Upfront Fees

[cfnc]

Thankyou,

was worried I had upset people on here, not a thing I want to do, as this is a godsend.

Kirsty

[Cybus]

I agree with Animaleyes - fair play to Oliver for coming on here and posting the information. Like Animaleyes my grievance is more with my advisor (who also no longer works at TC as far as I know). I was never offered the option of BR and I didn't know what a DMP was until I found this forum! My advisor definitely wasn't available 7 days a week - they went on holiday and didn't tell me until they got back and finally answered my messages! I was referred to Accuma who were 200 miles from my home so I had no hope of being able to meet my IP - not that I knew that was allowed!

I'm sure TC do help a lot of people, and at the time I thought I was doing the right thing and getting the best advice, and the same with Accuma. It was only with that wonderful thing called hindsight that I realised that things weren't right.

I find it disturbing that you were not offered bankruptcy and that you did not know what a DMP was until you found this forum ... Are you saying that not only did the intermediary, but the IP also did not explain any other options to you? Was it 'IVA or nothing' for you?

I think that is terrible and most unethical. I sit with my head in my hands. It is exactly that type of practise that is giving the profession a bad name.

[indebtforever]

freedom of speach is one thing this country has going for it kirsty

[^]

[animaleyes76]

Kirsty,

the one thing i love about this site as much as the "community" is the ability to have an open and honest debate about pretty much anything,even something as topical as up front fees.

Nobody will ever agree but i like the fact you can rely on people to make a transparent argument based on fact not on any bias.

I think you would find it hard to upset most people on here ;o)

[cfnc]

Thanks,

I am normally wary about putting my point across, but here I find it easy to ask or comment on a subject.

Again I am so glad to have found this site and meet so many wonderful people.

I just hope my new found confidence does not upset anyone.

Kirsty

[Skippy]

Cybus, I was pretty much told that I didn't want to go BR, which at the time I didn't, mainly because I didn't understand BR. I was definitely never offered a DMP, although as I owed £65k it wouldn't have been pracical. I was sent the 'Is An IVA Right For You' leaflet by Accuma, but sometimes it's easier to have things explained to you. I never actually spoke to my IP, only members of admin staff.

That's why I think this forum does a great job - when people are in debt they think there is no way out and speak to the first friendly voice they come across. This forum gives good unbiased advice and most importantly, it's easy to understand.

[indebtforever]

99% success rate and Thomas Charles Promise
-If we decide to take on your IVA case and we fail to get the IVA accepted then we will pay you a compensation fee of £250*.
-If you would like to have an informal chat with an advisor to find out more please view our senior advisors here.
* In very rare cases this promise may be withdrawn (at the very beginning of our discussions with you) if you have creditors who are aggressively declining IVAs (e.g. the Northern Rock Together Loan).

sorry to keep going on but whoever said all payments made if not accepted will be paid back my payments was to be £1200 and reading this from TC i dont think i would have [|)]

[Cybus]

Cybus, I was pretty much told that I didn't want to go BR, which at the time I didn't, mainly because I didn't understand BR. I was definitely never offered a DMP, although as I owed £65k it wouldn't have been pracical. I was sent the 'Is An IVA Right For You' leaflet by Accuma, but sometimes it's easier to have things explained to you. I never actually spoke to my IP, only members of admin staff.

That's why I think this forum does a great job - when people are in debt they think there is no way out and speak to the first friendly voice they come across. This forum gives good unbiased advice and most importantly, it's easy to understand.

I agree that the forum is an invaluable source of information.

Skippy, the fact that you were sent the booklet 'Is a Voluntary Arrangement Right For Me?' as the sole basis for determining that you are suitable for an IVA is just plain wrong. That booklet as a stand alone guide does not provide you with even half of the information that an IP needs to cover with you.

