By discussing her situation, it was identified that she had started struggling with her payments as she had recently been diagnosed with a terminal medical condition. Mrs Roussos was then referred to our Specialist Support Unit to help with her difficult circumstances.

Paul Myall, an Advisor on the Specialist Support Unit, spoke to Mrs Roussos about her situation. With her consent, he contacted the creditors on her plan to negotiate her debts be written off.

After several months of persistent telephone calls, emails and letters to her 17 creditors, Paul managed to get the whole of Mrs Roussos’s debt written off.

This ensured that however much time Mrs Roussos has, she’s now free to spend it without having to worry about debt.

Mrs Roussos said: “Paul was so understanding and helpful when I discussed my situation with him. When he told me that all my debt would be written off, it was such a weight off my shoulders. Thank you to Harrington Brooks for sorting this out for me – it is much appreciated.”

Paul Myall said: “When I rang to inform Mrs Roussos that we had managed to get the whole of her debt written off, she told me I was ‘her Christmas angel’. “This outcome for the customer is a perfect example of why we do a very difficult job – and it also shows how rewarding it can be when we’re able to do the right thing to deliver a good customer outcome.”

Paul, the advisor, works in the Harrington Brooks Specialist Support Unit, a team dedicated to helping customers that need extra support or have vulnerabilities. Advisors on this team receive specialist training, can support a range of vulnerabilities and provide additional signposting.

*Customer name has been changed to protect identity

The post Customer case study – Mrs Roussos’s story appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

We consistently see a lot of people engaging with our newsletter – opening to see what we have to say and clicking through to read the articles. But what do you really think of it?

That’s why we’ve put together a short survey to get your thoughts on the monthly Harrington Brooks Customer Newsletter. We want to know what you think so we can work to make the newsletter better for you.

And to say thank you for your time, we’re giving away a £25 Love2shop voucher to four people who complete the survey.

The opening date is Wednesday 17th January 2018 and the closing date is 9pm (GMT) Wednesday 14th February 2018 – so make sure you complete the survey by then to be in with a chance!

Good Luck!

Terms and Conditions

Prize: We’re giving away £25 Love2shop vouchers to four subscribers of our January 2018 newsletter.

How to enter

1. To enter and be eligible to win, please complete our Polldaddy Customer Newsletter survey. Entrants must subscribe to our Harrington Brooks Customer Newsletter and must be an existing customer of Harrington Brooks at any point between the opening date of Wednesday 17th January 2018 and the closing date of 9pm (GMT) Wednesday 14th February 2018.
2. The opening date is Wednesday 17th January 2018 and the closing date is 9pm (GMT) Wednesday 14th February 2018.
3. The winner will be chosen by at random from the qualifying entries that are received by Wednesday 14th February 2018.
4. The winner will be notified via email by Monday 19th February 2018 at the latest.
5. The winning entry must comply with the terms and conditions. No entry may contain unlawful, obscene or objectionable material.
6. The prize, as stated, is not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives will be offered.
7. If the winner fails to respond/contact us by Monday 5th March 2018 or fails to claim his/her prize or if a winner fails to comply with these terms and conditions, such winner will be considered to have forfeited the prize. If a winner forfeits his/her prize, a new winner will be drawn.
8. Employees of The One Advice Group and their immediate families or those living in the same household of each such employee are not eligible to enter this prize.
9. This competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. Winners may be asked to verify their age and address.
10. The entrant agrees that The One Advice Group shall not be liable for any failure for the usage of the prize once they are received by the winners.
11. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the Parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
12. The promoter of this competition is The One Advice Group, which incorporates HB Financial Solutions Ltd, trading as Harrington Brooks, Jackson House, Sibson Road, Sale, Manchester M33 7RR.

The post Tell us what you think of our monthly Customer Newsletter and be in with a chance to win £25! appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

It’s also an achievement for the One Advice Group, as it demonstrates our commitment to helping our customers move towards a place of financial wellbeing.

What do MALG do?

MALG’s overall aim is to improve the lives of people struggling with problem debt. They do this in many ways – you can see some of them below.

• They bring together all the ‘strands’ of the money advice and personal debt journey. This includes a vast list of stakeholders from financial education providers, academics and regulators to creditors, debt collectors and purchasers, and debt advisors. These ‘strands’ all work together across the UK to share best practice, insight and understanding in an open, non-judgemental forum.
• They provide dedicated thought leadership, stewardship and support for members. This helps to increase professionalism and accelerate change in the debt sector.
• They listen to and are receptive of ideas and challenges, and constantly encourage members to think ‘outside the box’.

What will Aggie be working on with MALG?

Aggie will meet with the other MALG Midlands members at least four times a year. Together they cover the area from Staffordshire and Lincolnshire in the north to Warwickshire in the south, from Worcestershire in the west to Northamptonshire in the east and anywhere else in between.

Aggie Pacewicz added: “I’m so honoured to be a member of MALG. It’s a great visibility for the business and will help us work more closely with other advice providers and creditors. Having a collaborative approach will help us improve the lives of people in debt – and hopefully our customers. I also want to help improve the reputation of the industry.”

