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Warning over ads that promise debt clearance
Former_MSE_Guy
Former MSE 1.7K Posts
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I have a couple of cards taken out before this date.
How do I try an reclaim my money? Is it worth it, and will it affect my credit rating?
They will just give you loads of money and probably throw in a free car and a holiday. Some idiots out there actually think they are supposed to repay the money they borrow. How stupid is that?
Please let's not let this turn into another thread on the morals of paying off debts.
What'd be great is if anyone that spots a misleading advert about credit card unenforcability eg "We guarantee to get all of your money wiped off" could let us know. We're on the look out for bad adverts
Thanks
Wendy
We could start by being aware of the action that the ASA took earlier this year against a company whose name we are not allowed to mention on here for a misleading radio advert.;)
It may also be worth providing reference at the top of this thread to the relevant warnings recently issued by the Ministry of Justice, Office of Fair Trading and Solicitors Regulation Authority.
That will give readers of this thread an idea of what to look out for regarding what is considered to be misleading.
People's reasoning for wanting to challenge their loan agreements vary and do not all amount to wanting to avoid their responsibility.
Many people were irresponsibly lent money against their homes by "debt consolidation" companies and many of these agreements carry high interest rates and unfair terms.
I have seen such agreements that state, "we may terminate this agreement if any monthly payment due remains outstanding for over 7 days"
So the person may just want out of an agreement that puts their home at potential risk for an amount of a few hundred quid. i know the lender would probably struggle to get repossession order for one payment but it shows that the intention is there from the lender to act unfairly.
I have seen crazy interest rates that in my opinion are extortionate and some people will challenge an agreement to get out of paying this crazy interest rate.
So we can not tar everyone with the same brush....and the same can be said of the companies offering the claims service.
When i hear of companies asking £500 upwards just to look at an agreement it's crazy, there are good firms offering this service who make it clear not all agreements will qualify, and charge much lower fees, i know one in particular that will assess a case for £99, that fee is for the solicitor to asses the case and is not returnable but all other fees are no win no fee.
Yes £99 is not cheap but is anything that involves a solicitor cheap?
I think the main thing here is to advise caution, not condemn the industry as a whole.
Wendy, are you on the look out for just adverts, or whole websites? If so are you happy for details of them to be posted here and potentially ripped to shreds (as many deserve) by posters? Would that not risk a similar reaction to the one at the end of last year by the firm we cannot name?
I can come up with a whole list of firms whose websites fall foul of the warnings recently issued and/or are breaching regulations in some way, but to be honest it would just fall into another pointless slagging match as these threads always do.
I'm all for raising awareness in the eyes of vunerable customers however.
If we wanted to we could do the same with other industries, for example loan brokers who charge up front fees and state "gaurenteed acceptance" they are making equally bold and misleading claims, should we start a vendetta against them too?
Some credit agreements are bad, very bad. And the point of the new legislation that these companies use was to make it easier for those consumers who have been victim to seriously unfair consumer contracts to challenge them and not be ripped off.
So if we are going to do this should we not do a comparisson of the good and the bad? who to avoid at all costs and who to turn to if you're being ripped off and need help?
Just an idea.
Just received this one by e-mail. they ask for £295 up front but claim it is refundable.
http://cjcuk.com/cancel-your-unenforcable-credit-agreement/