Fresh Start Financial UK (aka Harrington Brooks) - Thoughts? :(

matttye · 13 July 2013 at 11:47AM

playtime8978 wrote: »

Hello all, i understand this is an older thread but I was very nearly duped by harrington Brooks on Thursday, Luckily, I said I want to see everything in writing first so I can read it and work out what I think is best for me. I have mental health problems and can do things I am not really aware of the consequences and this was how I got my debts and with my husbands help I have got that I now usually at least think before I agree to anything over the phone.

Long story short - harrington brooks wanted me to pay 45 pound a fortnight and over 7 years and 9 months they were going to get 3350 pound on a 4700 pound consolidated debt.

I knew this was wrong and not a good idea so googled and came up with step change and rang them and I can honestly say the lady I spoke too was the kindest most patient and understanding person I could have wished to talk to, no blame, no off hand attitude, she genuinely seemed to want to help.

I have a telephone appointment with step change on thursday morning to hopefully sort out my pickle I got myself into. I know the debts are my own fault regardless of the situation and I am not looking for empathy or anyone blaming me, I just want to make people aware AGAIN of this company and their tricks, they claimed santander who I owe money too gave them my contact info, whether this is true or not I have no idea.

If you have debt problems and are struggling to pay, I can't recommend stepchange enough from my experiences with them up to now.

Much luck and love

Carrie

You didn't give Harrington Brooks any bank details did you? Somebody earlier in the thread reported that they took money from their bank account even though they didn't actually agree to a plan, only made enquiries.

You've done the right thing by contacting Stepchange

playtime8978 · 13 July 2013 at 1:19PM

hello, thank you for the information, no luckily I have not given them any bank or card details so they cannot take anything off me, I made it clear I wasnt agreeing to anything. it is scary that they were gonna take that much money for a few letters.

I will ensure I pass this info on to anyone i ccome across who may need it, and of course send them here, I should dhave come and read the threads here when I was struggling with my debts rather than getting deeper and deeper over the last few months.

Live and Learn.

Thanks

playtime8978 · 15 July 2013 at 12:45PM

Just a quick update, Harrington Brooks rang me a few minutes ago asking for me to give them my pw etc and so that I would agree to them starting working on my case, I told them I had found a free charity that was doing exactly the same for me but without the 3500 pound charges, he told me that these are usually no good I explained I have it in good faith that these people are my best option and they are ringing on Thursday and he hung up on me. I want to use naughty words to describe these idiots tricks but this is a nice forum so I will refrain.

Much luck all.

ICKLE_2 · 16 July 2013 at 1:31PM

they are ignorant crooks i couldnt believe it this morning i got a phonecall from them as a welcome call................................. i was only with them for 18 months it took them all that time they also wanted to know why my direct debit had been cancelled :mad::mad: i took great plesure in telling them to do one and what i thought of them and also would they be refunding me any of the money they hold back to which they hung up

playtime 8978 if they were offering you 45 per fortnight none of that would have gone to your crediters untill you had paid there fee which i belkieve is 360 pound so for the first 4 months you would only have been paying that to harrington brooks

playtime8978 · 18 July 2013 at 3:32PM

Thank you ICKLE I am so very glad I had the sense not to agree to it there and then and look into it, they were so convincing, but it was the hard sell attitude of the caller tat rang alarm bells to me.

I got my phone call as planned off stepchange and the lady was very professional and thorough and helpful, we worked out all I can realistically pay on top of a couple of priority debts is £47 a fortnight so how I would have managed the £70 that those robbing pigs wanted is beyond me. I have a lot of stuff to sort out, mainly the banks and getting my ESA paid into my Lloyds account rather than Santander so we can close the accounts, the lady explained so much to me that my poor head was spinning, I am poorly and find things very difficult to take in but I have it all in an email so will be chipping away at one item at a time.

Many many thanks to all those who have advised on debt help and given me information here as I really appreciate it. I kind of feel I am not so alone and not so stupid now. It wasn't wholly my fault I am in the mess I am but hey I spent it. It is just nice to come on here and no one seems to be judging me for being in debt.

chevalier · 20 July 2013 at 9:59AM

Seems like a thread to keep bumped

matttye · 20 July 2013 at 12:35PM

playtime8978 wrote: »

Just a quick update, Harrington Brooks rang me a few minutes ago asking for me to give them my pw etc and so that I would agree to them starting working on my case, I told them I had found a free charity that was doing exactly the same for me but without the 3500 pound charges, he told me that these are usually no good I explained I have it in good faith that these people are my best option and they are ringing on Thursday and he hung up on me. I want to use naughty words to describe these idiots tricks but this is a nice forum so I will refrain.

Much luck all.

What planet do they live on... a debt charity won't take a cut of the money and therefore your debt will be cleared a lot more quickly.

silvahalo · 30 September 2013 at 10:53AM

Been with HB for a couple of years and would not recommend them, even to Al Quaida.

Originally I was told that they would take my first payment as their fee and after that all money to creditors. My wife was told 2 months payments....

I was guaranteed that 100% of my payments would go to the creditors and then when I called for an update a guy on the phone let slip that they are taking approx. 25% as a monthly fee!

I was never told this and even when I categorically asked the question in the beginning I was told that they only took the 2 months payments and that was it.

I am now going to write an official complaint letter and take further action if required. I am not confident that I will get anywhere but they are not getting another penny from me if I can help it. It will be a pain dealing with a dozen creditors again but at least they will get 100% of the money I have. :mad:

ripoffinsurance · 15 November 2013 at 5:33PM

I have recently approached them for advise. They talked so kindly and lured me into paying them the first payment to them within 30mins. Then I went online and found that they have got very bad reviews. I then decided to pull out of them and wanted my money back, but I was not able to get in touch with the person I spoke to and remember if you call them back, you can only reach them on a 10p/minute line and they will keep you on hold for as long as possible to get the money out of you. They will also ask you if you are calling the 0845 number to make sure you are on a premium line number to milk the money out of you.

I was told my refund will take from 3 to 28 day. Taking the money took them 30mins. but when you have cancelled their service within their cooling off period it takes 28 days to pay it back to you. What an absolute nonsense. I then started emailing them and recording the conversations, I had with them to complain with FSA / court action to report their abuse and how they prey on vulnerable debt ridden people.

Never go anywhere near these people. This site review is all written by their own members. Please google their name and read the real reviews and not the one run by these people.

Maymay14 · 17 December 2013 at 9:59PM

Oh my goodness! I have just signed up with these cowboys!! Will defo be sending a cancellation letter in the morning, what should I include I'm this letter to ensure they cancel my plan and take no money from my account?

Any help would be much appreciated...gutted they're not the real deal

knew it sounded to good to be true

Fresh Start Financial UK (aka Harrington Brooks) - Thoughts? :(

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