Clearstart to DFD

[caraf]

I have this morning received a letter from Clearstart advising me that they are transferring my IVA to DFD.
I am very concerned about this, as I have heard bad things about DFD. They dont give the level of service and help to their clients, and dont give the personal touch like Clearstart !! I wish I had known this 7 months ago I would not have gone with Clearstart, they have been brilliant and very helpful with us.
Does nyone know what are the staff like there or is it the same staff as at Clearstart????

[luluj]

We're with DFD and i won't apresent have a abad thing to say about them. There customer care team are always responsive to my questions by phone, email and in writing and all our calls are recorded so that there is none of the "we didn't inform you" etc etc.

[caraf]

Hi luluj
How have you found DFD, do they give you a personal service, do they understand your problems and help you through it. Have you had a review with them yet and what have they been like. What is the communication like, do they answer your questions and queries promptly ?

[caraf]

Have all Clearstarts IVA's been transferred to DFD ??

[getting there]

I'am with DFD and been trying to get a variation since Jan so far it's been one excuse after another.
I first waited three months (as this was the notice I was given for my pay cut), when I phoned to see how things were progressing I was told that the person dealing was on holiday and are just back and will pass details on straight away (3 month holiday???)
Two weeks later no answer so I phone again, only to be told exactly the same story !!!!
Things then started to move (after a rant)
couple weeks later I get a revised income and expenditure form completed by them, seems that my petrol allowance (which was 80 pounds per month) had been cut by them to 40. Another rant on the phone, told to provide receipts to prove.
One month goes by receipts sent in.
Now this week letter arrives saying they now need my wifes pay slips 3 months bank statements and poll tax bill.
It beggers belief, why not ask for the lot in one go? incompetence? I think its more likely delaying tactics as variations cost money and they would rather not deal with all the paper work.
Problem is to maintain the current payment level it's eating away at all my contingency cash which I can't maintain for much longer.
ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS AND STILL WAITING DFD ARE SH*T

[pm5]

How come they cut your petrol allowance & why did they complete your I & E form, that task should be down to you.

[luluj]

DFD for us have been great since day one - always been on the end of the phone, responded to our letters and have supportive us through some hard months!

We are just about to reach our formal annual review, however hubbie received a pay rise of £3k so quite rightly they are reviewing our I&E early as it will now mean we can pay some more back to our creditors - they have asked us to provide receipts where things have increased and I have done so for food and fuel - the two main areas we are all suffering with at present!

DFD were the only company we approached and although lots have negative to say, I have only positive - big and little companies all come with their own problems - at the end of the day it depends on who you speak with on the day etc - for us DFD have been fine so far!

10 down 50 to go and proud of it!

[caraf]

Hi Luluj
You will have to let us know how you get on at review time ?
Do you have an account manager so you are dealing with the same person all the time ?
cheers
carol
x

[Cybus]

I'am with DFD and been trying to get a variation since Jan so far it's been one excuse after another.
I first waited three months (as this was the notice I was given for my pay cut), when I phoned to see how things were progressing I was told that the person dealing was on holiday and are just back and will pass details on straight away (3 month holiday???)
Two weeks later no answer so I phone again, only to be told exactly the same story !!!!
Things then started to move (after a rant)
couple weeks later I get a revised income and expenditure form completed by them, seems that my petrol allowance (which was 80 pounds per month) had been cut by them to 40. Another rant on the phone, told to provide receipts to prove.
One month goes by receipts sent in.
Now this week letter arrives saying they now need my wifes pay slips 3 months bank statements and poll tax bill.
It beggers belief, why not ask for the lot in one go? incompetence? I think its more likely delaying tactics as variations cost money and they would rather not deal with all the paper work.
Problem is to maintain the current payment level it's eating away at all my contingency cash which I can't maintain for much longer.
ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS AND STILL WAITING DFD ARE SH*T

Could I suggest you leave feedback on http://www.iva.com so that other people are aware of the issues you have, who may not necessarily be aware of this site.

Secondly if you feel you are getting nowhere, I suggest that you write to your IP, explain the difficulties you are having with the staff at DFD and suggest that in the absence of a satisfactory outcome to your query, you will ask their licensing body to help you resolve this issue. The fact that this has been drawn out for so long is unacceptable.

[Emily]

The IVA maybe transferred but you are still having the same IP looking after you.So makes no difference. Th IP unless he/she deceases is the mediator with the creiditors, they are paid based on their own 'private' clients in escrow. I don't think they get a 'basic' salary as such

[charlotten]

Hi

Me and my husband were with DFD until recently.
We are currently filing a complaint against them and our IP for mis-management of the IVA. Some people have no complaints but I think in my case there was a great deal of problems with our proposal that were not solved at the start and therefore they dragged on for 2 years. Every body's case is different and their experiences also but I would say that you may have more luck than I did.
The basic problems with DFD are that they leave the admin staff to do the bulk of the work and these people are not trained to be IP's and they can only do so much. Speaking to an IP at DFD is like trying to get blood from a stone. I sometimes don't think their IP's exist!!!!

They also have appalling communication skills and trying to call them is a nightmare. They never answer their phones then ask you to leave a message and then no one comes back to you.

Thought I would share my experience.

x

[luluj]

I use the customer care team to put through my initial enquiries - at present I have tended to deal with the same three staff members - all know my case and as I have previously said notes are made on our records after every call so that it is recorded accurately.

We have never spoken to our IP direct as we have not needed to - the customer care staff have always forwarded our issues and responses have been given either in writing to us or verbally - where they request additional monies due to overtime or bonus etc - I insist they write to me with the amount they require and I in turn pay by standing order - that way I have a record from them!

[getting there]

I needed a variation as my wages were being cut by 25oo pounds a year.
We filled in a new income and expenditure form which was pretty much the same as the year before.
They then wrote back saying a variation was not necessary as the reduction after expenses was not enough.
This was achieved by them reducing my petrol expenses on the I&E, also after totting everything up my outgoings was 50 pounds more than income!!! even after them slashing my fuel. (er!!! where did they think the 50 pounds was going to come from????)
When this was challenged they then asked for petrol receipts to prove that I was spending this amount (what do they think I pulled a figure from the air like they did?)
This has now been done but I'am sure that there will be another excuse for not putting forward a variation.
As I said before they seam VERY reluctant to see this through.
[xx(][xx(][xx(]

[pm5]

They supposed to make it comfortable for you live not the other war around