To quote the IVA.co.uk website
"iva.co.uk may receive commission or fees as a result of your use of the services of third party providers featured on the Website. We do not charge you for the services that we offer. These commissions or fees do not indicate an agency relationship between iva.co.uk and third party financial product or service providers nor any involvement in any contract that you form with that third party provider."
Please can all the experts on the forum; Melanie Giles, Vincent Bond, Debt Free Direct, Brightoak and Bridgewood, as well as any other IVA providers out there please disclose how much fees/commissions they have paid to IVA.co.uk and over how many cases?
Maybe this "free time and help" that the experts give is an elaborate plot to build reputation and then if they receive a lead from the website they pay a fee? Surely that is soliciting work through the back door which is against the ethics of the site?
The simple answer is they do not pay anything. The experts on here give free and impartial advice and are an absolute godsend to many people out there having problems. They give up alot of there own personal time and it does not need people like you being negative and accusing them of soliciting for business
RayB, in response to your comment, are you stating that the disclaimer on the site is providing false information and IVA.co.uk DO NOT receive any finacial reimbursement for clients who gain contact with one of the 'approved companies' via the medium of IVA.co.uk? I find this difficult to beleive.
Andrew G, I agree, referral fee's are simply a nature of the beast in the IVA/Debt solutions industry nowadays. However, many clients will be unaware of the nature of insolvency as a business, and therefore clear disclosure of fee's paid for referral would surely only support IVA.co.uk's policy of being an open and honest advisor centre.
There is, of course, a difference between fee free advice and being a none profit organisation.
[:0]WOW! My first post on here was to say "Hi" and thanks for having this site to open up and share a painful experience in my life with like minded people.
Maybe it is you who has another motive, other than the 'experts' who I have seen do nothing other than give constructive advise to those who seek help in keeping the wolves from the door.
Most of the serving IP's, IVA advisers, have chosen to have their name on here public, so there is full transparency as to who they are or who they represent, I don't see anything wrong with what they have posted so far![?]
All I am asking for is some transparency and honesty? For example when Melanie Giles posts it says "To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit: http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp"
How is this not solicting for work?
I've read it and I completely agree with the comment by PJHUGHES. I have no doubt that the experts give up some free time, however, it is not for free, its to generate a fee. Plain and simple. These experts pray on fear and vunerability and befriend people in order to enhance reputation and generate future work
Professional experts on both this forum and the sister BR site are allowed to have a link to their website. They are NOT allowed to offer advice and then say 'Please contact me', or anything along the same lines.
If any of the experts gain any business from the forum I don't see what the problem is. They give up their time for free, and offer advice to anyone who posts, whether a client of theirs or not.
Captain Sensible, I'm not surprised to see you posting on this thread. When you say 'this forum has been a concern for a while', would you like to elaborate?
One final point, I presume anyone who has a problem with the forum will no longer be posting?
The forum and the principles behind it are commendable, however, I am looking for some open and honest admissions by the experts in that they use the forum too:
1. Prevent damage to reputation through complaints
2. Build reputation to generate work.
I will continue to post on this forum . Its called democracy, just because I have a different opinion does not make it not right and stop me expressing it.
No one has to give any financial information on this forum, and to expect the experts to provide any business expenditure (which you have no proof exists) is quite frankly ridiculous.
I didn't say you cannot post on the forum, it just seems to me that you/PJHughes are only stirring and not offering any advice to any posters.
I direct clients to the IVA forum on a daily basis. This is because I believe the advice and experience which can be shared on here is vital to anyone new to the insolvency industry in general.
My concern is with a limit proportion of posters and members and there true intentions on providing advice. The extreem hostility any post relating to questions concerning the PROFITABLITY understandably habours concerns. Why so defensive?
This is a very pretty website with numerous good tools and links. Did this come for free? Is there a website designer amongst the experts who gave their time freely to support the forums? I strongly doubt it. Therefore, in the spirit of open, honest advice why is it such a problem to give debtors and advisors information on how this extreemly useful tool for sharing is funded and stays afloat?
