HELP! Stanton Fisher

Chris_G77

Hi all,

Not posted for a long time, but I finished my DMP last year and thought it time to reclaim the PPI charges and actually see the money rather than paying it off of balances.

Anyhoo, I had no time to sort it properly myself due to a newborn etc. Being very busy... So, I decided to contact Stanton Fisher, which was fine, I knew the fees and yes I know it would have been easy enough to do. I got one decent payout from MBNA and paid SF their fee, but Halifax sent me a letter saying that they'd received a letter from SF but were only prepared to deal with me, which they have done in the entirety from that point on, not once had I heard from SF regarding the Halifax accounts, I negotiated myself and dealt with all q and a's.

I received an offer from the Halifax on Friday, which I'm very happy with, SF are saying that I owe them the fee for this payout, to which I've queried that Halifax have only dealt with me and not them and wouldn't deal with them.

The crux, do I pay SF the fee they are claiming?

Thanks in advance

magpiecottage

You are stuck with paying them a lot of money for putting a stamp on an envelope.

Sounds like you are making a habit of getting stitched up.

Try to break it.

[Deleted User]

You've signed a legally-binding contract with this company for them to represent you in all PPI complaints. So, not only will you have to pay them a proportion of your Halifax redress, you'll also have to pay if any other institutions Stanton Fisher have written to on your behalf uphold the complaint.

Having a new baby is hardly a good reason for using a Claims Company, the money you've wasted could have been put to better use I'm sure.

Insider101

Chris_G77 wrote: »

Woah, I didn't ask for a lecture, I've stated that I'm far too busy to chase things and just asked for an answer which you haven't really supplied. I don't mind paying a fee, I'm asking whether I need to seeing as the Halifax won't deal with them and they in theory haven't done much to warrant anything.

Enjoy being a superstar in life?

Unfortunately you have a legally binding contract. If you don't pay then they will go to court to fulfil it. You can try negotiating a lower payment but it is unlikely to work - they see this situation all the time.

Chris_G77

That's fine and thanks for your response, that's all I was looking for, rather than being judged by the perfect person above.

[Deleted User]

Chris_G77 wrote: »

I didn't ask for a lecture

Well, you're getting one anyway. You say you are "too busy", but the Claims Company did not do anything to ease the complaints procedure. You still had to provide all the details you would have had to if you had complained yourself. In addition, exactly what "chasing" did the company do with regard your complaints?

Comyface

I think they'll chase you for the money. In all honesty, if you have signed up with them, they are due the money you have agreed to pay them. If you hadn't engaged them in the 1st place you wouldn't have the money anyway, would you.

Having said all that however, Halifax will deal with CMCs (Claims Management Companies) usually. They should have told you why they have refused to in your case. If the CMC has been unable to prove to Halifax that you have authorised them to act for you in regard to your Halifax accounts, maybe you haven't signed the correct authority so maybe you don't have to pay them? Total guesswork on my part, of course.

Chris_G77

Am I?

I was unsure whether I'd even get anywhere, I didn't have a single acc. no. or a shred of paperwork, I'd stopped banking with the relevant companies years ago. I knew I'd be paying a fee, and I really am fine with that, I just wanted to know seeing as the Halifax sent a letter saying they wouldn't communicate with SF that I'd still need to pay them a fee, that is all. They just sent the initial form, from there on it's been all communication with me.

[Deleted User]

Comyface wrote: »

I think they'll chase you for the money.

There is no doubt they are already chasing as they've sent their bill.

Comyface wrote: »

If the CMC has been unable to prove to Halifax that you have authorised them to act for you in regard to your Halifax accounts, maybe you haven't signed the correct authority so maybe you don't have to pay them? Total guesswork on my part, of course.

A false hope for the OP, I'm afraid.

Insider101

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Well, you're getting one anyway. You say you are "too busy", but the Claims Company did not do anything to ease the complaints procedure. You still had to provide all the details you would have had to if you had complained yourself. In addition, exactly what "chasing" did the company do with regard your complaints?

Some CMCs make a selling point that they will "chase the bank" on your behalf but most of it is very routine

CMC: "hello where's the complaint up to"
Bank: "still being investigated"
CMC "ok" (notes system)
The end.

Some banks now will not even deal with CMC chasers unless the case has gone over 8 weeks.

Chris_G77

Thanks all, that's all I really needed to know. Like I said, I was and am too busy to go through it all, something is better than nothing so that's great.