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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.
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.
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