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Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

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  • Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

    This is my first post, as I came across this forum today whilst desperately searching for more help on what to do about the following situation. I did read on this site some other threads about Grass Roots Financial which at least confirm what I already felt about this company, that they are a nasty bunch of thugs in suits who hide behind the law and exploit vulnerable people in financial difficulty, making their situation far worse than it ever was, and charging for the privilege. Here's my story:

    In beginning of 2011 we naively engaged the services of Grass Roots Financial who assured us that they could help our financial situation in two ways, ie. taking out a debt management plan, and also by taking out a defended claims against a credit card company, getting "sold" the story about unenforceability etc. I think you know how the story goes, and so I'll make a long story short and get to the bottom line.

    1. Their contract states that upon the advise of a solicitor saying the Credit Agreement (CA) in unenforceable, that a 30% claims management fee plus VAT becomes payable.

    2. Surprise, surprise we had a letter a couple of weeks later saying that the CA is unenforceable, that we now owe GRF a large sum of money and that we should stop making payments to the creditor immediately.

    However, and this has been my dispute with them, that

    3. The creditor never accepted the unenforceable status and continue to harass us with telephone calls and letters, stating that we must pay or else. Each time I contacted GRF I was told that this is normal and to ignore them. This went on for a long time.

    4. Eventually, the matter did go to court, and the solicitor (started out as Legal Direct, then name change to Emmetts, then another change to Ashton Fox, (I have in writing from GRF that they consider them to all be the same)) saying that the CA was enforceable and that I must accept the debt and enter into an arrangement with the creditor, otherwise the situation would be much worse, and the insurance taken out through GRF would not be valid (which wasn't worth the paper it was written on)

    5. So all throughout this process we (my wife and I) have adhered to the advice of the solicitor used by GRF, and yet we are several thousand pounds worse off, and GRF have the audacity to harass us for their fees, now with interest, and an additional £750 for their costs.

    I took all this over a year ago to the MOJ and FOS who basically didn't do anything and said I needed to follow GRF complaints procedure which I did, but GRF just kept saying that the fees are due on the basis that the contract stating the "solicitors advise you that you may cease making payments". To us, this just doesn't seem right, that anyone can just say stop paying your creditor and you now owe us £££ thousands for the advice.


    So I'm posting here now, because this week we had a menacing letter from a different firm of solicitors stating that we had seven days to "make full and final payment of this outstanding balance. Failure to do so will result in either Court proceedings being issued against you in the County Court or a petition being issued for your bankruptcy". The letter goes on to say that we are at risk of losing all our assets, including our home, we will have to apply to the local authority for alternative housing, etc etc.


    Before the letter this week it has been over a year since we have heard anything from GRF or associates.


    Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If necessary we will add GRF into our Debt management plan (with Step Change), but I'm really reluctant to pay them a penny after all the heartache and stress they have caused us over the last three years.

  • #2
    Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

    Hi,

    Sorry to hear you are having problems with this company.

    Do you still have a copy of your contract, because no contract I have seen of theirs states ''"solicitors advise you that you may cease making payments" as a successful outcome incurring their ridiculous fees.

    This ''different firm of solicitors'' wouldn't be Legal Ness would it ? or maybe Temple ?

    If you can photograph and post up (or email admin@legalbeagles.info ) a copy of the letter that would be marvellous.

    What happened with your credit card debts? Did you stop paying them and whats the situation now?

    As you know ONLY a court can deem a credit agreement unenforceable, and I would LOVE to see Grassroots take anyone to court on the basis of their contract, because they will just lose.

    Emmets / Ashton Fox etc are all defunct now.

    If you have any of their old letters stating your debt is unenforceable, they would always be of help.

    Lets see this recent letter and we'll help you with a reply.

    Sharon
    xx
    #staysafestayhome

    Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

    Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

      This thread http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ple-Legal-Ness has a copy of a Legal Ness letter someone was sent last week, and some more info you might find interesting.

