Freeman Jones Complaint Full & Final Settlement

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rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:14 am
I am currently just into year four of my IVA and my parents were kind enough to suggest making a full and final settlement offer by 3rd party funding to close and finish the IVA early.

I Rang Freeman Jones to find out the process and was duly informed the WHOLE PROCESS COULD TAKE 12 to 16 WEEKS. A bit long I thought but hey ho go with it. I discussed the payment with Freeman Jones and they said it was a good offer backed up by the fact that monthly payments are being maintained.

Freeman Jones told me what I needed to do to get the ball rolling so I duly provided them with all the info they requested.

I sent them this info and they received it 8 weeks ago so I rang up today to find out how this settlement was progressing and if they were close to sending me my statement of fact that I would need to sign and send back so they could arrange the meeting with the creditors.

Imagine my shock and absolute horror when the lady on the end of the phone told me that the 12 to 16 weeks was JUST TO WRITE THE REPORT !!! ...ABSOLUTE JOKE. She informed me they had lots and lots of offers like this to deal with and they are processed in the order they are submitted. I find this hard to believe that loads of people are making offers like this on a weekly / monthly basis.

I was informed the WHOLE process from START TO FINISH would take 12 to 16 weeks. Finding out this new AND CHANGED info I found very unacceptable and informed them that I wished to make a complaint. They did not even seem interested in taking on this complaint so I would like to know how to take this further. An answer from a Steven Hewitt on this forum would be an ideal start. The lady on the phone said she would tell her manager I would like to raise a complaint but that it might not be taken any further!! So I presume from that if your complaint is not severe enough they just forget about you do they?

How can they justify taking up to 4 months to write a report?
Funny how when I took out the IVA it took 4 weeks to get the report done to the creditors but when you are seeking to end the IVA with 3rd party funds it takes over 4 months !

I am extremely dissatisfied and I would like to know what to do next.

Many Thanks
 
 

lifenoteasy

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Post by lifenoteasy » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:18 am
Try Sarah.Jolly@FreemanJones.co.uk - she seems to be their main contact point on the forum.
IVA started March 2011, Completed March 2016 and certificate issued 11 days after final payment. It was not always easy but then some of the best decisions aren't.
 
 

Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:20 am
Hi. First of all, I am sure one of the FJ team will come here and make contact. Dismissing a complaint is simply not acceptable and someone might need a word.

FJ are normally very good at resolving issues quickly but, if you get nowhere you can escalate a complaint to their regulatory body, via the Government complaints Gateway here:

https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-insol ... actitioner
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:31 am
Thank you both for your quick reply and info. I have sent a transcript of my original post to the e-mail address you have provided lifenoteasy so we will see how we get on.

Cheers
 
 

lifenoteasy

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Post by lifenoteasy » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:51 am
The other side is that if you are in year 4 that length of time almost makes it pointless to do it other than you have your life back.
IVA started March 2011, Completed March 2016 and certificate issued 11 days after final payment. It was not always easy but then some of the best decisions aren't.
 
 

Sarah Jolly

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Post by Sarah Jolly » Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:39 pm
Dear rainonthewindows

I am very sorry to read your post.

I have received your email and am in the process of looking into this for you.

We will be in touch with you today.

Thank you
Sarah Jolly IMA CMAP - A member of the IVA team at Freeman Jones
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:47 pm
Freeman Jones said they could extend the terms of my IVA by up to 2 years due to extra money owing from my earnings in the last 2 years ( the settlement figure reflects this ). Freeman Jones failed to do their annual reports correctly apparently and they apologised to me for that as well ( something else I could complain about ).
I was self employed and sent them all the info they asked for when they asked for it but apparently they kept losing my yearly accounts and tax returns ( I had to send them 3 times through the post ! ).
To be honest it's all been a complete sham after year one and I want it done and over with but Freeman Jones are dragging their heels and don't seem interested in customer satisfaction.
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:51 pm
Many thanks Sarah. Much appreciated.
 
 

welshwiz

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Post by welshwiz » Tue Feb 24, 2015 2:25 pm
Hi rainonthewindows, am sure Sarah will get it sorted for you.
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Tue Feb 24, 2015 4:36 pm
Just had a call from Freeman Jones and they have informed me that my report that I need to sign will be with me at the latest by the end of March. That is 12 weeks from when I started the ball rolling. Once they have received the signed report back a creditor meeting will be set up 30 days afterwards. That is bordering on the 16 / 17 week mark assuming I happy with the report and no amendments are needed.
So positive news has been received but I shouldn't have had to go to such lengths to get my IP ( who should be working to help me and not hinder me ) to see reason by making a complaint.
Just a thought but if this goes through I wonder how long it will take to get my notice of completion certificate. 6 months if what Foggy has written on his blog is to believed but I believe this to be too long after reading up on it so further complaints may need to be raised ( fingers crossed they won't ).
Many thanks goes out to everyone who has responded to my query. I will keep this thread updated with the time scales it is actually taking to sort this out.

Kind regards
 
 

Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Tue Feb 24, 2015 6:26 pm
font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by rainonthewindows

Just had a call from Freeman Jones and they have informed me that my report that I need to sign will be with me at the latest by the end of March. That is 12 weeks from when I started the ball rolling. Once they have received the signed report back a creditor meeting will be set up 30 days afterwards. That is bordering on the 16 / 17 week mark assuming I happy with the report and no amendments are needed.
So positive news has been received but I shouldn't have had to go to such lengths to get my IP ( who should be working to help me and not hinder me ) to see reason by making a complaint.
Just a thought but if this goes through I wonder how long it will take to get my notice of completion certificate. 6 months if what Foggy has written on his blog is to believed but I believe this to be too long after reading up on it so further complaints may need to be raised ( fingers crossed they won't ).
Many thanks goes out to everyone who has responded to my query. I will keep this thread updated with the time scales it is actually taking to sort this out.

