www.iva.co.uk

Does anyone have any comments on the recent news from the OFT on the news report today about the way the market is and the fact that again some of the most vunerable people who already have debt problems are being used.

I have seen the report and welcome it quite frankly. Those that trade properly have nothing to fear, and those cowboys that are purely out to make a fast buck should (hopefully) be identified very quickly and either forced to clean up their act to join the rest of us or driven out of business.

Regards.

Not seen the report but from reading the forum I can imagine. Will definitely be reading It today!

Hi
Here is a summary
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/ ... rid=745674

Like Mike I welcome the report and any action that follows

We are all tarred with the same brush in the commercial sector and do need the cowboys closed down as soon as possible

Regards

What a pity they can't name the firms - at least then people would know who to avoid!

Would this include the 'BR assist' firms that trawl the register as well?

I doubt it Jan, very much.

Regards.

There is a little encouragement in that the OFT commented that the two main trade associations, the DRF and DEMSA, had made some progress in driving improvements amongst members.

It's impossible to ignore the fact however that the debt advice and debt management industry (remember this also includes IVA companies in the view of the OFT) has a lot of work to do in order to establish trust and credbility with the public (and also with bodies like the OFT who are there to protect the public).

Hopefully this all drives an exit from the industry of the cowboys, the ill-equipped and the greedy. Hopefully it also enables a more professional and consumer-focussed industry to emerge in the future.

I've downloaded both reports to read when I've got rid of the PR firm who are here to do a photoshoot. I'm sure it will make interesting reading.

I too hope this makes a difference.

This is fantastic news, and I hope that it causes the cowboys in the industry to clean up their act.

What a pity it's not likely to include the ambulance chasers - that's one sector that does need something doing to it.

What do you expect from fee paying DMP firms - they want to make money on debtors...so you must get into more debt.This was always the unsavory connection.

The OFT report clears up the arguments once and for all rattling on this forum in the past of whether you should got to CCCs or a fee paying firm for a DMP that helps to reduces your debt. So CCCS is funded by Banks instead....do I care as long as it aren't coming out of my account.
And Alleluya to that..

Hi
What about service levels and interest charges ? It is not all just about no fees
Regards

Having read various posts on here I have to say that if I was looking for a DMP I would be more likely to go with a fee paying company than one of the so called free companies.

I would advise people to go to a fee paying company if they cannot do the DMP themselves. I would not advise the CCCS for the very reasons that Andy has mentioned.

Some of these companies are being rapped for saying they can stop interest and charges which in practice they normally can. The CCCS do not advertise such claims as they have clients referred to them by the banks and there is no incentive to stop the interest and charges.

'What do you expect from fee paying DMP firms - they want to make money on debtors...so you must get into more debt.This was always the unsavory connection.'
Nomoremoney. The CCCS are paid a commission from the banks for collecting their debt and also make money from debtors. Their IVA team charges fees like the rest of the industry yet for the number of referrals they only have one IP and do a handful of IVAs. I would like to see the stats for clients who go to a feepaying company versus those who use the 'free' sector. Even allowing for the fact that fee charging companies pay less per month to the banks than the 'free' sector I believe using a feepaying company will have you debt free quicker. They have an incentive to stop interest and charges as you can complain to them about the service but the CCCS can just fob you off with 'What do you want for nothing'.

I did a DMP with a fee paying company and had excellent service from them. All charges and interest were frozen, the company were always there when we needed to speak to them and I did not mind paying for that.

The only reason we changed to an IVA was the length of time the DMP would have been running.

I would always recommend paying a reputable company for a DMP.