      With regards Ashton Fox, they went into Admin and their cases were bought by Antony Hodari last year.
      #staysafestayhome

      Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

      Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

        Sorry - can you explain this part in a bit more detail too

        4. Eventually, the matter did go to court, and the solicitor (started out as Legal Direct, then name change to Emmetts, then another change to Ashton Fox, (I have in writing from GRF that they consider them to all be the same)) saying that the CA was enforceable and that I must accept the debt and enter into an arrangement with the creditor, otherwise the situation would be much worse, and the insurance taken out through GRF would not be valid (which wasn't worth the paper it was written on)
        #staysafestayhome

        Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

        Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

          Originally posted by Amethyst View Post
          Hi,

          Sorry to hear you are having problems with this company.

          Do you still have a copy of your contract, because no contract I have seen of theirs states ''"solicitors advise you that you may cease making payments" as a successful outcome incurring their ridiculous fees.

          This ''different firm of solicitors'' wouldn't be Legal Ness would it ? or maybe Temple ?

          If you can photograph and post up (or email admin@legalbeagles.info ) a copy of the letter that would be marvellous.

          What happened with your credit card debts? Did you stop paying them and whats the situation now?

          As you know ONLY a court can deem a credit agreement unenforceable, and I would LOVE to see Grassroots take anyone to court on the basis of their contract, because they will just lose.

          Emmets / Ashton Fox etc are all defunct now.

          If you have any of their old letters stating your debt is unenforceable, they would always be of help.

          Lets see this recent letter and we'll help you with a reply.

          Sharon
          xx
          Thanks Sharon for your quick response.

          Here is the letter from the solicitors and the page from the contract relating to the claims management fee. Also is some of the letters we received from the solicitor at that time. One of the things that was so amazing to us was we signed the contract on 26 January 2011 any by 16 Feb 2011 we were told the CA was unenforceable and to stop making payments, and it was at this point that GRF wanted their fees. The new solicitors are The Dures Partnership. Re the credit card the debt became much greater around £14K and we are in an agreed payment plan with the creditor.
          Click image for larger version

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          Click image for larger version

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ID:	1161131This is the letter just received
          Click image for larger version

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ID:	1161132This is the page from the contract related to fees


          This is the first letter from Legal Direct
          Click image for larger version

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          This is the second letter from Legal Direct
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          I'll post the other images in the next post

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

            Here's the other two images of the letter received from Ashton Fox to say the CA was enforceable and to make settlement

            Click image for larger version

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ID:	1161135Click image for larger version

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ID:	1161136

            Thank you soooooooo much for taking the time to answer, it's such a relief to have somebody who actually wants to help :tinysmile_grin_t:

            Mike

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

              Originally posted by Amethyst View Post
              Sorry - can you explain this part in a bit more detail too
              Hopefully answered in my last post, but if not let me know and I'll try to provide the information you need. Many thanks.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                The Dures Partnership acting on behalf of Legal Ness.

                Have you ever received anything from Legal Ness ?


                Reading through rest - thank you for posting them all up
                #staysafestayhome

                Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                  Never heard of or received anything from Legal Ness or The Dures Partnership. Are they connected?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                    Change of terms then

                    #staysafestayhome

                    Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                    Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                      I can't remember off the top of my head how Dures and GRF are connected, there's another case ref Dures on here somewhere, will dig it out after school run.

                      When did you sign the agreement?
                      #staysafestayhome

                      Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                      Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                        Timothy Schools of Legal Direct has just been struck off, if you read the thread I linked you to earlier you'll see a whole raft of things against the guy, or google SRA Timothy Schools - I'll be back later xx
                        #staysafestayhome

                        Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                        Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                          Signed the agreement 26 Jan 2011, and just after two weeks later as far as they're concerned that's it job done because Legal Direct say so. Thanks I'll re-read the other thread. What strikes me is that their argument is on the solicitors advice, but later the solicitor (now Ashton Fox) advises the opposite, and we have to pay the creditor and GRF, not to mention all the additional costs, etc? I really do appreciate your thoughts on this.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                            Hardly ANY credit agreements come back within the 12+2 days allowed in the CCA. It doesn't matter now, and didn't in 2011, as they can basically produce the documents right up until the point of judgment.

                            Did they ever send you a copy of your credit agreement with the original creditor?
                            #staysafestayhome

                            Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                            Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Grass Roots Financial continue to harass and now more threats

                              He (Timothy Schools) was prosecuted in August 2011 http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/soli...192519.article and struck off in May 2014 (attached)

                              Aston Fox do actually appear to have acted properly in your case.
                              Attached Files
                              #staysafestayhome

                              Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                              Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

                              Comment

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