Firstly, it ought not to have been the case that ' ... it's easier to have things explained to you.',you definitely should have been offered a face to face meeting with someone from Accuma. They, if they have anything about them, should have offered to come and visit you. Whether in person or over the phone, you should have been given details of all the options available to you - which should include debt management and bankruptcy. You should have been explained the advantages and disadvantages of each of these options. You should have been given the opportunity to ask questions about anything you were uncertain of, in this instance bankruptcy. At the end of this process, you should be telling Accuma what you want to do and not the other way around. Following that conversation, Accuma were required to either send you a copy of a detailed file note or a letter setting out the discussions that took place with them, either in person or over the telephone.

I would be interested to hear from Accuma as to why this happened

[animaleyes76]

indebtforever

that clause (re nr) wasnt there when i took mine out.. i stand corrected

;o)

[james.c]

dont forgot Thomas Charles is the same company as Accuma, so as a company they get to upfront payments and then the on going payments.

I did this b ut didnt know any better would not go through Thomas Charles again.

Thomas charles didnt do anything wrongm they spent a couple of hours on the phone going through everything and then referred me to Accuma, who wnet through the same things again.

The two payments i paid to thomas charles i could of saved for a rainny day, and gone to an ip direct and my iva might of gone through quicker.

The point is i didnt know any better, because i was new to IVAS.

[Skippy]

I'm the same James - I'd never even heard of an IVA before I Googled 'debt solutions'.

Can I also say that by the time my IVA my actual IP had changed. The new IP phoned me and advised me that BR was the best option for me and talked me through it. He also gave me his direct number if I had any questions.

[TheMatrix]

I went with TC but did not end up with Accuma but another small firm of IPs

[sueann]

Hi everyone.

To start with I telephoned the number on top of this web page and was immedately put through to Thomas Charles so I was not aware any different that the upfront fee's were not the norm or that I wouldnt have had to have paid these had I gone directly to an IP - No partial advice! just put straight though to fee paying service.

The fee's were marketed to me as an extra 2 months added onto the IVA. Bankruptcy was never discussed in full details to me but I must admit to being afraid of the subject. My details were passed to an IP then I heard nothing not even a follow up from TC. When I spoke to my IP I had to go through everything again and the figures were changed, at first my IP came in a monthly payment of £100 higher a month than TC I was told to expect this figure may change but by so much!! I got this figure down but was not confident of the Iva being approved.

The next time I heard from TC was Monday morning when my second payment was due, by 9.30am I had a mobile phone message, a text message and an e-mail from them asking about the money, worse than any of my creditors.

I have decided now that I am going BR as this is the best option, for a fee of over £500 to debt advice company I would have expected to be told this would be my best option compared to an IVA and them to have taken he time to discuss the process in detail.

I have just spoken to TC regarding a return of some fees but they are adamant that fees are not refundable, also they just advised me when I queried the contract that not all contracts are the same, WHY? why are some refundable and others not. I am not asking for a full refund just the second payment of £259.00.

I am so not happy with this company, I was nieve about the process and stressed now I am in a predicaent as the court has advised they can here my bankruptcy next week but TC has taken the last penny I had.

So I would say to anyone DO NOT PAY UPRONT FEE'S with a intermediary you can do the work just as well with your IP directly.

Now I have to drag the stress out for further 2 months until I can afford BR.

[indebtforever]

shocking treatment from thomas charles so much for funds returned if the iva fails.He maybe has given sound advice to the forum to non clients but all said he is just touting for his next victim[:0].Come on charles/oliver you are reading this give us some answers please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sueann]

One question I would like answered please is WHY when I rang the IVA.co.uk Helpline was I put straight through to a fee based intermediary?? and the options of whether I use an intermediary for a fee or go directly to an IP not given to me at that point, nervous stressed out people like me do not think rationally in matters such as these.

People need to be given that option from the start, especially those who may eventually go the BR route and have no rebate on fee's like me.

The first time I asked TC about fee's I was told by them that they were built into the IVA.. OK down the line I was then told 2 additional payments on the IVA which start on my paperwork being signed and returned.

It was not called an instruction fee until your contract arrives.