said that they would close my account with a zero cancellation cost due to my circumstances. I never heard from the gym again.

I received a letter from a debt collection agency claiming I owe the gym £340 and they gave me 3 days to pay it. I contacted the gym and explained what the staff member had said to me, but I have no proof so that’s fair enough. They said they would send me copies of the letters they had sent to me with regard to the money I owe (I never received any letters)

They have now sent me a “copy” of 2 letters they sent me over 12 months ago, saying that I have to pay a £100 cancellation charge. There is no mention of the debt being passed on in any of the letters, just that I should contact them to make payment. I received these “copies” late last week, and the debt collectors were on the phone again today saying that my case has been reopened by the gym and I’ve got 7 days to pay the £340.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can sort this? Are they allowed to pass it over to a debt collector without warning me first?

I’d be grateful for any help that you can provide. I feel sick with worry over it all.