Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

[babsj]

We signed a contract for Forbes Douglas claims management company to reclaim ppi for us. When we received their reply specifying a sum of money due to us, we phoned and asked for a breakdown of this amount as this was not a figure we were expecting. However no one was available to help us so we had to leave a message, we did this twice. When no return phonecall was received, we thought if they couldn’t answer a phone call how efficient would they be at returning any money due to us and decided not to proceed with the ppi claim. Now we have received an invoice for £450 for 3 hours work on our case which they say is not unreasonable and must be paid immediately or they will start legal proceedings which they say they will certainly win. We can either pay in full or in 5 instalments including interest and administration charge. Has anyone any advice?

[Gorang]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

Hi and welcome babsj

How did you inform them that you were not proceeding with the claim

was it in writing or on the phone?
if in writing do you still have a copy?

[TUTTSI]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

Email address graham.howe@forbesdouglas.co.uk he is the director of Forbes Douglas.

Did they cold call you?

Did you pay any upfront fees?

Did you sign any paperwork?

Do you have the contract you signed and if so can you post it up?

How long after you signed the contract did you cancel?

Can you answer my questions and I will then be able to advise further.

We signed a contract for Forbes Douglas claims management company to reclaim ppi for us. When we received their reply specifying a sum of money due to us, we phoned and asked for a breakdown of this amount as this was not a figure we were expecting. However no one was available to help us so we had to leave a message, we did this twice. When no return phonecall was received, we thought if they couldn’t answer a phone call how efficient would they be at returning any money due to us and decided not to proceed with the ppi claim. Now we have received an invoice for £450 for 3 hours work on our case which they say is not unreasonable and must be paid immediately or they will start legal proceedings which they say they will certainly win. We can either pay in full or in 5 instalments including interest and administration charge. Has anyone any advice?

[babsj]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

We signed a letter of authority form and a letter of engagement form and sent a cheque for £10 payable to credit card company. We received a letter giving their estimated ppi refund which we tried to phone about but got no replies so we decided not to go ahead with them. We did not inform them in writing of our decision. When we got the invoice for their fees, we phoned again and told them that we were not going ahead and they said that we must pay their fee worked out at a reasonable rate for the work carried out to estimate the ppi refund.

Their letter of engagement states cancellation of this agreement can be made in writing within 14 days of signing this letter of engagement. After this date our fees will apply on any offer that is made in writing or verbally to either the company or the client or on a time basis for client aborted cases.

[babsj]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

My query is how reasonable is a fee of 450.00 for 3 hours work

[CleverClogs]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

My query is how reasonable is a fee of 450.00 for 3 hours work

I understand that some escorts will charge more that that for a comparable service.

Had there been any previous intimation of how much they'd try to screw out of you?

[TUTTSI]

Re: Problem with Forbes Douglas Claims Management Company

Hi Babsj

£450 I believe is totally unreasonable even if they spent 3 hours. I am sure that they did not spend 3 hours at £150 per hour just to send your cheque to the credit card company, what other work did they do fot you?

You should send them a Subject Access Request demanding a breakdown of the work they completed on your behalf with a time sheet on how the 3 hours was spent. You would also want to see where on their T&C's it states that their charges are £150 hour as that is exhorbant. I would say if it is not stated in the four corners of the contract a pacific sum that they would charge then that sum per hour is totally outrageous. They would have to prove they spent 3 complete hours on your work. That is an awful amount of time so this definately needs to be addressed. Take a basic SAR and adapt it with the questions that you wish to obtain answers to support this.

If you are still not satisfied with the response from the SAR then you should complain to the Ministry of Justice, the section that deals with Claims Management Companies.