Farepak Hampers in receivership

buffster72

What a wonderful idea trisontana..shame it will never happen.

I know it's already been said but I don't think you realise how useful these hamper companies are (or were!) People like me find (found!) it a huge help using these companies - especially for vouchers when you ARE (were!) getting what you paid for plus cash back/commission. The vouchers I ordered were also very useful to give as presents as they could be spent in 120 different stores. I am fairly sure that if I saved the same amount in my own savings account, well I quite simply wouldn't. There are always extra things to pay for and it would have been spent on household bills etc. This way it isn't touched at all and you get something good at the end of it (until now!!)

Of course - everything I have just said is totally irrelevant now it seems!

This has totally messed up Xmas for me. I am going to have to use the effin' credit card that I am trying not to use anymore! GRRR! I am gutted - I am an agent and didn't have alot saved compared to others. £300 for me, £300 for my mum and £250 for a friend. Will have to tell them the bad news, not looking forward to that at all Will have to cancel that last direct debit to at least reduce it by £85!!

earthmother

I have always recommended these schemes - even did so on the Christmas board just before all this broke - but won't again.

I use them for the same reason others do - a savings account is too easy to dip into. And, if you're only having vouchers, ok, you don't earn commission unless you're ordering thousands, but you don't pay any charges either.

But the way things have gone this past year, I'm no longer comfortable using them. Thanks to Martin's savings article, I found out about one year bonds yesterday - if I start one this month, then it will pay out next October - just in time for Christmas - with 5% or more interest, and no chance of withdrawing early - so that's what I'm doing today.




Just glad I went with Home Farm this year rather than Farepak (used them in the past) - ok, so there's only £50 with them, but it would have been a big dent in the budget.

Jabberwock

Farepak have now updated their website and it now contains info regarding their demise:
http://www.farepak.co.uk/

I really hope that you all get your money back, to me this is tantamount to theft and I'm just so bl**dy angry that this has been allowed to happen.
Good luck to each and everyone of you.

max06

earthmother wrote:

I have always recommended these schemes - even did so on the Christmas board just before all this broke - but won't again.

I use them for the same reason others do - a savings account is too easy to dip into. And, if you're only having vouchers, ok, you don't earn commission unless you're ordering thousands, but you don't pay any charges either.

But the way things have gone this past year, I'm no longer comfortable using them. Thanks to Martin's savings article, I found out about one year bonds yesterday - if I start one this month, then it will pay out next October - just in time for Christmas - with 5% or more interest, and no chance of withdrawing early - so that's what I'm doing today.




Just glad I went with Home Farm this year rather than Farepak (used them in the past) - ok, so there's only £50 with them, but it would have been a big dent in the budget.

Where is the article on the 1 year bonds? Thanks couldnt find it

matto

BBC News now have this story as one of their headline tickers.

goggins1977

Living in swindon myself where farepak hampers are based its been on the news all day ,lots of angry workers who have spent their wages with the company ,i hope anyone who had saved money with them gets it back ....

Theboys!

goggins1977 wrote:

Living in swindon myself where farepak hampers are based its been on the news all day ,lots of angry workers who have spent their wages with the company ,i hope anyone who had saved money with them gets it back ....

I am in Swindon as well but unfortunately have a young son with a cbeebies addiction so haven't managed to catch the local news yet,but have seen that its mentioned on the adver website.
I can't believe that living here i hadn't heard any rumours ,or anything to pre warn me (i think i am in denial of the money i have lost!)

jazzyjustlaw

su4stu wrote:

With all due respect trisontana, these comments aren't very helpful to the countless customers who are worried about their orders. I use farepak to order vouchers for xmas as I am from a large family and simply couldn't afford Xmas otherwise. I have paid over £500 to my agent and am worried sick how I am going to buy my 3 kids their Santa.:sad:

I think it is helpful its about damage limitation. It is hard that people have lost money and I think its awful but at some stage people will need to try to salvage their situation by buying some items each week.

jhp

"Bleak Christmas for hamper firm

Farepak: "Give your family the best ever Christmas"
Thousands of families are facing a bleak Christmas after a UK hamper company suddenly ceased trading.
Customers of Farepak, owned by European Home Retail (EHR), paid money monthly to the firm or its agents towards food hampers for the festive season.

