Problems with claim management company

[mim22070]

This is my second claim against the Halifax. The first I did myself (with CAG help) I decided for my second claim I would use a CMC to save time and effort, and I don't mind losing a bit of my reclaimed charges for their fee.

 

Anyhow I 'signed' up with them in April 2008 but since them I have learned that I am entitled to claim through hardship as I am a single mum in full time education. I phoned the CMC (Advantage Claims) around 4 months ago and explained I would like to claim thorugh hardship and they said they would send out the relevant forms..... I recieved nothing. Several months later I sent an e-mail explaining that if they were not willing to handle my case as i wished them to would they send me out written confirmation of this and I will handle it myself..... again no reply.

 

I am now kicking myself for signing up with them in the first place but am aware that I am in contract so don't want to go through the claim myself then get hit by them for their percentage. I am struggling financially at the moment and could really do with this money ASAP.

 

Any advice would be gratefully recieved

 

Marie.

[nigel1804]

Hi I'm doing a claim on the grounds of hardship........first I started my court proceedings...then went through the bank asking for my charges back.........I think my next step will be through the Ombudsman........They like to slow things down the banks...........I'd do all this by yourself with all the help from this website..... At the rate they're going I think you have good grounds for terminating the contract to them on the none supply of goods or services act. not sure maybe one of our learnerd professionals might be able to help here.

 

Regards Nigel

[yourbank]

Write to the CMC by snail mail and visibly cc it to the ministry of justice claims regulation dept.

 

should poke their bottoms a little.

 

Advantage are i@smart

 

aka

 

Business Details

 

 

Business Name:i-Sm@rt Consumer Services Ltd

Address:The Old House 5 Market SquareTown/City:Higham FerrersCounty: NorthantsPostcode:NN10 8BP

Trading Names:

Advantage Claims

Real Life Services

Simple Bank Claims

The Claims Factory

UKBankClaims

i-Sm@rt Distribution Services

BankCompensation.co.uk

ppicomplaints.co.uk

Sector:Financial products/services,

Authorisation Number:CRM2506

[T2upNorth]

I signed up with Advantage (i@smart) for bank charge and PPI reclaims back in 2007, shortly after the waiver on bank claiming.

 

I sent off all the information, sat back and waited - they did say they could get the money back in 6 weeks...

 

First PPI. This was sent the usual rebuttal by the lender, at which point Advantage folded and said nothing could be done.

 

2 months later I enquired where I stood on the bank charges. It took 4 weeks to get a response - they said the bank owed £500 (approx). I know that I have been charged over £3500 in the past 6 years so questioned their figures. Their reply? They made a mistake and had sent me the details for another customer with the same name in the same town! They could not tell me how much I was claiming for.

 

After several weeks of batting letters back and forth I wrote back threatening to report them to trading standards and OFT unless they cancelled the agreement. I also informed my bank and the lender that they were no longer authorised to act on by accounts.

 

My point being (and this is only my experience) Advantage claims do nothing - they merely hold onto your account and are waiting for the case to end - same as the rest of us. I'd ask them how much they expect to receive back on your behalf - after all they must have that information if they are managing yor claim....