Being messed about by StepChange, looking for TRUSTWORTHY alternatives

Joa1210_2

Data protection is the reason for the personal questions.

Super_Trouper

Joa1210 wrote: »

Data protection is the reason for the personal questions.

No, it is not. I asked a general question that had NO need for personal information whatsoever as stated in my OP. The bigger issue is that they didn't even ACKNOWLEDGE that I had asked them a question, they IGNORED me for 2 months and then IGNORED what I had asked or that I had even ASKED it. All they did was demand private personal information without a reason why. I thought it was shadey and disgusting service.

silverwhistle

Super_Trouper wrote: »

I have one huge problem with doing anything financial over the phone: PROOF.

You really are making things difficult for yourself. Others have suggested that they are very busy and naturally a ringing phone will take precedence over some email on a matter they may not consider particularly important.


So phone, and then email your understanding immediately afterwards if you want a paper trail. "thank you for the info provided in our recent call of time/date with Joe Bloggs. I understand that I don't have to do this but do need to do that. Please advise me if I have recorded this incorrectly".



Calling the service "shadey and disgusting " may make you feel better but you're the one in debt ad there are other providers if you feel so strongly about this one.

Super_Trouper

silverwhistle wrote: »

You really are making things difficult for yourself. Others have suggested that they are very busy and naturally a ringing phone will take precedence over some email on a matter they may not consider particularly important.

My question would be just the same when I phone them - if they regard the question as so unimportant, then what? Will they still demand a list of private information without answering my question? Will they not pick up the phone for another 2 months?

silverwhistle wrote: »

Calling the service "shadey and disgusting " may make you feel better but you're the one in debt ad there are other providers if you feel so strongly about this one.

I'm doing just that, I just wanted to a) vent and b) let other people know that they are an untrustworthy organisation who ask for detailed personal information without a reason why - unless you telephone them apparently, which makes their website and contact details completely useless according to everyone here. If only they'd said that on their website, a nice big banner saying "DON'T EMAIL US, EVER!"

Mods, you can close this thread if you like. Don't know why I thought I'd get any help here besides smug comments.

Joa1210_2

Wow.
People are trying to help you not being smug.
Ive found these boards friendly and helpful whenever I've used them.

Twubble

To be fair on Stepchange ... I'd ignore you too!
You wanted a question answered, so you should have rang them and asked that question. They send you all the forms, there are plenty of places to get things printed and Stepchange are a charity. They do not owe you anything. They're doing you a MASSIVE favour and, quite frankly, you're behaving like a supercilious muppet!

Former_StepChange_Patience

Hi there Super Trouper

I’ve sent you a message directly to provide a little more detail and so we can also look into this for you, but I’m sorry to hear about the experience you’ve had with StepChange so far.

I’ll hopefully explain why we may have asked for personal details before discussing your query.

Before we’re able to discuss any accounts in more detail, for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) purposes (what was data protection) we have to ensure we are able to verify the information on an account first.

It also helps us to provide a tailored answer, rather than something generic which may not be of any help.

Please rest assured, we’re a confidential service so any personal information which is provided to us, isn’t passed to any third parties without that person’s prior consent.

As you mentioned, you didn’t hear anything from us after emailing two months ago, if you would like to place a formal complaint, this link provides a little more detail: https://www.stepchange.org/legal/complaints-process.aspx

I hope this helps and we look forward to hearing from you.

Patience

Super_Trouper wrote: »

Hi, I've been looking in to getting a DRO and decided to go with StepChange. I filled in the form on the website, got a ref. number, downloaded the form, but I had a couple of questions that needed answering before I sent in the form - basic questions anyone might ask, nothing at all to do with personal circumstances or anything unique to my situation.

It took them almost 2 MONTHS to reply to my email, and all they did were ignore my questions and ask for personal details (full name, full address, DOB) - Whilst I fully understand this information is essential to my application, I haven't even applied yet, I needed them to answer my questions before I even do that. The questions simply related to how to fill the form in if returning iit by email rather than post (as they say is possible on the website and form itself).

Could any one suggest a trustworthy alternative to StepChange? This has really soured me on using them since not only do they ignore even the simplest of queries, they refuse to answer my simple questions which makes me question their trustworthiness. I certainly don't email my full personal details over to anyone without a good reason.

RuthnJasper

Twubble wrote: »

To be fair on Stepchange ... I'd ignore you too!
You wanted a question answered, so you should have rang them and asked that question. They send you all the forms, there are plenty of places to get things printed and Stepchange are a charity. They do not owe you anything. They're doing you a MASSIVE favour and, quite frankly, you're behaving like a supercilious muppet!

I do think that Twubble is right. I know that dealing with debt is frustrating and brings out the worst in many of us, but blanket-abuse of the charity as a whole isn't very fair; a great many people have been helped and supported by StepChange - they'd have been shut down if they were that universally useless.


If, however, you wished to find further free and confidential support I can highly recommend Christians Against Poverty (https://capuk.org/). They are non-judgemental and won't preach at you or try to convert you to anything except being debt-free!


Good luck.

fatbelly

RuthnJasper wrote: »

If, however, you wished to find further free and confidential support I can highly recommend Christians Against Poverty (https://capuk.org/). They are non-judgemental and won't preach at you or try to convert you to anything except being debt-free!


Good luck.

That's a good call for the OP. As I said earlier (hope it wasn't regarded as a smug comment - that wasn't the intention) - I don't think you can beat face-to-face advice with an adviser who works local to where you live.

Now you won't get a local intermediary with CAP - they're all based in Bradford. But you will get a lot of input from a local church-based team. And that may be helpful here.

RuthnJasper

fatbelly wrote: »

That's a good call for the OP. As I said earlier (hope it wasn't regarded as a smug comment - that wasn't the intention) - I don't think you can beat face-to-face advice with an adviser who works local to where you live.

Now you won't get a local intermediary with CAP - they're all based in Bradford. But you will get a lot of input from a local church-based team. And that may be helpful here.

Yes, I certainly had a locally-based CAP caseworker. Absolutely wonderful; I should have called them years ago, instead of wasting time and money in an IVA. Top advice Fatbelly.