Is opting out still a legal way of selling??

MarkSim_2

Hi all. I am in an IVA run by Gregory Pennington's "Think Money" Group.

I am horrified to see that they have written to me today with details of a brand new service called Think Assist. Basically it allows you to access your credit file and claims to give "advice" around debts not covered by your IVA

I have no interest in this service - but they are automatically adding this to my direct debit, without authorisation, at an additional cost of £4.74

Not to worry though - if I DONT want this great new service (I dont) all I have to do is ring a premium rate number to tell them

After all the banks have gone through with the mis-selling of payment protection and illegal charges, how can they possibly do this - add an extra product on an insolvency service WITHOUT ANY AUTHORISATION??

..and only make a premium rate number the only option to cancel your subscription to a product you have never actually ordered??

They are clearly abusing their position. Although I will have no problem cancelling (although it will cost me a couple of pounds in call charges because no matter what time you call, they are always experiencing a particularly heavy volume of calls on their 0844 number) this really annoys me. Some people will be duped and end up paying £50 a year for as product they dont need, and did not ask for, and didnt even authorise.

I sincerely hope this is of interest to the MSE expert team and they use their public profile to expose this even if it is still technically legal.

Please let me know what you think guys and lets see if there is something we can do to highlight this deadful practice.

Annie_Nameless

Call your bank, cancel the direct debit, and substitute a single payment for the correct amount. Write to Pennington's and tell them that you will continue paying in that way until they confirm that have cancelled your optional subscription to the additional service. If you don't know Pennington's bank details, send them a cheque. If Pennington's tell you that it is a condition of your IVA that you pay by DD, ask them to confirm that they will stick to the agreed amount in future

geoffky

Are paying these to run your iva? if you are then why?

DVardysShadow

MarkSim wrote: »

..and only make a premium rate number the only option to cancel your subscription to a product you have never actually ordered??

They are clearly abusing their position. Although I will have no problem cancelling (although it will cost me a couple of pounds in call charges because no matter what time you call, they are always experiencing a particularly heavy volume of calls on their 0844 number)

You do not have to play to their agenda. One stern letter telling them that you will not accept unsolicited services now or ever, that they are to refund all monies forthwith and not to make any further charges. And that your letter is all the notification they will get as you are not calling a premium rate number. Post this at a post office, get a certificate of posting and keep this together with a copy of your letter.