Provident seeking higher payments from me.

[kayes81]

Ive been making reduced payments to my provident agent, half the usual amount, managed so far, but is now becoming a struggle, each week they try n bully me into making higher payments, like at min im paying 15, they try n say cud ya pay 20, 22 25 n so on

Edited June 13, 2012 by MARTIN3030

[ashmk]

Just ignor them. Give the 15 and say sign the book then shut the door.

[RichBob]

Hi, decz,

Read the post with interest..

 

I'll tell you from the start i'm a agent for Greenwoods but don't think just for that reason I'm siding with anyone here,

your agents actions were against everything that Greenwoods/provident teach and preach.

 

Your circumstances are as you say, like many of us, were created and out of your control,

i have may customers in the same boat, and I'm working as an agent to earn because a change of circumstance, pay what u can afford is good advise and any good agent will understand.

 

But please remember that the agents are just out there trying to pay their bills too,

so not answering doors, well its just rude,

but once they know your circumstances they should respect this,

i have many who pay a pound a week, i dont like it, but i do like the fact that they do make the effort.

 

Also ask for the area managers name and number,

call him/her direct as this by passes the head office,

 

this will be someone local to your area, they can talk to the agent as they will see them every week.

 

Most of the advice here is good, it's good to know your rights, hope things improve for you real soon

[MARTIN3030]

Hello Richbob,welcome to the forum.

It is accepted that agents for Provvy and Greenwood are just making a bit of extra cash.

It is good to see your openess,and read your comments.

Provident have their fingers in many pies and have come a long way since they started in the old days.

It is reasonable to think that the buck stops at the top,and that Provident are a party to actions and behaviour of their agents.

I remember some time ago,we had an ex Prov agent here,who revealed that training in matters of CCA DPA and Consumer law was non existant.

In fact if I remember rightly,he told that his training comprised of a couple of hours over 1 day,then he was left to his own devices.

Would you care to tell our members here,what sorts of training is now given,and whether agents are aware of compliance of all the regs ?

[RichBob]

Hi Martin 3030, The training is done over several weeks, and is completed with an online question and answer session covering a wide range of subjects, even down to money laundering, the test is not that easy and takes several visits to complete. The company is also selecting the agents rather than taking anyone that turns up, I was one of six at the initial interview and the other 5 were rejected, there were looking for 3 agents in total. this was Feb this year.

 

I did a lot of research on the company and found a fair bit of poor press on them, but from what i've seen they seem to be trying to do things a little different, time will tell.

 

I've seen some poor notes on the site about the Fresh Starts they offer, they do buy debts and then offer people a way of paying this off weekly, this is offered at a reduced rate and is interest free, so is a fair offer, as long as it is your debt and you can afford to pay, its a good way of getting rid of a debts, but u should only sign up if you can afford the payments, and as an agent I would never cold call to your door, I would always make an appointment first.

[dx100uk]

urmm...fresh start

dont think there has been one case on here where the punter actually owed anything.

 

bit of a dodgy one that one RB.

 

dx

[RichBob]

to date i have delt with 14 Fresh starts, 3 of them the customer said "not mine", 4 said "cant afford to pay" and the other 7 signed up, of the 7, 5 pay on time every time, the other 2 signed up to by more time, they tell me this. As an agent I'm trying to look at it from every point of view, it works for some but not for all..

[dx100uk]

so who decided the debt was legally owed?

 

dx

[MARTIN3030]

Have created a thread of your own.

[RichBob]

Legally?

Well looks like your trying to goed me into a "all property is theft" type conversation.

most of us know if we have spent the money and we know we owe it back to those that loaned it to us,

of course theres always going to be the exception, extra charges added that you feel are unfair ect, ect.

 

If i call and talk to someoone and they simply say sorry not my dept,

or its in dispiute or anything along those lines the paperwork is returned,

end of contact or conversation with me, this happens now and then,

and as I said,

if they say they cant afford to repay, then again the paperwork is returned.

But I find most people are decent and fair, as long as you treat them well they will respond in the same manner.

 

I came to the site to look at what advise was being given, and was angered by the agents actions to decz,

so decided to see if I could offer some comfort and advise, in that not all agents are gits,

[dx100uk]

no not at all rob.

 

what i am saying is, the debts in most cases have been written off against tax by the OC, and, as such, nothng is owed by the debtor anymore.

 

if you are buying old debts on a phishing list for pennies

then charging the debtor full wack, then thats profit

 

morals do not come into it at all here.

 

all you are doing is taking a debt that had a low APR, that you prob dont even have the legal right

nor the papework to enforce it and putting it up to 1000% interest

under your fresh start scheme.

 

sorry thats not right.

 

i suggest you read the threads here on this fresh start thing

 

and try and convince the readers your intentions are good, and not profiteering.

 

dx

[RichBob]

Fresh Starts are interest free.

[dx100uk]

didn't used to be ,

 

what about your legal rights to supposedly 'collect' on this debt?

 

as you are operating under your DCA wing regarding 'fresh start' loans

 

there are clear guidelines that state credit should not be used to pay 'alleged' outstanding credit.

 

where does providentacting as a DCA get exception from these rules?

 

dx