www.iva.co.uk

As per this report

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11900874

People in debt are desperate (ie me 4 years ago) and reality is that you google ( ie me ) and you take your pick.

Luckily for me this ended up with a firm that as it happens is one on this forum but I can see how some companies can just spam advertisining with multiple urls and this is what you get.

Well done to the OFT and in this instance I hope the company in this instance lose.

Could do with a few more going down this route.

This is an interesting read, and they and they are sure to be not the first.

I suspect that these proposed trading names would have been considered acceptable if an application had been submitted 12 months ago. The tide certainly seems to have turned.

It's worth mentioning that the firm concerned vigourously disagree with the decision and intend to use the appeals process.

What's more interesting is that there are plenty of debt assistance organisations already in operation with similar names, and who are properly licenced to use those names. I wonder if their trading names will be looked at retrospectively?

Hi

What other words are considered misleading? It seems a bit fetched stopping companies using helpline?!
David

Hi David,

It's true that the restrictions have recently been tightened to protect consumers. As Andrew says, it would be very interesting if they started to apply their restrictions retrospectively.

Today you would also have trouble using a new website or trading style with "Scotland" or "England" in the title, as the OFT feel it implies you are an official government arm. They have had huge issues with the word "Free" recently too, both when referring to service charges and also when included in the term "debt free". They feel that unless "free" means "completely free in every instance", every use of the word "free" should be balanced by an explanation of what isn't free.

That's correct.

The aims are:

1 - Make sure that consumers can clearly differentiate which companies/websites operate on a commercial basis.

2 - Make sure that consumers can compare transparent terms on offer from such commercial entities.

Any debt advice or debt solution website that is (or should be) covered by a consumer credit licence is subject to these tests.

Hi there.

I think anything that can be done to make sure that people in debt are given all of the facts to allow them to choose the right debt solution is a step in the right direction. If the OFTs actions help this in any way then this is very good news.

Sorry James, you are not allowed to post any links in your signature unless you are an expert.

Hi
Jan is quite correct as usual
However James is an expert from the early days of IVA.co.uk with a well balanced and huge knowledge base. A warm welcome back.
I will contact you off line James with a view to dusting off your expert status
Regards

Sorry Andy, was not aware of that.

Just to say hello to James. I have known him for many years and he certainly knows his stuff. Hope he hangs around and gives us an extra insight.

Is that the Mr Falla from Thomas Charles fame?

The very same. I first knew him twelve years ago when he was of Brookvale fame. Good to see him back.

Cool.

It was actually an interview i saw on BBC news with him that was responsible for me actually eventually doing something about my debt problem.