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

emilyj

The catalogues are printed months in advance, so you will not see new contact details till at least January - and maybe even after that.

rickuk99

After several days of emailing my MP and finally threating to go to the press due to his lack of respose I got some info back. I also have a document sent to Labour MPs from the Trade Minister, Ian McCartney I will post this if anybody wants to read it.




"I heard the news on the radio about Farepack the other day and was horrified. I understand, however, that the Retail Industry Association has decided to repay all or part of the monies lost by savers like you. I don't know any of the details, however."

Fabian Hamilton
Labour MP for Leeds North East

Please find below a copy of an email from the trade union USDAW:


From: Media.Communications@USDAW.ORG.UK
Subject: Usdaw backs call for retailers to help 'devastated' Farepak families
Date: 20 October 2006 08:44:33 BDT
To: fabian@leedsne.co.uk


Friday October 20th, 2006
FAO: Newsdesk


Usdaw backs call for retailers to help 'devastated'
Farepak families


Retail union Usdaw is backing Trade Minister Ian McCartney's call for Britain's retailers to help thousands of families facing a bleak festive season after Christmas hamper company Farepak went bust last week.


Britain's biggest retail union believes many of its members will have lost money when the company went under and as low paid workers have little chance of recouping their losses leaving many families having very little food on the table for their Christmas dinner.


"Our experience is that Britain's retailers have shown time and again they are committed to supporting those facing hardship in their local communities so we hope they will help our members who face a grim Christmas," says Usdaw general secretary John Hannett. "Ian McCartney is right to point out that there is no legal obligation to help these families who have been left devastated after losing considerable sums of money they can ill afford. But we hope retailers will be able to offer some help to hard working people who paid their money in good faith and seem to have lost everything.


"It is ironic that Farepak customers paid for their hampers weekly to avoid getting into debt and yet are still left with nothing to put on the table through no fault of their own. So we hope the meeting between Ian McCartney and the retailers will agree proposals to assist families who have been punished for being thrifty."


Ends


Paul Clarke
Media Officer
Mobile: 07919 227756
paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk


Mike Glover
Head of Media and Communications
Tel: 0161 249 2442
Mobile: 07919 227760
mike.glover@usdaw.org.uk


Peter Rees-Farrell

kez_s

Hi

I read with interest a posting on the sun online that an agent had received a letter from Farepak prior to them going into administration requesting early payment in order for the vouchers to be dispatched almost immediately. Unfortunately, the agent has lost this letter and the Sun is interested in the story.

HAS ANY OTHER AGENT RECEIVED THIS LETTER???

If so can you let me know or post a reply via https://www.unfairpak.co.uk

Many thanks

karren

hi, didnt have a letter, but was asked to pay early in order to get vouchers earlier, as Last year we had them late. So paid it all off at end of Sept.

dodgy99uk

After a week of turmoil i have seen enough of bloody hamper adverts like the park one that is running during after gm.tv whom are trying to help us all out and most of the day i tried to email park.tv to complain about there insensitivity by continuing to run this advert however the site is closed and the mother site with all the links is also closed not good for park hamper agents also on the parkgroup website why have they had some one buy more shares in the company just before farepak went in administration HMMMMM very dodgy indeed .............................

Calcifer_2

dodgy99uk wrote:

After a week of turmoil i have seen enough of bloody hamper adverts like the park one that is running during after gm.tv whom are trying to help us all out and most of the day i tried to email park.tv to complain about there insensitivity by continuing to run this advert however the site is closed and the mother site with all the links is also closed not good for park hamper agents also on the parkgroup website why have they had some one buy more shares in the company just before farepak went in administration HMMMMM very dodgy indeed .............................

Yeah they only seem to be on during the day too nearly every ad break i know where i'd like to put there catolouge :rotfl:

rickuk99

Ok we all know why the hamper scheme was so popular and that none of us well ever use one again, however what other options do we have to save all year and not have the temptation to dip in to those savings until Christmas?

What is the real benifit to you all, I presume most people went for the vouchers so we can let the kids look at argos etc and then go and buy what they really want.

Why not cut out the middle man, if enough people are interested mybe stores like argos, woolworths, M&S may allow us to save direct much in the same way you can with Tesco's etc. Maybe a goverment run savings scheme may be an answer.

I would be very interested in all your thoughts,

Calcifer_2

well it's no good me leaving it in the bank or round the house in the pot cause i will spend it so what i will prob do is give my mom the money every week, at least my mom aint gonna run off with my money

Jennica28

I only started saving with Farepak in April - so I've only lost £130. Had I started in January, I would have lost £300 at least.

I only did the prepayment voucher scheme with farepak as I'm a useless saver, if it's accessible & we need the money, I withdraw it.

However after this happening I am more determined to save & not touch it.

I never did the hampers as you definately pay over the odds for the goods. Next year I will also do the savings stamps for Tescos (our nearest Supermarket). That will help pay for Christmas Dinner!

I'm really gutted as my 18 month old daughter won't get the christmas I wanted for her. Yes we'll have the tree - but we won't have the presents or the dinner now. I was going to use the vouchers to buy our daughter's present, as well as presents for my 12 year old sister, & my 4 nieces aged 7, 6, 3 & 1. Anything left over was going to buy our christmas dinner.

Swindon's Evening Advertiser are asking for agents & customers to send in their Christmas Messages for Farepak's Directors. Each Director will get a hamper full of our "Goodwill & Christmas Wishes" Plus any gifts. However I don't think they will accept a dirty nappy per director!!

Here's the link http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/swindoncampaigns/farepakfiasco/display.var.980941.0.send_the_directors_a_christmas_hamper.php

Jenny

piglet6

rickuk99 wrote:

Why not cut out the middle man, if enough people are interested mybe stores like argos, woolworths, M&S may allow us to save direct much in the same way you can with Tesco's etc.

I picked up the Christmas catalogue in Woolworths yesterday (I think it was called the big red book) and flicking through it very quickly last night I saw a Woolworths card advertised on one of the pages which mentioned putting money on it throughout the year to spend at Christmas. Didn't read it in detail because I don't do a lot of shopping there so it didn't interest me, but for those who do buy lots there, it might be worth looking into...

Piglet