Farepak in administration: What to do? (Merged Thread)

gdfster

dunno if posted on another site and thought id post (thanx to lucidlupin on loquax)

Just this minute heard on ITV that they have an offer of Free tickets to Alton Towers on the 25th October 2006 (half term week) for Farepak customers who have suffered under the company's collapse. They have thousands of tickets to give away but I can't remember how many in total - sorry. 4 tickets per customer. Tickets will go on a first come first served basis....

If you are a Farepak customer simply email

hampers@itv.com

to request your tickets and include evidence that you are a Farepak customer (I assume people have an account or reference number they can give?)

not much i know but thought i wud post

fidget_3

Truly awful news, so many people affected here, at a crucial time of year.
However, on balance can't see how posting the Directors names and addresses will help agents / customers as creditors of the company? True - it may make you feel a bit better short-term, but thinking it through as an adult, it would make more sense to put anything sensible down in writing to the Administrators regarding any (foundable) allegations that you have with them? The Directors wouldn't hand you out money on thier door-step and chances are Police would be called to remove you from private property!
Info from Companies House IS within the Public domain, but shouldn't be mis-used and posted to incite people. :rolleyes:

jazzyjustlaw

Tildy wrote:

!!!!!! are you talkin about?

That really helps a lot of the people here who have lost out on the money they cant afford to lose hasnt it?

It has nothing to do with losing someone or not losing someone, its a different thing all together. Yes its terrible when anyone dies but, lets not be over dramatic here eh.

It still dosent change the fact that thousands of people have been robbed, and there is a lot of heartache caused by these gits.

So please keep stupid comments like that to yourself.

Tildy's husband, posting on behalf of Tildy.

No sorry I think he/she has a point. Everyone thinks it is terrible but no one died did they. I have lost a child and I would rather lose money than my child. Think about the Tsunami on Boxing Day this pales into significance. Please dont berate me for this but they had no control over this. I know you did not but you had the choice as I have in the past to put your money into vouchers/ hampers instead of saving whatever the reason. I think this is no getting out of perspective asking people to donate generally for those who lost money as Christmas will be tight. I think yes donate to those locally that you know but its hardly an earthquake, there are millions of people starving in the world each day too . . .

I do hope people get recourse but please keep this into perspective.

the_greed

Has anybody noticed the amount of times Park Hampers have advertised on the telly today. I received a catalogue from them this morning which was duly put into file 13 (bin). Farepak have breached the trust of thousands of people that I think the hamper industry will soon be a thing of the past. Although, this is no consolation for Farepak customers.

me4bargains

I am really sorry to hear so many people have lost their money.
If anyone affected lives in Middx, NW or W London could they please IM me.
I have had a brainwave and I think I may able to help one family. Thanks

fitzpaam

Talk about a slap in the face to us unfortunate Farepak customers - just read this on the Home Farm Hampers website (THEY ARE THEY COMPANY THAT FINDEL CHOSE TO BUY FROM FAREPAK ON FRIDAY 13TH OCT)

Dear Agent,

I feel it is important to write to you personally today as Managing Director of Home Farm Hampers. You may have already heard on the news or from friends that one of our competitors, Farepak Hampers, has suffered financial difficulties and has, we understand, ceased trading resulting in a threat to the security of their Agent’s savings.

I want to assure you that this news does not affect Home Farm, your order or your savings in any way whatsoever. Home Farm Hampers is owned by Findel plc, who are not only the UK’s largest Educational Supplies business but are also one of the UK’s largest Home Shopping businesses and one of the top 350 UK publicly listed companies. We take great care in ensuring that Agent’s savings do not form part of any group security and are ring fenced within the Home Farm business for the benefit of Home Farm customers. Quite simply, you can save with Home Farm with complete peace of mind.


DISGUSTING - this guy is going on like they've been part of Findel plc for years.......TELL THE TRUTH MATE, you were saved by the skin of your teeth last Friday when they bought your company and dumped loss making Farepak.

I'd say the hamper industries days are numbered after this fiasco.

Possible good news???.........read this on the BBC NEWS website tonight:


New bid to help Farepak families

Angry customers protesting at Farepak's HQ in Swindon
The government is to meet the British Retail Consortium in an attempt to help thousands of families affected by the collapse of Farepak.
The Trade and Industry Minister, Ian McCartney, told the Commons he is also meeting the Office of Fair Trading.

He wants to tighten rules to avoid such a situation happening again in the future.

Farepak has been asked to provide an insolvency report as soon as possible.

Under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, failed companies must detail the conduct of all directors who were in office in the last three years of the company's trading.

Mr McCartney says he will see what could be done "in advance of Christmas as a goodwill gesture to help the most difficult and needy who've lost out completely".

Anne Snelgrove, the MP local to the Swindon-based company, raised the issue in the Commons saying the situation amounts to 'robbing thousands on low incomes from their Christmas savings.'

These companies should not be able to have access to customers' money until all orders have been met

She asked Mr McCartney if he did not agree that the situation 'stinks' as the company had made a profit of £1.2m a year and a half earlier.

The company runs a savings scheme where customers can put money aside for vouchers and Christmas hampers - but administrators now say that no orders will be fulfilled.

Mr McCartney says he is also liaising with the Hamper Industry Trade Association (HITA), of which Farepak was as a member.

Customers and agents of Farepak were further let down after finding out that company's cash bond guarantee with the Association did not cover any money for refunds.

Hundreds of people have lost thousands of pounds and are furious that it has been allowed to continue trading despite warnings it was in trouble.

alfiebilly0

I also should of recieved £900.00 from farepak in a couple of weeks time. In total as a group we lost £6000.00
I have 4 children and all of the money is for them for crimbo, this means i dont/didnt need to worry about were the money would come from. and meant they could have what ever they wanted not now.
Anyway on monday i called the radio in birmingham and explained what had happened as it seemed that in Brum it wasnt news.
they called me back to do a radio interview, from this i did a newspaper and from this a tv interview with the motherinlaw. We have also put a cliam in straight away.
What these peps have done is/ has to be theft in some way or another.
and yes you are right that we must campaign against this company and write to your local mp.
These peps have stolen our childrens crimbo. No not the end of the world but surley they cant get away with it.
and only us the customers of farepak cannot let this happen.

kez_s

After what I have been through and still not sure how we will fund Christmas will NEVER use a hamper company again, if Farepak was the largest and went under doesn't stand much hope for the rest of them. Plus with this happening many people will also feel the same so the knock on effect could result in these companies closing anyway due to lack of sales.

Next year my Dad is setting up a bank account for us all to use purely for Christmas savings, wish we had done it before, but then who would have thought this would happen to a company running since the 60's and I did have 5 years with no problems.

Trust me to increase my amount with them this year.

Miss_Muffet_2

Same here I went from £175 up to £350 this year thinking I wouldnt have to worry about christmas. What a joke.

Frell

I have got a Park and Home Farm Booklet here, What I may do is place a small order (with each) and see what happens by keeping an eye on a few sites, and If I feel as though they are going down the pan I shall cancel and the money that I get back (i know it wont be all but will be most) then put that in to a savings account. Its kinda test the water before I trust them fully.