What impact will the OFT have?

ukmonkey

nickmack wrote: »

In my opinion, CAG is a more 'hardcore' forum and many users are the forefront of pushing banks and reacting to every suprise they spring. People hopefully come here because they can ask seemingly simple questions and get advice without being flamed.

People don't get flamed on CAG for asking questions, all they ask is that people read the FAQ's first, which is a reasonable request is it not?

ukmonkey

nickmack wrote: »

It gets very busy on here (partly because of the media attention) and most questions are answered. To say the number with no reply is 'phenominal' is sensationalist at best. I sense you wish Martin to close down this forum and direct everyone to the CAG. As I said before, I'm not sure why some are seeing this as rivalry, maybe you would care to explain?

You are probably not aware of the extent of the amount of unanswered questions because threads get merged all the time!! :rotfl:

midge61

Hi all
I have just read through this thread and feel very dissapointed by it. I found out about reclaiming via this site and followed the advice to go to CAG.

I have come back here several times to try and help answer questions and to ask some myself but unfortunately I find most of the posting on here to be very aggressive and I see why many people become confused and make mistakes.

Surely the whole thing about reclaiming is that us the consumers are finally fighting back for ourselves and therefore we are all after the same result and therefore should be willing to help and support eachother instead of bikering like a lot of school children in the playground.

I am grateful to this site for initially informing me but it has been CAG who have offered the support and expertise needed to be successful.



Right off my soapbox now and will slink back into my hidey hole

Twinkly

It is user choice as to where people go to for advice and user responsibility to accept the consequences of their own actions on advice given anywhere by anyone.

However, I've said this before in a post and I will say it again. Undermining the help on this site is plain rude. Show some manners people.

nickmack

ukmonkey wrote: »

People don't get flamed on CAG for asking questions

Where did I say they did?

nickmack

ukmonkey wrote: »

@NickMack - why, in the "early days" did Martin simply direct people to CAG, which he supported as mentioned before. Now that the campaign has gathered pace, Martin has decided to no longer pass people on to CAG, though I believe he does still link to them in places.

Why the change?

Only Martin can actually answer this, but my guess is that Martin sees it as a money saving issue and something he felt users on this site may benefit from. Some people feel comfortable here and don't necessarily want to go elsewhere.

Before it was a case of Martin saying "These are unlawful, I'm not an expert on claiming them back, these guys are, so go and see them".

Now it's a case of "I like to think I'm an expert on claiming them basck, so I'm no longer going to just recommend people use CAG, instead I'm going to setup in competition against them and give you some information on my site for you to usse".

These are your interpretations. Again you mention competition. These are phrases you seem to be trying to pin on Martin. I don't believe he's preached or intended any competition between sites.

I still direct some users to CAG for certain information and Martin also mentions in his article and on other media occassions.

The idea of competition seems to have been invented as a stick to hit this forum with. I respect the CAG and the work they've put in to the whole reclaim scenario, but to come onto another site and suggest everyone goes somewhere else is not respectful in my opinion.

Do you go to every site that promotes reclaiming bank charges and suggest they all close and got to the CAG?

Yes, this is Martin's site for him to do with as he pleases.

With regards to wondering why the competition between MSE and CAG, perhaps you should ask Martin this??

As above.

There is a common cause here, but why oh why does Martin just not carry on directing people to CAG as before. It always worked well in the past, but now that things are working like this, misinformation and panic is being spread (although the panic, by Martin's own admission, inadvertantly).

Agreed there a few things that need tidying up, I'm sure Martin is aware of this. You mention the common cause but my comment above about respect applies. My intention is to help as many people as I can get their charges back, what's yours?

nickmack

midge61 wrote: »

I have come back here several times to try and help answer questions and to ask some myself but unfortunately I find most of the posting on here to be very aggressive and I see why many people become confused and make mistakes.

I'm sure the mods would be interested in examples. I post here regularly and I've not seen any 'very aggressive' posts. Some of the discussion threads have got a bit heated, but no users I've seen have been on the receiving end of any aggression when asking questions about reclaming.

Surely the whole thing about reclaiming is that us the consumers are finally fighting back for ourselves and therefore we are all after the same result and therefore should be willing to help and support eachother instead of bikering like a lot of school children in the playground.

Agreed. As I said in another post, I don't know where this idea of rivalry has come from, but it's not here as far as I know.

ukmonkey

nickmack wrote: »

Where did I say they did?

Nowhere, it just read as though that is what we might have been trying to suggest, so i just wanted to point out that they generally don't!

ukmonkey

nickmack wrote: »

Do you go to every site that promotes reclaiming bank charges and suggest they all close and got to the CAG?

Agreed there a few things that need tidying up, I'm sure Martin is aware of this. You mention the common cause but my comment above about respect applies. My intention is to help as many people as I can get their charges back, what's yours?

My intention is ensuring that people get helpful, correct, accurate, reliable advice, hence me posting on some of the threads on here from time to time and the whole purpose of me posting on this thread (and a couple of others similar to it).

I thanked you not because I agreed with your post, don't run away with that idea, moreso because I enjoy sensible debate, and so far, barring a little un-needed sarcasm (IMHO), you're doing pretty well.

midge61

hi
Here is one thread that shows por support of fellow members.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=291119

I did not mean that all are so but occasionally it happens and is neither helpful or supportive.