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Free Debt Counselling

Piers_Lawson
Piers_Lawson Posts: 1 Newbie
in Debt-free wannabe
Very simple question - does anyone know whether the organisation Debt Free Direct is actually a free service? They say they are but they would wouldn't they!
Thanks
Piers

Comments

  • sammy115
    sammy115 Posts: 15,267 Forumite
    Yes they would wouldn't they. They deal with IVA's I believe. Which can be expensive.

    I suggest you try National debtline, CCS or payplan as recommended by this site. They are free, and will give you IMPARTIAL advice, which is more important than being free.

    OR

    You could post an SOA on here and I am sure we could help;)
    Quality is doing something right when no one is looking - Henry Ford
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,619 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    not free, they take it from the repayments you make

    http://money.guardian.co.uk/creditanddebt/story/0,,2111944,00.html

    Debt Free Direct, the country's biggest provider of individual voluntary arrangements, today said it had recovered from the bad publicity surrounding commercial debt advisers as it reported profits of more than £9m for the past year

    The company has struggled like many of its competitors following intense criticism of the industry, which faced allegations of encouraging customers to adopt IVAs and profiteering at their expense. Debt companies charge up to £7,000 for each IVA, which they recover from the customer's debt payments ahead of repayments to creditors.
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  • hypno06
    hypno06 Posts: 32,296 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    They probably say that their advice is free - which means that they do not charge you for talking to you over the phone, or sending an adviser out to you.

    However, if you take their advice, then they will start charging somehow.

    also, and just as important, if not more so - is their advice impartial and the best for you? Possibly, but possibly not!!

    I would definitely go to CCCS, payplan, CAB or National Debtline - details of all these are found on this board and there are lots of people who have used them who can vouch for them.

    Also a couple of the CCCS members of staff post on here if you have any queries that you want to ask them directly, I think.
    Successful women can still have their feet on the ground. They just wear better shoes. (Maud Van de Venne)
    Life begins at the end of your comfort zone (Neale Donald Walsch)
  • save-alot
    save-alot Posts: 119 Forumite
    You can also consider CAP (Christians Against Poverty)
    http://www.capuk.org/

    Who can visit you at home if near a center or via a phone service at Bradford.

    All completely free and impartial.
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