Folium Consulting -- "free" seminar on estate planning etc

Talltr33s

I don't know if these problems with Folium Consulting are still ongoing on this Forum but I myself have suffered the appalling consequence of dealing with this company. I also paid out nearly £4000 in September 2017 for what was proposed as a 'total package' and have subsequently lost the entire amount. I have been trying to correspond with the advisor who was supposed to be responsible for my affairs, a Mr Phillip Atherton, for months but like a number of other forum members there has been no response. It would now appear the Company offices are 'permanently closed' and on checking at Companies House, Folium Consulting are in considerable arrears with filing accounts. I have today left yet another message on Phillip Atherton's voicemail but do not expect a reply. I have no forward address for him, and the original Company address Innovation House in Sandwich, Kent, has now closed. If anyone has any advice on how I can track any of the so called directors of this company in an effort to claim some compensation, I would be very grateful to receive their feedback. I am 81 years old and feel a victim of extortion from this Company.

CharlesUshaw

You can find Mr Atherton at MHA Carpenter Box at their Worthing office. He is "Head of Estate Planning". I am not allowed to post a link but Google will provide it for you.
Worthing office 01903 234094

If you struggle he is still actively selling through seminars and the next one is in Worthing at the Charmandean Centre on Thursday 7th February - he'll be presenting at 10am, 2pm and 7pm so you would have an ideal opportunity to ask for your £4000 back!

There was a link on another thread about a company called Clover Legacies that has a connection to Folium Consulting, some of the same people I think. You'll find the thread if you search the forums for the company name.

Try Google again and you'll find their webpage - they are also presenting seminars now. Phone them (good luck getting an answer!) 0800 610 2222.

Good luck - I hope you get your money back. My aunt didn't.

Richard_Wetenhall

While it looks as though Folium are now out of business and are Clover Legacies instead, I would like to say I had a similar experience to those above.

Elderly parents wanting help and advice. We attended a Folium seminar and agreed to a follow-up meeting to at minimum get LPAs drawn up. Those got done but only after a lot of pretty sloppy paperwork management and redrafting.

The real problem arose when they got into estate and IHT planning, where it was clear quickly that they were out of their depth and had no real idea what they were doing. I was pretty horrified that the sales bloke, one Martin Cotton, had managed to get my parents to part with the fee for the service (thousands) up front before the work was done.

Chasing up both Cotton and the same Phil Atherton who has been mentioned in the previous posts, I got either no response or an (unfulfilled) promise to call back.

The work never got done.

More fool us, I guess. But the lesson is simple - never pay these kinds of firms up front. If they insist, then walk away.

Browntoa

https://www.cloverlegacies.co.uk

5 positive reviews ALL posted 2 weeks ago 4 have also posted a positive review of the same loft consultant company

Not at all suspect

Browntoa

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5882909/clover-legacies-free-seminar-on-estate-planning-etc&page=2

Johnny_P

I went to a similar presentation a year or so ago. It was clear that they were fundamentally promoting a will service and to set up a trust (where they controlled your wealth) to preserve your wealth from the tax man. I walked out half way through as the whole thing just smelt wrong.
They went bust about 6 months later and have since been in the news with people unable to access any money in these trusts with some of them apparently having lost hundreds of thousands in mystery trusts and funds they cannot track down beyond some headed paperwork.