Northern Rock Loan - NOT HAPPY!!!

Lighteater

Martin, and this site, are keen to push the privacy angle here, the lack of advertising, the independence. And that's greatly valued to many of us, I'm sure.

When the last email update came through, I clicked on the link to take me through to Applying for a Northern Rock loan. I was too slow to spot it in time, but that click took me to a nameless, non-NR page, asking me the amount I want to borrow, and term I'd prefer. I only realised afterwards that I was taken via a non-NR page.

How did I know?

Because within 20 minutes, I had a call from an 'administrator' at https://www.moneyexpert.com (see a similarity??). She asked if I wanted a 'code' for a possible alternative loan - she knew I'd just applied online to NR!!! I said yes, to play along. She asked my postcode, then put me on hold until an 'advisor' came free. After THREE loops of the recording advertising spiel, I got bored and hung up.

They called again five minutes later, and my wife answered the phone, telling them we were no longer interested.

So, here's some pertinent questions for the MSE team.

1. What is the relationship between https://www.moneyexpert.com and https://www.moneysavingexpert.com?

2. How do you justify this COVERT diversion via a third party, on such a sensitive transaction as applying for a loan? (If it were overt, I'd mind slightly less).

3. How does this scenario, however it's structured, fit with your policy of independence?

I look forward to seeing your answers.

Lighteater

jimclark1967

The link took you via a 3rd party site, as is the case with many links on this site, to earn a small referral amount for the running of the MSE empire. When this is the case there's an asterisk by the link to let you know and an alternative "non-affiliate" link normally at the bottom of the page.

On the Money Expert page there's a tick box at the bottom saying "I agree to be contacted by MoneyExpert & selected partners with other products that could better suit my needs." which you need to deselect if you don't want to be contacted. This applies to almost any online or offline form, make sure you know whether you need to be ticking or unticking!!!

Most of the 3rd party sites used you won't even notice, they need no intervention - and most importantly none of them influence what is written by Martin or the products/services recommended on MSE.

JC