Kind regards
Six months is what MY company ( GT) regard as the minimum period. This is the time frame normally built into the agreement.

Freeman Jones clients regularly report a period of less than two months.
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:17 am
That's good news to hear Foggy regarding the certificate. Thanks for the heads up.

Cheers
 
 

welshwiz

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Post by welshwiz » Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:18 pm
Our CC took two weeks from F&F payment clearing thanks to Sarah and her team hopefully yours will be as quick
 
 

rainonthewindows

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Post by rainonthewindows » Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:25 pm
29TH March 2015 update.

Well surprise surprise. I was promised that I would have a copy of my report for my full and final settlement creditors meeting by the end of March which I am not going to get. I had to make a complaint to Freeman Jones to get them to honour their word to get it by the end of March and they have not supplied it...they are still doing it.

The reason for this is as follows:

1) I started this process at the end of December and Freeman Jones informed me 12 weeks from start to finish.

2) Freeman Jones then informed me what documents I would need to supply to get the ball rolling.

3) I duly provided all the documents they asked for which were all fully signed and dated by the persons involved. I sent this info special delivery.

4) I rang Freeman Jones about 2 / 3 days later to see if they had received everything they needed. They informed me they had and that everything was good to go.

5) I waited to get my draft report for me to read and sign and send back so Freeman Jones could set up the creditors meeting.

6) I rang 8 weeks later for an update and that is when I was informed that could take 12 to 16 weeks JUST TO WRITE THIS REPORT. I then complained as I was told 12 weeks from start to finish.

7) Complaint dealt with quickly and I was informed I would have my draft report to sign by the end of March

8) On the 24th March Freeman Jones rang me to tell me they DID NOT have everything they needed and that they required more info. This is contrary to the conversation I had with them in January when they stated they did have everything. They informed me they needed a copy of my parents passports to match their signatures to the letter they had signed stating they were providing the funds. My parents spend most of their time abroad in Turkey in their holiday home since they are both retired pensioners now. I asked why it has taken nearly 12 weeks to ask for this info when they originally said they had everything. Freeman Jones said they would look into it.

9) Freeman Jones rang me on the 25th March and told me, no sorry they got it wrong, it was a copy of my parents bank statement showing the funds leaving their account to mine that they needed even though the bank statement I provided from my bank account shows my mums name and the ref. numbers etc. against the deposit. I informed Freeman Jones that my parents are not in the country and are abroad for long periods at a time and they do not do internet banking ( The funds came from a Building Society account anyway which my parents do not get monthly statements for ), they have no land line phone and that we only communicated through e-mails when they are abroad and by mobile in emergency's due to the cost of the calls. They do not use Skype either ( They have only just learnt how to e-mail !! )
It was at this point I raised another complaint as I thought the service I was receiving was very unprofessional. The chap I spoke to said he would make a note of everything we had discussed and, since it was late, try and sort it out tomorrow. He informed me he would call me back the next day around 18.15

10) The next day I waited for an hour from 18.00 till 19.00 ( Freeman Jones office closing time ) for this phone call which I did not receive. Shocking service with no courtesy or manners. If you state you are going to ring someone then you should ring them even if you have no further news to give them!!

11) I rang Freeman Jones the next day and went through all the aforementioned again with someone else and they said they needed both my parents signatures and a copy of their bank statement....even through I told them they are now abroad with virtually no form of communication between us. IF THEY HAD ASKED FOR THIS INFO IN JANUARY WHEN I RANG THEM TO SEE IF THEY HAD EVERYTHING ( and they said yes we have ) THIS WOULD NOT NOW BE A HUGE PROBLEM which Freeman Jones have created.
The onus is now on me, through no fault of my own, to get this info from parents before any report can be sent to me for my creditors meeting. Thanks a lot.

I have now spent the best part of 3 days trying to get this information, driving here there and everywhere at my own expense to get them the info they require. My parents have had to make calls to the UK to friends and to the Building Society to get them to raise a document showing the funds leaving their account so I can go into the branch and pick it up. They have had to photocopy and fax over copies of their passports.
Nice one Freeman Jones. Getting Pensioners running around a foreign country doing this that and the other just because you can't do your job properly in a professional manner.

They scant manner in which we have been treated is disgraceful and I Have now made numerous complaints to Freeman Jones regarding all of the above.

I expected a certain level of professionalism from Freeman Jones which has been seriously lacking since I started this full and final offer saga.

I should have known really that this would not run smoothly. I was self employed for a while and I had to send my yearly accounts to Freeman Jones 3 TIMES over a two year period because they said they lost them and / or did not receive them !!

Let see what happens now. It makes me wonder if Freeman Jones just try to prolong this variation meeting for as long as possible just so they get more money in the way of fees since I am still paying a monthly contribution to them whilst this is ongoing.

I completely fed up with all this and it starting to get me down and annoyed which is the same way I felt before I started my IVA !!!
I chose Freeman Jones to help me and now I feel they are not working for me to the best of their ability and it's extremely disappointing.
 
 

longslog101

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Post by longslog101 » Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:57 pm
What a pain in the ar$e !!

I don't even know why they need proof of the money going to your account from your folks, watch they do to try and grab it saying its a windfall !!

Why are they not happy enough of the proof of funds in your parents account ?
Last edited by longslog101 on Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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