Advent Computer Training (Barclays Partner Finance)Info and discussion thread

[10pack]

For some reason I dont always get notified of new postings, missed loads of new posts..

does anyone else have this problem?

[THE ROADIE]

For some reason I dont always get notified of new postings, missed loads of new posts..

does anyone else have this problem?

I think you only get 1 email, for a new post and if you don't check the forum after that email you get no more emails until you have next checked the forum. Stops the forum spamming you with potentially 4511 emails about a new post ;-)

[Fuzzbutt]

Hi Fuzz,

 

Can you clarify this with Ingrid as there is number of us which are sponsors, but under the impression that we are included in the class action?

 

Regards,

Juicey

 

I've just emailed Ingrid to clarify, Juicybuns. You're not the only one worried about this I gather.

[JuiceyBuns]

Thanks Fuzz. I'm sure there's more than one scenario which most people fall into. Mis-selling, no end dates, etc, so depending on what builds the case we should still be involved. If not then maybe a separate case can be raised specifically for the sponsors.

[malchus25]

I'm a sponsor case and I'm a bit frightened of what Ingrid could say about it! Just, it wouldn't be fair, after all this time of waiting and hoping for something from the legal team / class action. Months ago, I remember being directed to Fuzzbutt to take part in the class action. I didn't need to pay for a lawyer, I've already paid (or going to pay) enough. In Sept my brother is due to start paying with interest,on my behalf, and he keeps asking me about this all situation. I have no serious job (I haven't been helped yet by Advent to get a job and so start paying) and I haven't got all that money. BPF should check that there's no Database Administrator or Web designer degree with my name on it. I don't have a £5400 or so a year so it can claim £12000 for the training they paid for. It's them who paid, it's them who withdrew the funds, it's them who considers us puppets to decide on our behalf, it's them who ignore the law. I'm angry because the people still don't know/don't care about this/about us!

[10pack]

Hi All

Just had two unsealed letters from Mercers telling me I am in default and I am in breach of clause 2 of my credit agreement.

 

and if I dont pay before the date shown then they will terminate my agreement and demand payment of full amount.. there is no date shown on the letter except the date they wrote the damn thing 4 days before??

[10pack]

Also by the way I called the national debtline and they are not geared towards our problem.. so no point any of us calling them

[gfunkasaur]

I got the same two totally unsealed letters from Mercers 10pack. Likewise no date yet they say to pay off the outstanding balance before the date shown. Unbelievable.

Phoned BPF a wee while ago and mentioned everything that was going on, the guy wasn't a d**k but was obviously new.

I'm also just about to post another letter, this time with as much of the CCA as I can find that applies. i.e. sections 11b, 12b and the all important 75 that due to Hogan Lovells letter they now say applies. Lets see how the wriggle past this one.

[joyhouk]

I also got same two unsealed letter week ago, but i don't know what to do with this. By the way I'm not gonna pay a peny.

[lewis2]

hi all im getting phone calls and voice mails from mercers no letters yet though ,i plan on sendin in a letter also along with a copy of the letter from hogan lovells as proof that section 75 applies and ask for my money back and cancellation of the agreement!I'd like to see how they wriggle out of this!

[10pack]

yes I also will not pay..

a while back due to a misunderstand with my local gym i was threatened by their debt collection agency.. they actually wrote they would apply for county court to get their money.. it was all a misunderstanding.

 

so from this I look at what barclays are doing and see.. no court threat.. so by this I feel they know they are on very dodgey ground and are just trying to scare us with all the legal crap.. its been months now.. if they was really serious then they would have taken us to court by now.

Edited July 21, 2010 by 10pack

[10pack]

also those of you getting these letters from mercers.. I have been advised by consumer direct that we should write a letter to mercers recorded delivery.. explaining that the acount is in dispute even if barclays dont think so.. if they ignore this then I was told to get back in touch with consumer direct.. they will get trading standards onto them.

I asked him if he was aware of what was happening here.. he said yes they had contact with others.. and have read/seen on news about advent.. they are taking keen interest in this.

 

So dont let the bastards get to you

[Mustard2243]

@ Lewis: do it man i would love to see the results!!

[lewis2]

just got 2 letters from mercers through the post also gonna have to write them a letter 2!

[10pack]

just got 2 letters from mercers through the post also gonna have to write them a letter 2!

 

did you notice that they were left deliberately open with "debt collecting agency" for all to see..

who writes letters and does not seal the envelopes??

 

I think they are not allowed to do this its harrassment

[lewis2]

yeah i noticed that not impressed at all!

[Fuzzbutt]

quite agree, my dad is the sponser, can't see what difference it makes as hes paid for me to recieve the goods and the company went bust so no goods. how can it be that the person who has paid the money have no say when things go wrong?

 

I agree. After all, if you bought a service or goods and then gave it to someone else as a birthday present, say, and it was faulty or the service was bad then there would be comeback surely under consumer legislation?

And (though I'm no lawyer!) I'd also go with what people are saying that a sponsor/guarantor should be able to get a refund due to mis-selling if nothing else...I'l post more as soon as I know more on this.

 

[Fuzzbutt]

also those of you getting these letters from mercers.. I have been advised by consumer direct that we should write a letter to mercers recorded delivery.. explaining that the acount is in dispute even if barclays dont think so.. if they ignore this then I was told to get back in touch with consumer direct.. they will get trading standards onto them.

I asked him if he was aware of what was happening here.. he said yes they had contact with others.. and have read/seen on news about advent.. they are taking keen interest in this.

 

So dont let the b*****ds get to you

 

Good for you, 10pack. Be interesting to see Mercers reaction to that! Trading Standards were very good in my complaint about Barclays but they received the bull crap fob off letter too from Paul Noble, the MD they wrote to personally. That amazed me..not just try and con your customers but lie your way around official bodies like TS and FOS...boy, Barclays are something else!

