HFO Services

[GAVH1981]

I have today recieved what in my eyes was a threataning phone call from a person called Philip at HFO Services, He said he was the manager i think ( i found him hard to understand with the accent he had) He told me that i owed over £3k to a company called Welcome Finance who had sold the Debt on to them. I was aware the debt was there. Anyway to cut a long story short He called me whilst i was at work i explained that i could not talk to him, but if he could call back in the morning i would talk then. He refused and said this needs to be sorted immediatley. I said i am a single bloke earning not much money, so i could only afford £40 per month. He said this was not enough and that it should be at least £170 with an immediate payment of £100 to stop a distress warrant being issued. I said that its too expensive and i simply cant afford the high payments. He then informed me that coz i aint paid today, someone will be visiting me for payment!

 

I see other people have had dealings with this company. Where do i stand?? HELP!!

[Docman]

Hi Gav

 

Welcome to the HFO fan club. They are 1st class bullies. Just don't speak to them on the phone, and only deal in writing. Have a look at the other threads involving HFO but don't panic.

 

Doc

[GAVH1981]

I intend to tell him when he calls tomorrow, that i wanna comunicate in writing only! The Debt is mine, Can the still harrass me like they do?? If i make an offer of payment per month can they refuse to accept it??

[rory32]

You also may wish to have a look at the OFT debt collection guideance to know which parts of it they are breaching http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

Can the still harrass me like they do??

Quite simply no they can not. There are laws in place to prevent this. Here's a link to one of them Debt Help UK - Administration of Justice Act 1970 | UK debt consolidation service with free help and advice Point 1. refers to your situation as they phoning you at work.

If i make an offer of payment per month can they refuse to accept it??

Lawfully no they can't, but they tend to ignore the laws that get in the way of how they do business.

[GAVH1981]

I have just found the Card that i recieved Through the post from a company called 'First Direct Logistics' Saying they had a package for me. I never rang to claim the package. When they say they have contacted me by post is this what they mean? Is it Legal to do this??

[Rosie_123]

Hi Gav. The more I hear about these ******* at HFO the more I boil with rage! I am having problems with them too. They sent me one of their stupid First Logistics Cards, then they started phoning me, and then I got a letter from their Solicitors saying I had been "unco-operative" and they were taking me to Court. From what I have read here, they do not act within the Law at all, - they just ride roughshod over all the rules, and hope to bully and intimidate people into paying them money. Whatever you offer to pay them, they will either refuse it, or accept it for a month or so and then force you to raise it. They seem to prey on what you might call the more vulnerable in society - women alone, single parents, those on low incomes etc.

 

The advice I got from this Forum was to refuse to talk to them at all on the phone, and send them something called a CCA Letter, which you will find in the templates section here. This basically asks for a copy of your original credit agreement. If they do not have that, they cannot enforce the debt as I understand it, although HFO will tell you otherwise When you send the letter, send it recorded so you have a record of sending it, and you can track it on the Net to see that they have actually received it. Also send a Postal Order for £1.00. Also, when you send the letter do not sign it wth your normal signature!

 

I wish you luck with this situation. I am fortunate in that, so far, they have not traced my workplace - they phone me on my mobile phone - constantly I have told them I will not deal with them on the phone but they don't seem to listen. I believe there is a letter about telephone Harrassment available on this Forum, that you can also send to them, just to cover yourself, especially if they are calling you at work and jeopardising your job.

 

Good luck.

[GAVH1981]

Ok I have the CCA request ready to print off, I saw somewhere on here about something to write on the top of the letter in big letters, Any idea what it is??

[spamheed]

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY

 

Dont sign anything and ensure you send it recordedm so you can trace it

[GAVH1981]

THanks Spamheed. I will get it sent 1st thing monday morning

[Rosie_123]

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY

 

Dont sign anything and ensure you send it recordedm so you can trace it

 

I didn't write that on mine Is that a problem? I am actually totally terrified of these people - just trying to put on a brave face.

[GAVH1981]

He just rang again 4 times in 5 minutes. I told him no communication on the fone. then he abused me. I hung up and he kept ringing back

[Rosie_123]

He just rang again 4 times in 5 minutes. I told him no communication on the fone. then he abused me. I hung up and he kept ringing back

 

Wow - that IS harrassment, and I would think grounds for sending one of those Harrassment letters! I know they phoned me a couple of times last night, but now they are trying to hide their real number behind one that just comes up with "ID Withheld" or "ID Unknown" I just choose to ignore anything that comes up like that on my phone. I've even just managed to borrow a friend's old mobile (she has just bought herself a new one), and have given that number to all essential people, such as my Dad, my office etc, so I can safely ignore any "ID Unknown" numbers on my old phone knowing anyone important will call me on the other one.

[GAVH1981]

I have just been to the PO but it was closed! Have to wait till monday now. Any ideas of how to record the conversation off a mobile phone????

[onecall1]

Hi Gav, Just want to formally welcome you to the Society for HFO victims!

 

Please don't despair. Read everything you can in all the threads and you will soon realise that things are not as bad as they seem.

 

Good luck

[tomterm8]

He just rang again 4 times in 5 minutes. I told him no communication on the fone. then he abused me. I hung up and he kept ringing back

 

Go to a football shop. get football siren. problem solved.

[sillygirl1]

HFO sent my landlord one of their silly cards, we have a safe place for parcels here and somebody to sign for them so we knew it was a fake.

 

They sent me an email asking if I wanted to work for them - I didn't reply as I think they are a nasty lot - they insisted I could earn £30K+ a year from a basic of £18,000.... and that the workplace was a fun, money hungry environment.

[Rosie_123]

HFO sent my landlord one of their silly cards, we have a safe place for parcels here and somebody to sign for them so we knew it was a fake.

 

They sent me an email asking if I wanted to work for them - I didn't reply as I think they are a nasty lot - they insisted I could earn £30K+ a year from a basic of £18,000.... and that the workplace was a fun, money hungry environment.

 

Glad they think it's "fun" to drive people to tears, and harrass some into even contemplating suicide just to get their "money-hungry" hands on a few more pennies

[sillygirl1]

Here are the links to the job ad and their advert on the internet

 

Call Centre Sales Agent Wimbledon Call centre telesales jobs London

http://www.hfoservices.com/home.html

 

The job advert is quite misleading as it doesn't really say you are going to be debt collecting (and making those 'phantom visits').... just building customer portfolios and increasing their values...

[Having_A_Knightmare]

The Administration of Justice Act 1970

 

Anybody know who to go to , to enforce this act.

 

HAK

[rory32]

Trading Standards I would imagine.

[Having_A_Knightmare]

I have no chance then with my T/S.

 

Useless is to good of a word.

 

HAK

[GAVH1981]

I have sent a CCA request to them and a letter about harrasin fone calls. Lets see wat happens now!!

[GAVH1981]

I have recieved a credit agrement thismornin that i signed 3 years ago with Welcome Finance. I wanna clear this debt off, if i offer HFO a payment i can afford, do they have to accept it?

[Timsta]

Can you scan it and post it up? Not all "agreements" are what they seem!

 

Blank out your personal details and post it up and I'm sure someone will advise further!

 

Tim

[linz2011]

I would send them a copy of your income and expenditure along with offer of payment and just keep paying that monthly - under no circumstances should you speak to them they will bully you into all sorts they are bad people who think they are above the law.

 

Good luck