Smooth Financial

[bjones]

I joined Smooth Financial Debt Management 6 months ago with £11,000 worth of debt, I was up to date but they said they could help me pay my debts.

They have done nothing for me except (Edit) my money and put me in more debt;

they didn’t even contact my creditors or pay anything to them throughout the whole 6 months.

With charges and interest I now owe over £15, 000, and I have the bailiffs knocking at my door and 2 CCJs and my creditors still haven’t received a penny from Smooth,

they are [edit] .

I asked them for my money back but they said it was all their fees.

I have paid £200 monthly for six months and lost every penny, and I am now blacklisted.

I found out they charge extortionate fees and there is nothing I can do now, they are the biggest (Edit) going.

I have just gone to CCCS and Payplan and they do everything for free as they are a charity, they are a godsend to me and my debts are finally being paid.

I regret the day I joined Smooth Financial Debt Management.

Edited October 15, 2010 by maroondevo52
Removed unsuitable wording.

[firstship]

Hi--bjones...........

 

...glad you found CCCS and Payplan yes its all done for_ free_ and although we have various views on these 2 organisations,in general they do a good job for most people.

 

I trust you have involved Trading Standards and ICO regarding Smooth DM Sharks,

 

you need TS and ICO onboard to stand a chance of getting your creditors to help..........

..........have you considered CCA your creditors??????????

 

?How old and what type of debts are they ie(Credit Cards /Loans/Bank Account) tell us

and we can point you in the right direction........FS

Edited October 15, 2010 by maroondevo52

[ronnie1978]

we also used this company

they paid things for a while then we made a short payment and they just helped themselves from our bank

and said we gave permission to do so when challenged

 

they said my creditors had been paid and infact they have not had a penny

 

now for 2 months and they are refusing to talk with us

 

am going to consumer rights about them and watchdog they cant be allowed to do this to people

[firstship]

This sought of theft is unacceptable,1st port of call Trading Standards,and also have a word with ICO online,I wish you success with getting them prosecuted.

 

FS

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

IMHO this is financial fraud, it would

be worth finding out if your county/met

police handle fraud case like this as

you guarantee that there are many

more people being spoofed in the same

way.

Check up on this mobs credentials and licences

first, then report to consumer direct/OFT.

[ronnie1978]

thanx i am at trading standards on tuesday on checking through my paperwork i have also discovered that a couple of my bills has also increased and not gone down after paying almost 3000 pound which was almost half ofwhat i owed in the 1st place

[Tina67]

I have used Smooth and found it to the be the best move I made.

 

I tried the free services but it took nearly 6 months to arrange an appointment as it had to be face to face.

 

When I finally met and signed up I could never get in touch

 

service was terrible I could never get a statement or confirm if my creditors were paid.

 

I moved to Smooth and the service is fantastic.

 

I made the call and within weeks my debt management plan was arranged.

 

They took all the hassle away, and they send me regular statements to how creditors are being paid.

 

The old adage you get what you pay for is very apt.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I have used Smooth and found it to the be the best move I made. I tried the free services but it took nearly 6 months to arrange an appointment as it had to be face to face. When I finally met and signed up I could never get in touch service was terrible I could never get a statement or confirm if my creditors were paid. I moved to Smooth and the service is fantastic. I made the call and within weeks my debt management plan was arranged. They took all the hassle away, and they send me regular statements to how creditors are being paid. The old adage you get what you pay for is very apt.

 

Gosh! What a resounding endorsement!

 

It seems that some people have had a different experience. Those who are unhappy with the service they have (or indeed have not) received, should complain formally to Smooth; if you remain unsatisfied, you can complain to the OFT, who are certainly looking very closely at debt management companies, and FOS.

 

No doubt Tina will tell us how the free service she used responded to her complaint; the general experience of CAG seems to be that they are generally good. There is rarely a case for paying a fee-charging service for something you can do yourself or get done for nothing.

[dx100uk]

urm........

 

something smells here

 

dx

[flowerchild]

I have used Smooth and found it to the be the best move I made.

 

I tried the free services but it took nearly 6 months to arrange an appointment as it had to be face to face.

