Loan consolidation is it ethical on this site,providing links from profiles.

kenshaz

no

Al_Mac wrote: »

Profiles are different to advertising. I assume there is no policing of them, it would be a huge job, for very little purpose.

It is a question of principle,why should posters take advantage of the site.

HelpWhereIcan

To me, debt consolidation (including secured/adverse lending) has it's place. We have numerous mentions on this site of the various methods for dealing with debt problems from Snowballing to Bankruptcy and members should be expected to read through these to arm themselves rather than blindly following an anon link on here.

So, IMO, the main issue is the tone of a member's post rather than any link they have in their profile.

By this I refer (obviously) to the time honoured touting debate.

It would be an impossible task to police all profile links and Martin and others at MSE Towers have already stated that they have more important things to do and do not intend to restrict the type of link that is allowed in a profile.

The only really viable alternatives are a ban on all profile links (throwing the baby out with the bath water) and what we have at the moment which is a ban on touting or posting links for gain.

As imperfect as it may be, it has worked for a good while (bar a few occassions which soon get sorted out to one extent or another).

If someone's post is genuinely helpful and the OP (or someone else) then follows a link in their profile at least we have a good hope that they will receive ethical advice in the end.

What I have a problem with is posts that are evasive, leading or blatently touting. Yes, these still appear and any link related to them should be avoided like the plague, but I do think that most MSEers are reasonably intelligent people who can see through the worst elements out there.

The only way to Police these is in our own posts - present an alternative that is constructive and you may save a MSEer from a crook - that touter will soon disappear and we will have to keep an eye out for the next.

IMHO, Ken has been a bit of a star in this respect. Yes, overzealous at times, aiming at the wrong target or deliberately confrontational and obtuse at others, but normally with the best of intentions.

Those of us who have been here a while have seen this come and go time and time again, some touters get through and may remain, but in general we have to be thankful and proud that we do not have singing pig or Moneysupermarket on our hands.

That is thanks to the efforts of all regular posters - Kenshaz and his 'broker foes' included.

(Gets back in his box and ducks)

kenshaz

no

Al_Mac wrote: »

Putting a link in your profile isn't really advertising. Can't say I've looked at many.

This is the scenario,a poster has his questions answered on the mortgage board,likes the response and checks out the broker concerned and whilst looking at his profile sees the link to their web-site.

I would suggest that like me you do not require a mortgage or a consolidation loan ,the mortgage part I am OK with ,it is the secured loan that worries.

Martin has decided that website linked profiles stay ,but is he aware that the links also give access to consolidation loans.

HelpwhereI can has brought up the issue of direct touting,that is a different matter and is going off topic in respect to this thread.I am talking about the moral issue of secured loans and consolidation.

kenshaz

no

Perhaps links to profiles could remain ,but the web-site must not be selling secured debt consolidation loans,and if they do and it is reported they get one strike only and a chance to remove the link.
It would be easy to monitor,not all brokers have websites,and random checks would suffice.