debt repayment pans?

hanniebabes

Hello..

I am a newbie and have spent all morning reading through these forums but I havent seen anyone who may have had a similar issue to me to ask for advise..

my issue with debt started shortly after I was 19 and in full time employment.. I got offered credit here there and everywhere.. Stupidly I took it.. I had 12 creditors in total by the time I admitted I was in big trouble..

5 were payday loan companies.. 2 credit cards, 1 over draft, 1 very account and 2 unpaid disconnected mobile phone accounts..

At the time I lived with my parents who didnt ask for any rent off me luckily but with it being payday loans after being paid I was left with nothing as they would make attempts all month to deduct whatever ammount they could and still say they I owed them..

I was young and stupid and was so scared of my mum and dad finding out what financial diffuculty I was in I decided to take it on myself. I also desperately wanted to move in with my boyfriend (now ex :'( boohoo) when he left the navy that I wanted to just stop all the harrasing phone calls and debt for good.

I went on citizens advice beureu and was forwarded to a company called gopher money.. they made it sound so easy and told me that my debt would be cleared in 12months. They then passed this to a company called HARRINGTON BROOKS. They never told me they took a fee or that the first 2 payments goes to them.. After 10 months of paying them £500 a month I called them to see if it was nearly complete and the balances they told me were close to the starting balance! I then built up the courage to ring all the creditors myself.. most told me I could pay a settlement and the total for all 12 was £4500.. I then told my parents who then were fortunately able to help me out. My dad lent me £4500 which I have paid back since last september I have the last payment of £500 on 27/8/13 and then I am debt free FOR LIFE and I will make sure of that.

I have struggled financially over the last 20 months to pay this and I feel like the first 10 months was a massive waste of time and money and all harrington brooks did was cause me to pay more than I had to.

I sent them an email explaining this to which they sent a letter saying that they could not refund any thing to me.

Has anyone else had a problem similar? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hannah x

happy_bunny_2

Any ideas who regulates them?

Send them a written complaint, signed for and ask for a copy of their complaints process.

May be a case for the OFT but that won't get you anything back.

Best bet is if they are covered by FOS as if they misled you you have grounds for complaint.

happy_bunny_2

Looks like they are covered by FOS. So mention in your complaint you will ave no hesitation referring them after 8 weeks if you get no joy
http://www.harringtonbrooks.co.uk/pdf/ComplaintsDistanceSelling.pdf