[Fuzzbutt]

There is an argument to be had regarding the interest charged.

I have read somewhere in this thread (dont ask me where lol) that people have had loans with 0 % interest.

When people have argued this, bpf have changed their loans to 0 % interest.

Not saying this is solves any issues regarding bpf being a bunch of robbing s**ts, just eases peoples money burdens.

I am going to argue this as it would mean that I only owe £1015 (although they owe me £4000 in reality) and anyone on these 0% interest with any info to help others get there loans switched would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hausfeld's first letter states...

 

"We note that in a number of loan agreements, the APR charged by BPF was 29.8%. In other similar loan agreements, the APR was 5.91%. We have seen no evidence that these charges for credit were individually negotiated (or if they were, on what basis). We are also not aware, to date, of any obvious reason for the disparity in treatment. Furthermore, in the circumstances, we believe that a court would find an APR of 29.8% to be unfair within the meaning of section 140A of the CCA 1974."

 

But I've also seen people state here and on FB that they were given a 0% interest loan (though I can't imagine that Barclays or any lender come to think of it would do that). I'm guessing here that the posters got confused and were actually given an interest free loan for a limited period, as I was, for a year only. THEN the 26% interest would have kicked in but I'd paid mine off from savings before the year was up.

There's usually a catch to an interest free loan in that you get snagged by BIG % interest once that honeymoon period is over. I calculated I'd be able to pay it back before that deadline. I think Barclays/Advent were counting on many not being able to repay in that time limit but were happy still to lend to people desperate to borrow in order to try and get a qualification and better themselves. The fact that BPF agreed all these unsuitable loans pushed through by the Advent salespeople without proper credit checks etc (they lent, afterall, to part-time workers who'd have been scraping pennies to pay back each month) shows how mis-sold it all was and greedy grabbing.

 

That makes what they are doing all the more despicable somehow.

[lowdown]

Any one else had a letter regarding account in dispute from BPF saying that...

"Our investigations will continue over the forthcoming weeks and we will be liasing with relevant authorities as appropriate to resolve this matter"

 

Change in attitude?

 

Also a section about the Gospel letter, and it is getting personal attention.

"In the meantime, i would like to clarify Barclays Partner Finance wholly rejects the content and sentiment expressed within the letter you received"

Edited July 21, 2010 by lowdown

[raj4u]

i too had two unsealed letters from mercers..they both dated 18th,july..since this day i haven't got any calls from bpf..i guess its now mercers turn to harass me.

 

10pack, i would like to follow your suggestion..but not sure how to format the letter. If anyone can help me in this matter, will be really appreciated..thanx.

[JuiceyBuns]

*snip* I'm guessing here that the posters got confused and were actually given an interest free loan for a limited period, as I was, for a year only. *snip*

 

No confusion at all fuzz. It states on the letter that the interest was calculated and included in the total amount. The loan I have is for almost £6k.

 

I'll send you an email with it attached (blanked out my details of course). I think I sent a copy to Hausfield already.

Edited July 21, 2010 by JuiceyBuns

[mozzer0734]

No confusion at all fuzz. It states on the letter that the interest was calculated and included in the total amount. The loan I have is for almost £6k.

 

I'll send you an email with it attached (blanked out my details of course). I think I sent a copy to Hausfield already.

 

Yea mines also 0%. 60 monthly payments of £82.50 total payable £4,950.00. Hausfield has a copy of this already.

[10pack]

Hausfeld's first letter states...

 

"We note that in a number of loan agreements, the APR charged by BPF was 29.8%. In other similar loan agreements, the APR was 5.91%. We have seen no evidence that these charges for credit were individually negotiated (or if they were, on what basis). We are also not aware, to date, of any obvious reason for the disparity in treatment. Furthermore, in the circumstances, we believe that a court would find an APR of 29.8% to be unfair within the meaning of section 140A of the CCA 1974."

 

But I've also seen people state here and on FB that they were given a 0% interest loan (though I can't imagine that Barclays or any lender come to think of it would do that). I'm guessing here that the posters got confused and were actually given an interest free loan for a limited period, as I was, for a year only. THEN the 26% interest would have kicked in but I'd paid mine off from savings before the year was up.

There's usually a catch to an interest free loan in that you get snagged by BIG % interest once that honeymoon period is over. I calculated I'd be able to pay it back before that deadline. I think Barclays/Advent were counting on many not being able to repay in that time limit but were happy still to lend to people desperate to borrow in order to try and get a qualification and better themselves. The fact that BPF agreed all these unsuitable loans pushed through by the Advent salespeople without proper credit checks etc (they lent, afterall, to part-time workers who'd have been scraping pennies to pay back each month) shows how mis-sold it all was and greedy grabbing.

 

That makes what they are doing all the more despicable somehow.

 

no my loan was for 3 year interest free.. I signed up mid December.. got no training because I was out of the country until 18th January first payment came out of my account on the 15th of january.. I made 2 payments before I asked them to stop taking money from my account.. so I had paid two payments of £151.48

Mine was for three years interest free

Edited July 21, 2010 by 10pack

[Fuzzbutt]

Any one else had a letter regarding account in dispute from BPF saying that...

"Our investigations will continue over the forthcoming weeks and we will be liasing with relevant authorities as appropriate to resolve this matter"

 

Change in attitude?

 

Also a section about the Gospel letter, and it is getting personal attention.

"In the meantime, i would like to clarify Barclays Partner Finance wholly rejects the content and sentiment expressed within the letter you received"

 

Lowdown - can you please send a copy of this letter to Ingrid Gubbay (our lawyer)?

Could be a crucial confession!

Thanks.

 

PM me if you'd prefer.