Is Nightfox safe for debt collection?

mr_stripey

https://www.nightfoxinvestigations.co.uk/

they do appear to be a legit company but don't seem to offer any guarantees. They can't "make" someone pay. I suppose they might get lucky and "persuade" the builder to pay up. But it is a big gamble.

For what it's worth, I do sympathise with your situation if you've been left out of pocket due to shoddy work. Having been ripped off by a roofer in the past, it does hurt and is upsetting. 

Do you have any legal protection cover on your home insurance?

born_again

Diana262 said:

They said they will do face to face debt collection , disturb the debtors heavily and guaranteed to recover my money and said they are alternatives to court. Is that true? 

So sounds like the usual bully boys, but they have no actual powers to enforce anything.

They will say come to us rather than going to court. As they get your money & you will get nothing in return, when builder just says do one, my boys are bigger than yours.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Diana262 said:

They said they will do face to face debt collection , disturb the debtors heavily and guaranteed to recover my money and said they are alternatives to court. Is that true? 

Looking at their website, their "promise" page on their website doesn't mention a guarantee and I can't see the word mentioned in their T&Cs.

Was this said to you verbally and what backs up their guarantee, i.e what happens if they don't recover 15% of the debt? 

I'm assuming there isn't a guarantee and it's just something a sales person has hinted at.

Sadly you are likely to spend £480 and not get anything in return, if someone from a company like this knocks on your door you simply say "no thank you" and close the door, letters go in the bin, without a judgement from the courts there's no power to recover a debt, other than being a thorn in someone's side or hoping they buckle under intimidation.

If you have a problem with a new conservatory posting some photos of the problem with some details of what specifically is wrong with the install plus advising whether the builder/company is an LTD (limited company) or not will get you some advice for free that will probably be more useful than paying £480 to Nightfox  

user1977

Exactly, how can anybody "guarantee" they'll recover the debt? The debtor might not even have the money.

Also, on what basis did the CAB think you could be entitled to 100% of your money back? You still have a conservatory, albeit a leaky one. At most you'd be entitled to the cost of getting it fixed - and I don't see how you can recover that as a "debt" if you don't even know what that figure is.

Aylesbury_Duck

Diana262 said:

They said they will do face to face debt collection , disturb the debtors heavily and guaranteed to recover my money and said they are alternatives to court. Is that true? 

Diana262 said:

mr_stripey said:

Diana262 said:

They said they will do face to face debt collection , disturb the debtors heavily and guaranteed to recover my money and said they are alternatives to court. Is that true? 

To help us understand, and for people to offer the correct advice some background and context would be useful.

You say the builders have left you with a leaky conservatory - but that doesn't automatically make it a "debt".

So what is the sequence of events that has lead to this point?

The conservatory walls have dampness and when we complained they said the work is complete and complained about us to trading officer. He contacted us and we gave him the proof and he said he will ask the company to contact us to fix the issue but they never contacted us. Meanwhile we were sending letters and emails as per CAB advice but no response from this company. Last letter before court action was sent and informed the trading officer who said it’s a civil dispute and he can’t help further. Finally from this forum I understood that even if we goto court, I need an independent expert witness report which would cost £700-£800 and still if we win the case also if the company proves that  they are not having the money to repay us we would still lose court fees, bailiffs and expert witness fees. Came across Nightfox who is claiming as an alternative to court and saying they will appear at all places where these company owners are attending and make their life miserable and make them pay our money back. Police don’t bother as it’s a civil case even if they complain and Nightfox will take measures which are legal. 

So we thought y not spend £479 and get atleast some money back from the company.They said they will try for 120 days and guaranteed that they will recover

So you're knowingly engaging thugs?  Nice.

As others have advised, you're getting way ahead of yourself.

How would you react if the builders employ similar tactics of stalking and intimidation to 'persuade' you to back down?

Diana262

We are soon leaving to our native and won’t be back for over a month and that’s enough for Nightfox to make their life miserable for over a month. Our house is fully guarded with cameras and if anyone tries to break in immediately police will arrive, security team has already tie ups and they will reach within 3-4 min.

Diana262

user1977 said:

Exactly, how can anybody "guarantee" they'll recover the debt? The debtor might not even have the money.

Also, on what basis did the CAB think you could be entitled to 100% of your money back? You still have a conservatory, albeit a leaky one. At most you'd be entitled to the cost of getting it fixed - and I don't see how you can recover that as a "debt" if you don't even know what that figure is.

We want just the cost to fix the issue. If they don’t have they can borrow it from someone and clear ours. Unless we disturb them they will ignore us and all of you are saying court proceedings will also not guarantee anything. So why not make their life miserable and teach them a lesson.

born_again

Diana262 said:

We are soon leaving to our native and won’t be back for over a month and that’s enough for Nightfox to make their life miserable for over a month. Our house is fully guarded with cameras and if anyone tries to break in immediately police will arrive, security team has already tie ups and they will reach within 3-4 min.

Well if you want to throw good money after bad, your choice. 
But if court employed bailiffs, can't get money. This lot will stand no chance.
Best bet they will send a letter & maybe turn up to be told get lost. All for £400...🤷‍♀️

TBH, if they upset them enough, then it would be a brick through a window & no amount of camera's or fast turn up from security will catch them.

Diana262

born_again said:

Diana262 said:

We are soon leaving to our native and won’t be back for over a month and that’s enough for Nightfox to make their life miserable for over a month. Our house is fully guarded with cameras and if anyone tries to break in immediately police will arrive, security team has already tie ups and they will reach within 3-4 min.

Well if you want to throw good money after bad, your choice. 
But if court employed bailiffs, can't get money. This lot will stand no chance.
Best bet they will send a letter & maybe turn up to be told get lost. All for £400...🤷‍♀️

TBH, if they upset them enough, then it would be a brick through a window & no amount of camera's or fast turn up from security will catch them.

So your suggestion is I need to let go of the builders and fix the issue from my pocket. There is nothing which can help us? 

Regarding throwing bricks on our windows, I doubt they will go to such measures as we can keep them in suspect list by raising issue to the police and we have home insurance. So if our window is broken, then we can complain and put them in suspect list as already we have employed Nightfox to collect the money from these builders which is a civil case wherein police can’t interfere. But breaking others possessions is criminal.

Aylesbury_Duck

Diana262 said:

born_again said:

Diana262 said:

We are soon leaving to our native and won’t be back for over a month and that’s enough for Nightfox to make their life miserable for over a month. Our house is fully guarded with cameras and if anyone tries to break in immediately police will arrive, security team has already tie ups and they will reach within 3-4 min.

Well if you want to throw good money after bad, your choice. 
But if court employed bailiffs, can't get money. This lot will stand no chance.
Best bet they will send a letter & maybe turn up to be told get lost. All for £400...🤷‍♀️

TBH, if they upset them enough, then it would be a brick through a window & no amount of camera's or fast turn up from security will catch them.

So your suggestion is I need to let go of the builders and fix the issue from my pocket. There is nothing which can help us? 

Regarding throwing bricks on our windows, I doubt they will go to such measures as we can keep them in suspect list by raising issue to the police and we have home insurance. So if our window is broken, then we can complain and put them in suspect list as already we have employed Nightfox to collect the money from these builders which is a civil case wherein police can’t interfere. But breaking others possessions is criminal.

No, born_again and others are suggesting that you're going about this the wrong way and that your interests are better served by going through proper process, rather than by employing 'heavies'.  However, you've already made your mind up, so I'm not quite sure what information you're looking for now, other than for someone to validate your choice.  I suspect you'll be waiting a while...