Complaints Procedure
Introduction
This notice sets out details of the complaints procedure which Money Advice Direct operate to try to resolve complaints which you, the client, may have with regard to the services that we provide to you. This complaints procedure is aimed at resolving complaints quickly and satisfactorily and further improving the quality of our service.
We are always interested in the views of businesses and consumers about our procedures and how we operate them.
We shall listen carefully to any views that are put forward and if problems are identified we shall take remedial action.
Anyone with a concern or complaint about our procedures or the handling of a case may wish to try to resolve the matter by writing to or emailing the complaints department at the following address:
Complaints Department
Administration CentreMoney Advice Direct
Room 4, Gable House
239 Regents Park Road
London
N3 3LF
What our complaints procedure covers
Our complaints procedure covers complaints which you may wish to make with regard to the services which we have provided to you, in particular, the manner in which we have dealt with your Creditors and the information we have provided to you about our dealings on your behalf.
How to make a complaint
If you are unhappy with the service we have provided to you, you should in the first instance discuss the situation with your adviser. Should you be dissatisfied with the explanation he or she has provided to you then your complaint will be referred to the company's complaints department. Written complaints should be addressed to the complaints department.
How we will action your complaint
The complaints department will consider the contents of your complaint. We may need to contact you for further information in order to better understand your position. We will conduct a full investigation into the points raised and discuss the details of your complaint with your Initial adviser as appropriate. Once all information has been considered you will be contacted further to confirm whether the company accepts either completely or to some degree your complaint. Where applicable, you will be advised of what steps the company will take to put right the complaint and ensure that the same problem does not reoccur. It is the company's objective to resolve a complaint satisfactorily within 10 working days although where more detailed investigation is required the process may take longer. You will be kept informed of the time scale that will be required for us to investigate your complaint.
Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
If you are not satisfied with our final response, you may be eligible to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service, details of which will be provided at that time. The FOS was set up to help settle disputes between consumers and financial firms. They consider complaints about a range of financial matters - from insurance and mortgages to savings and investments.
Contacting the FOS
Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR
Telephone: 0845 080 1800
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Your Rights
We hope that you will accept the decision of our Compliance Department. If this should not be the case, you remain free at all times to seek an independent form of advice.
Industry regulation
We are a licensed by the Office to Fair Trading (OFT) to carry out debt advising. Any complaint can be made direct to OFT.
If you are an adviser or third party organisation and you would like to complain to the OFT about the practices of those providing debt management services, such as Debt Management Companies and those providing advice and assistance with Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), please download and complete the complaint form (word file 120 kb) and return it to the OFT by post or email.
The OFT complaints evidence checklist (pdf 84 kb) may be helpful when dealing with complaints against traders who carry out any or all of the following activities when provided to debtors who are consumers or individuals under consumer credit agreements:
- advice on how to restructure debts, how to alter debt payments or how to achieve early resettlement of debts
- contacting creditors in order to make any of the above arrangements (whether that contact amounts to 'negotiation' or not)
- providing a facility for the debtor to make a single repayment which is then distributed on his behalf to his creditors, and
- reviews of the debtors' financial circumstances and/or payments.
IVA's
The IVA Guide
Money Advice Direct has put together an IVA Guide based on the enquiries and questions that we receive at our helpline offices.
In the guide we cover such subjects as IVA Approval, early settlment of your IVA, missed IVA payments, IVA failure, additional debt claims and much more.
[click here for IVA Guide]
What is an IVA?
The IVA is an extremely powerful tool enabling you to clear your debt and return to a clean financial bill of health. Visit Money Advice Direct's Guide to Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).
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DANGER
Due to the tremendous demand for debt consolidation services the United Kingdom is now overloaded with debt management companies that contain misleading information. [more...]