 

When I finally met and signed up I could never get in touch

 

service was terrible I could never get a statement or confirm if my creditors were paid.

 

I moved to Smooth and the service is fantastic.

 

I made the call and within weeks my debt management plan was arranged.

 

They took all the hassle away, and they send me regular statements to how creditors are being paid.

 

The old adage you get what you pay for is very apt.

Hmmm sounds like you are acting on behalf of this company which looking at posts above seems to be engaging in fraud!

 

And NO you don't always get what you pay for! Not with Claims or Debt Management companies you often don't! You can do all that yourself with help of sites like this or free ones lime CCCS etc.

[victoria_siempre]

Hi guys

 

I think we should be fair to Tina and simply ask:

 

1. Whether charges and interest were frozen?

 

2. Whether the alleged debts were checked for lawful compliance for enforceability?

 

The CAG approach would result in a 'Yes' to both questions; but you have to admire her spunk.

 

x

 

v

[brokebutnotbeatn]

Whilst I don't believe the endorsement post is genuine I can concur with what the poster claims happened with CCCS as I had the same experience. When I did get to finally talk with someone from CCCS it was a disaster. I did not find this site until after I had found a DM Company through a friend's personal recomendation. I can certainly give some good advice to people looking to go down this route as I learned the pitfalls along the way. If you have the time a DIY plan using this site is number 1) the way to go but you will need to keep on top of all correspondence and make sure you proactively contact creditors 5 months into an agreed plan (most usually agree on a 6-month review basis). I do not manage my plan via DD but by SO and that has to be the only way to do it as it keeps you in control and I get a monthy statement showing what is paid to whom. I also review my CRA monthly to check the amounts being paid tie up and are coming off the debt. It also shows me who oens the debt. So far, so good...

[brokebutnotbeatn]

and yes, all my creditors have frozen the interest apart from Halifax who reduced it and have been absolute pains throughout these last 2 years!

[victoria_siempre]

Hi broke

 

A few folk do report good experiences with paid for DMPs however I meet many who have been ripped off (and large amounts of payments being stored in a 'pot'). The free-to-user services are not perfect, especially with rogue OCs/DCAs charging interest often unbeknown to the alleged debtor. This is precisely why CAG advocates a DIY approach.

 

Even if folk can't hack a DIY DMP at first, there is no reason not to transfer 'paid' to DIY unless their potty takes a hold.

 

x

 

v

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

More than half a monthly ''subscription'' retained is totally

wrong i my opinion, DIY wins.

 

Brig.

[brokebutnotbeatn]

Yes, shop around but I still say DIY if possible. I haven't switched because my plan is running smoothly AND I threatened to DIY and knocked my management fee down significantly (6%). The fee is worth the lack of hassle as I don't have the time to manage 8 creditors. But I couldn't have done that without the confidence and knowledge I've gained from this site. If people have found this site and are reading these posts beforehand then they can get themselves into good shape without needing to go to anyone else.

[brokebutnotbeatn]

also a monthly payment plan is different to a pot. A pot with a 3rd party is madness and nonsence IMHO!

[Ponty Rich]

I joined Smooth Financial Debt Management 6 months ago with £11,000 worth of debt, I was up to date but they said they could help me pay my debts.

 

They have done nothing for me except (Edit) my money and put me in more debt;

they didn’t even contact my creditors or pay anything to them throughout the whole 6 months.

 

With charges and interest I now owe over £15, 000, and I have the bailiffs knocking at my door and 2 CCJs and my creditors still haven’t received a penny from Smooth,

they are [edit] .

 

I asked them for my money back but they said it was all their fees.

I have paid £200 monthly for six months and lost every penny, and I am now blacklisted.

 

I found out they charge extortionate fees and there is nothing I can do now, they are the biggest (Edit) going.

 

I have just gone to CCCS and Payplan and they do everything for free as they are a charity, they are a godsend to me and my debts are finally being paid.

 

I regret the day I joined Smooth Financial Debt Management.

 

 

So do I

[dx100uk]

then dump them!

 

dx