Making MSE membership mandatory?

alastairq

Having spent months reading all sorts of queries, expressions of worry, desperation, etc on this forum I do think it is time the IS actually made MSE membership...this forum in particular, mandatory on becoming BR.

I strongly feel all agencies involved with Debt councilling should also recommend joining us.

This would help eliminate a lot of the effects of ignorance, pre- and post- BR.


Of course, the finance industry [and DCAs particularly] would be dead set agianst such an idea...they breed on ignorance?

As would many on other forums?

dmg24

MSE is a privately run forum. Whilst it may be a supportive environment, it does not offer professional advice. Why would a govt body even recommend such membership, let alone insist upon it?

In_a_Mess_3

Like the idea Alastair but not sure it would be agreed!!

I have to say though that before we went to the CAB I had read, re-read and read again all the stickies on here, plus loads of threads, and asked questions.

When we got there and were talking to her she started saying a few things, and dh looked at me a bit puzzled, as what she was saying was totally different to what I had told him.

So I questioned her and she checked in her book and had to concede I was right!! This forum gave me a lot of knowledge and I really don't think I could have done this without it.

Maybe when people go to one of the debt charities they could just mention mse and say it might be worth a look there too? When one of my friends husbands was going br I directed her here and told her to ask questions, I'm not sure she did but I do always tell people about it.

alastairq

MSE is a privately run forum. Whilst it may be a supportive environment, it does not offer professional advice. Why would a govt body even recommend such membership, let alone insist upon it?

whilst I am fully aware of the status of MSE, I did pose the observation somewhat 'tongue-in-cheek'!!!!


However.......since we have private enterprise involved with debt solutions/councilling......perhaps the notion of pointing people in our direction isn't so far adrift?

The objective is....to reduce ignorance.

The fact that MSE does not offer 'professional'' advice is well stated, observed and known.

The major difference between 'professional' and 'non-professional' anythings, is that the professional anything gets paid even if they're wrong.

[as you may gather, I also raille against 'professional elitism']

In A Mess quotes just such an example.



As I see things, BR is about, [a] recognition, and preparation!

MSE cannot do much about the lack of [a]..........


MSE's forte is with ....................................


many people chose to remain ignorant, out of a fear of 'officialdom'.

MSE is an informal melting pot.....

Those 'official' agencies involved with, the ''dealing with debt'', would do better, IMHO, to also acknowledge the uses of fora such as ours......even if they only make those they come into contact with.........aware

cloverfan

the cab did recommend it to me x

philnicandamy

There are select posters on here, that have spent a lot of time studying BR, to give the best advice they can and some even go onto work with the debt agencies we ALWAYS reccomend people speak to before anything else.......and its not the 1st time i've heard someone reccomending here for advice (my OR a few years ago said he'd seen something here he wanted more advice on & was very very suprised with the knowledge

BUT....it could always be a little "tongue in cheek" and I could be talking total rubbish....who knows

dmg24

alastairq wrote: »

whilst I am fully aware of the status of MSE, I did pose the observation somewhat 'tongue-in-cheek'!!!!


However.......since we have private enterprise involved with debt solutions/councilling......perhaps the notion of pointing people in our direction isn't so far adrift?

The objective is....to reduce ignorance.

The fact that MSE does not offer 'professional'' advice is well stated, observed and known.

The major difference between 'professional' and 'non-professional' anythings, is that the professional anything gets paid even if they're wrong.

[as you may gather, I also raille against 'professional elitism']

In A Mess quotes just such an example.



As I see things, BR is about, [a] recognition, and preparation!

MSE cannot do much about the lack of [a]..........


MSE's forte is with ....................................


many people chose to remain ignorant, out of a fear of 'officialdom'.

MSE is an informal melting pot.....

Those 'official' agencies involved with, the ''dealing with debt'', would do better, IMHO, to also acknowledge the uses of fora such as ours......even if they only make those they come into contact with.........aware

The problem with informal melting pots is that the advice is not always accurate. Also, there are too many people on here who condone manipulating the system (and at times, advocating fraudulent activity). I can't see the IS being too keen on that! :rolleyes:

philnicandamy

dmg24 wrote: »

The problem with informal melting pots is that the advice is not always accurate. Also, there are too many people on here who condone manipulating the system (and at times, advocating fraudulent activity). I can't see the IS being too keen on that! :rolleyes:

not that old one again....:rolleyes::mad:

McKneff

We have enough of a nanny state now,

Do we really want another rule on the list of 'you wil do this, and you will do that'

Dont think so

alastairq

trouble is...the lower side of the finance industry..CC's, DCA's, etc....from the evidence seen on here, rely very much on the ignorance of the debtor.


[and before anyone says 'what about the poor little creditor?'....Anyone supplying credit is out to make their money on interest, charges and defaults...they do NOT like customers who pay off the balance completely and regularly...to the finance industry these people are really a waste of time.
As has been noted before......when a Credit company decides what to charge, they build-in a percentage for any debt that goes bad. [one in four??]


To think that if everyone paid their debts to these companies, instead of ''hiding behind'' bankruptcy, credit would be 'cheaper' for everybody else, is living in cloud-cuckoo land.

But I don't see the PP's posting on here deriding the past actions of banks, etc, in creating teh current recession? Oh no!

alastairq

The problem with informal melting pots is that the advice is not always accurate.
As I suggested before, neither can the veracity of advice given by the Debt Charities be always considered such. As always, it will depend on the knowledge of the advisor facing the Debtor at the time.

The advantage of formally suggesting MSE, allows the debtor to also have the option of choice......ie, ask a question, see what answers pop up......and the sound answers can/will be supported by the evidence.
There is also the problem, with advisors face-to-face, of the client simply, misunderstanding.

MSE is not suggested as an alternative....simply an additional source of support and advice.....advice perhaps couched in better, less intimidating terms than official IS booklets,etc.
Also, there are too many people on here who condone manipulating the system (and at times, advocating fraudulent activity). I can't see the IS being too keen on that!

Are we talking here, of advocating one set of rules, moral or otherwise, for creditors..and another for debtors?

When anyone ''manipulates'' the system [a subjective notion,anyway...one man's manipulation, is another man's better interpretation]...this can only mean, the options and variables within the system can, and need to be ,explored.

The system has those options to allow it to be flexible.

so....is somebody manipulating, when in reality they are simply using system flexibility?

Not in my book.......especially as system manipulation is endemic within our society

Of course, if one has the view that BR should in fact mean punishment, then the above would not apply......let ignorance prevail.

As for creditors?

Is it fine for them to ''manipulate the system''.....??

Because they pay people a lot of money to do just that.

The advantage of 'spreading the word' about this forum, at a higher level...is more people not only receive advice about things they only had misinformation on...usually trawled from other, more [self]righteous sources.....but..should anybody on here offer advice which is known to be unlawful in outcome.....then the rest of the forum soon make it clear what-is-what.

so in effect, the forum is able to, keep up to speed with current rules, and, effectivley be self-policing.

Of course, the creation of a knowledge bank, well publiscised, and respected....is the antithesis of what creditors and those who aspire to see BR's punished...want!