BDO Stoy Hayward has now been appointed administrator of the Swindon firm.

It said Farepak was "unable to honour its commitments to make deliveries of any vouchers, hampers or other items" to its tens of thousands of customers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6054882.stm

Farepak were members of the Hamper Industry Trade Association and its full statement is here :http://www.hitauk.co.uk/frameset.htm

amandamoo77

WELL THANKYOU FAREPAK!!!
I have ripped my hair out, cried my eyes out and havent got any one to scream at or grab hold of!
What a bunch of ***ts, wait till the end of the year when everyone has paid in full then done a runner, bet the directors are laughing their !!!!!! off now in a foreign country or filled their off shore bank accounts (in their dogs name)
not giving a damn about us lot who have scrimped and saved all year to have a good christmas.
I WAS a farepak agent and all my customers were my family.... how am I feeling???
I am one of about 35,000 agents they have and if each one has 10 customers that leaves 350,000 families totally gutted for chrimbo.
not really any more news on what has already been posted but here is what is on the farepak website.

I regret to advise that Joint Administrators have been appointed over the assets and business of Farepak Food and Gifts Limited on 13 October 2006.
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO FURTHER MONEY SHOULD BE SENT TO THE COMPANY. ANY DOCUMENTATION SHOULD BE RETAINED AT THE PRESENT TIME AND NOT SENT TO THE COMPANY.

It is the intention of the Joint Administrators to use this website as a way of updating all customers and agents affected by the Administration. The website will next be updated on Friday 20 October 2006.

In the meantime please send notice of any claim you may have


By post - Kings Wharf, 20-30 Kings Road, Reading, Berkshire. RG1 3EX

By Email - customer.claims@farepak.co.uk

By fax - 01793 606057

---

Please see below for answers to certain questions you may have.

1 Will I get my hampers/vouchers/gifts and if so, when? The Company is unable to deliver any orders for hampers/vouchers or gifts.

2 Will I get my money back and if so when and how much? The Joint Administrators are working to realise the assets of the Company. You will have a claim against the Company in Administration and the Joint Administrators will be writing to the agents about this as soon as possible. At the present time, I can advise that you may receive back some money (but not all) and this will not be for many months.

3 I have collected money from my customers but not yet paid it in. What should I do? The Company is no longer accepting money from its customers and it should be returned to your customers and their payment book signed to show the money has been returned.

4 I pay by Direct Debit. What should I do? Do I need to cancel the instruction with my bank? Yes, please cancel any instruction to pay by Direct Debit.

5 What should I tell my customers? Your customers will need to be advised that Farepak will not be supplying any hampers,vouchers or goods which have been ordered or were going to be ordered.

6 Will I get my commission? You will have a claim against the Company in Administration in respect of your commission and the Joint Administrators will be working to calculate this claim. Please see 2 above.

7 Why has this happened? Why now? The Company is insolvent, it is unable to pay its suppliers for goods and as a result, the goods cannot be supplied to you as an Agent or your customers.

8 I've still got some choice vouchers.. What should I do? Again, these will form part of your claim (see 2 above). They will not now be honoured.

9 I've still got vouchers left from last year. Are they still ok to spend? The Joint Administrators understand that any vouchers, other than Choice vouchers, which you hold will be valid and can be used.

10 I ordered a gift item last year and it is now broken. What should I do? This will form part of your claim against the Company in Administration. Please see 2 above.

11. I am a customer of a Farepak Agent. I have paid money. What should I do? In the first instance, you should ensure that your payment book is up to date. You should NOT give any further money to your Agent as the Company is not accepting any further money. If your Agent still holds your money, it should be reurned to you and your payment book amended to show you have received it.

let us know if anyone hears anything we are all out for blood...
manda:mad: