Compass debt company

[Amethyst]

Re: Compass debt company

Still go to your bank and ask for them to refund your Abbey DDM payment as it was a scam. Mention all of the supporting info on here. They should refund it. I would also tell Abbey that you are going to complain to the Law Society and the FCA. As practising solicitors, they cannot risk losing their licence to practise. I reckon you have about a 95% chance of getting your money back. If they refuse again, get them to itemise and prove the amount of work done so far. It is, however, likely they have done 2 hours' work which would easily use up your £275, but become a thorn in their sides. Keep watching this site, listen to Radio 4 You and Yours (), and regularly Google Abbey Solicitors, Manchester to see if there is any new info about them on there. Wingco

It's not a scam, but it wouldn't be a recommended course of action in my view. You do have to be a little bit careful what you accuse companies of. A few people have decided to stay with Abbey, to maintain the status quo after the shock of Compass, so hopefully they will report back what Abbey actually get sorted for the fee paid.

[Wingco]

Re: Compass debt company

Just on this, really don't be paranoid about signing letters, back in 2007 there was one incidence of a fraudulently placed signature... otherwise its a bit of a myth, it would be a criminal offence and it doesn't happen, creditors don't actually need the signed agreement to comply with the CCA request - a reconstruction does the job, so although I agree a mark so U know what was signed recently as opposed to a few years ago is a good idea for your own peace of mind, obfuscating signatures can just hold things up in the long run.

There is plenty of advice on here to do just that. Not obfuscating the signature but just to identify whether you did sign the original. I keep saying it is not illegal for DCAs to lift signatures because it is not needed for a copy of the original agreement, but why not do it?

Conwig (I just obfuscated)

[Wingco]

Re: Compass debt company

It's not a scam, but it wouldn't be a recommended course of action in my view. You do have to be a little bit careful what you accuse companies of. A few people have decided to stay with Abbey, to maintain the status quo after the shock of Compass, so hopefully they will report back what Abbey actually get sorted for the fee paid.

Maybe not a "scam" but to charge £3600 + loads of extra fees to write a few CCAs doesn't seem like good practice. I appreciate that is what we were all doing with Compass but to repeat that with Abbey for a further year and sign a contract to that effect seems like folly to me.

Why are they charging different fees to everyone for the same work? I understand that one person has gained what appears to be a great deal from ABBEY - working for his Compass fee whilst paying his creditors, but they are not licensed for debt management work - I fully understand that they don't have to be to write CCA letters but it sounds like Debt Management that they offered that guy?

I seriously think their contract is committing people to potentially very high fees, with Abbey having little or no previous experience in this area. There has to be a better way of spending nearly four grand?

If 100 people go to them, and 50% of the Liquidator's meeting on the 30th March admitted to contacting them, and Compass were telling most clients to talk to them, that represents around £300,000 at £250 average monthly fee. Not bad work - I hope it works.

If Abbey could substantiate their claims, it would help.

I will desist from using the 'S' word and will, in fact, not make any further comments about Abbey.
Wingco

[Wingco]

Re: Compass debt company

I can't agree with you there Wingco. From what I've seen their business model, accounts, consumer contracts, tax affairs and conduct are riddled with holes. I can't see why their empoyee non-disclosure agreements should be any different.

I was Joking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[taff_dragoness]

Re: Compass debt company

Hi all well just look at all this,funny to think this started on the 11 march wow and so much help and support . well as the 10 April will start my new plan with stepchange. And try and keep up with this but not the brightest but let me know if i can do anything have been telling people about this site and the facebook page. Still cant thank you all for the help and support.

[Goldragon]

Re: Compass debt company

Sent one on Sunday asking a few question as at the time didn't really understand what was going on but have heard nothing as of yet.

[aidierobbo]

Re: Compass debt company

hi guys,

I am a bit confused. What is the difference between a CCA (Consumer Credit Aggreement) which costs £1 and a SAR (subject access request) which costs £10?

[Amethyst]

Re: Compass debt company

A CCA request is a formal request for a copy of the original credit agreement, if they do not supply it they are unable to enforce the debt through the court. they have 12+2 days to respond - however in reality if they don't respond in those 14 days they can still respond a few months down the line and enforce the debt. If they do supply the agreement it can then be looked at to ensure it is compliant with the Consumer Credit Act.

A SAR request is a request for copies of all information held about you by a company as is your entitlement under the Data Protection Act. So that would include transaction lists, agreements, screen notes, recorded calls and so on - basically anything relating to you as an individual. They have 40 days to respond to this request.

[aidierobbo]

Re: Compass debt company

So would you say send a SAR at the extra cost to cover all basis?

[aidierobbo]

Re: Compass debt company

Hi,

Does any body have a copy of a SAR (subject access request) letter? I have just spoken with National debt line and they advice sending a SAR rather than a CCA as a CCA doesn't really hold up in court. A SAR is a request for ALL information including default notices, telephone calls etc as Amestyst states (cheers for that)

[Amethyst]

Re: Compass debt company

grrrr ( sorry) That is where Nat Debtline fall down.
You must do a CCA request and yes of course a CCA request stands up in court, I can't imagine WTF Nat Debtline are talking about there.
Do a SAR request to get hold of the information the company hold about you.
Do both, but definately do the CCA request.

I'll get SAR for you and some bits on the CCA.

[Amethyst]

Re: Compass debt company

Okay very basic Subject Access Request.

[Your full address]
[Phone number]
[The date]

[Name and address of the organisation]
Dear Sir or Madam
Subject access request
[Your full name and address and any other details to help identify you and the information you want.]
Please supply all information about me held by your company as I am entitled to under the Data Protection Act 1998 relating to: [give specific details of the information you want, for example transaction lists, screen notes, recorded calls, any agreements, letters or policies held with your company....]
I enclose the maximum statutory fee of £10. If you need any further information from me to help you comply with my request please contact me on telephone / email / in writing at address etc.
It may be helpful for you to know that a request for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 should be responded to within 40 days.
If you do not normally deal with these requests, please pass this letter to your Data Protection Officer. If you need advice on dealing with this request, the Information Commissioner’s Office can assist you and can be contacted on 0303 123 1113 or at www.ico.org.uk
Yours faithfully
[Signature]
Print Name

Some other examples http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ur-information

[Amethyst]

Re: Compass debt company

Now Consumer Credit Act - HUGE subject but very brief intro just to counter Nat Debtline's odd comment.

A CAA request is a formal legal request which must be complied with in order to enforce a consumer credit debt.

Vast majority of court cases on here are successfully defended (usually the claimants discontinue) on the basis of non compliance with the CCA request.

So for a loan - a loan is known as a FIXED SUM CREDIT agreement

77 Duty to give information to debtor under fixed-sum credit agreement.

(1)The creditor under a regulated agreement for fixed-sum credit, within the prescribed period after receiving a request in writing to that effect from the debtor and payment of a fee of £1, shall give the debtor a copy of the executed agreement (if any) and of any other document referred to in it, together with a statement signed by or on behalf of the creditor showing, according to the information to which it is practicable for him to refer,—

(a)the total sum paid under the agreement by the debtor;
(b)the total sum which has become payable under the agreement by the debtor but remains unpaid, and the various amounts comprised in that total sum, with the date when each became due; and
(c)the total sum which is to become payable under the agreement by the debtor, and the various amounts comprised in that total sum, with the date, or mode of determining the date, when each becomes due.
(2)If the creditor possesses insufficient information to enable him to ascertain the amounts and dates mentioned in subsection (1)(c), he shall be taken to comply with that paragraph if his statement under subsection (1) gives the basis on which, under the regulated agreement, they would fall to be ascertained.
(3)Subsection (1) does not apply to—
(a)an agreement under which no sum is, or will or may become, payable by the debtor, or
(b)a request made less than one month after a previous request under that subsection relating to the same agreement was complied with.
(4)If the creditor under an agreement fails to comply with subsection (1)—

(a)he is not entitled, while the default continues, to enforce the agreement; F2. . .
(b)F2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5)This section does not apply to a non-commercial agreement.

( virtually the same for a credit card/catalogue - which is a RUNNING ACCOUNT credit agreement - see section 78 CCA 1974 secs 1 and 6 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/39/section/78 )

CASE LAW..... http://legalbeagles.info/forums/show...aw-CCA-Banking ( It's not up to date so must go on my list of things to do )

Good things to read are PAUL TILLEY'S BLOG -> http://legalbeagles.info/forums/foru...-Tilley-s-Blog and the Concluded cases forum on here -> http://legalbeagles.info/forums/foru...oncluded-Cases ( also needs updating - I'm a bit behind on EVERYTHING lol sorry )

[charitynjw]

Re: Compass debt company

hi guys,

I am a bit confused. What is the difference between a CCA (Consumer Credit Aggreement) which costs £1 and a SAR (subject access request) which costs £10?

A CCA request is a formal request for a copy of the original credit agreement, if they do not supply it they are unable to enforce the debt through the court. they have 12+2 days to respond - however in reality if they don't respond in those 14 days they can still respond a few months down the line and enforce the debt. If they do supply the agreement it can then be looked at to ensure it is compliant with the Consumer Credit Act.

A SAR request is a request for copies of all information held about you by a company as is your entitlement under the Data Protection Act. So that would include transaction lists, agreements, screen notes, recorded calls and so on - basically anything relating to you as an individual. They have 40 days to respond to this request.

Also, an SAR would not necessarily obtain the T&C's, which are usually generic (though some firms 'personalise' them).

[aidierobbo]

Re: Compass debt company

Thanks for this.

Sorry but I think I am now more confused than I was before I asked the question lol.

So in a nut shell, I need to send both a CAA and a SAR in the same envelope with 2 cheques, one for £1 and one for £10? Then at least I have covered all basis.

Would you mind if you send a copy of a word document of both that I can just amend. I am not good with all the terminology etc