MALG Midlands cover a wide range of topics relating to the personal debt sector and the wider money advice sector. Here are just some of the topics that the group addressed in the last twelve months.

• Reforms to welfare benefits
• Food banks, the link to money advice and experiences of customers
• FCA application experiences and challenges
• Vulnerable customers – identification and understanding
• Updates on changes to utility suppliers’ policies and procedures
• Brexit
• Loan sharks

MALG Midlands prides itself on being an inclusive and innovative forum. They include a ‘What’s on Your Mind’ section to all their meetings. It provides an open floor for members to raise topics of interest and concern and engage creditors and advisers in discussion on a Chatham House rules basis.

The post Aggie Pacewicz, Harrington Brooks Senior External Relations Manager, joins MALG Midlands appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

The Panel Session was entitled “Variation, Fees and Expenses – What are the Issues?” which covered some of the most topical and divisive issues in the current IVA market.

Green v Wright and volume IVA providers

The first topic was the implications for IPs, debtors and creditors of the decision in case of Green v Wright. This landmark ruling basically provides that PPI redress awarded to a debtor even after an IVA is “successfully” completed is still due to be paid into the IVA for the benefit of creditors via further distributions.

I was able to present the practical difficulties of this decision for volume IVA providers. For example, in many such cases which were completed several years ago, the creditors or their agents will have closed the associated accounts and will not be in a position to accept further dividends, which would then lead to monies having to come back into the IVA and most probably returned to the debtor anyway. The representative from the largest creditor voting agent agreed that this was very likely.

I raised the further issue that the IVA Supervisors will be “out of office” and will not have any bonding (insurance) in place to cover the handling of these funds.

Early exit models in IVAs

The next topic concerned the “early exit models”: this is in respect of certain lenders now offering loans to debtors in an IVA to allow an early settlement of their arrangements: This issue had arisen in last year’s conference and resulted in a fairly heated debate about potential conflicts of interest between the IPs and the connected companies offering these loans.

The consensus this year was that the products now available could be more suitable but I and the other IP on the panel noted that the IVA Supervisors would have to ensure that the debtor was fully-informed about the consequences of taking further credit before any proposal was put to creditors to complete the IVA early.

Current fee models in the IVA market

The final topic was one which is currently the hottest issue amongst IPs – how are current fee models impacting on the IVA market?

By way of background, since September/October 2017, new fee models for IVAs have been presented by The Insolvency Exchange (TIX) and IVA Watch (Watch), who between them are voting agents for the majority of creditors. These effectively limit either the fees or disbursements chargeable by IPs.

Whilst being somewhat restricted in what could be said to avoid any “price-fixing” allegations, it was clear that the two new models are causing considerable operational difficulties for IPs. From a volume IVA provider’s perspective, I made it clear that, particularly in respect of TIX although also with certain aspects of the new Watch model, there had been no prior warning of these new models and it was unreasonable to expect IPs to be able to comply with them straightaway.

I also commented that, where the two new models were also having to be accepted alongside the significantly conflicting old models (still being presented by the majority of TIX’s creditor clients), this could result in significantly lower fees and disbursements being payable to the IPs than actually envisaged by the voting agents.

TIX’s representative on the panel confirmed that they had received a great deal of feedback from IPs and that the model was effectively a trial which may result in changes to the models in the future.

The post Harrington Brooks attends the Annual IPA Personal Insolvency Conference appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

While Steve was going through Barbara’s income and expenditure, he identified that she had a pretty serious issue with her water supply. For the past seven years, Barbara had had no hot water. And, due to her financial situation, she couldn’t afford the repairs.

In fact, she’d only been able to have a wash by filling up a bucket with water from the kettle.

Steve spoke to Barbara’s water supplier and explained her situation, and how important it was for her to get the repairs completed. After providing relevant documentation, they were very understanding and agreed to do the repair work for her.

That meant that not only did Barbara get onto a debt solution that could help her debts become more manageable, she also managed to get a long-standing problem with her home sorted out for good.

Barbara said: “Steve stands out very much as he’s always ready to help, never lets you down and nothing is too much trouble. It’s very nice to have so many kind people like you, all helping people like me.”

Steve Wilding-Hewitt said: “It was really rewarding being able to help Barbara get back on her feet financially, and to help sort out her home repairs. Having access to hot water is a basic human right and I was pleased to see I could make a real difference to the customer’s life. It was absolutely the right thing to do.”

Steve, the advisor, works in the Harrington Brooks Specialist Support Unit, a team dedicated to helping those customers that need extra support or have vulnerabilities. Advisors on this team are trained to support a range of vulnerabilities and provide additional signposting.

*Customer name has been changed to protect identity

The post Customer case study – Barbara’s story appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

If you do need to speak to us this festive holiday season, we are here for you. We’ll take you through the Harrington Brooks Christmas opening hours so you know when the office is open. If you need to contact us out of these hours, your request will be logged and acknowledged and attended to at the earliest convenience.

Harrington Brooks Christmas opening hours

 Using My Online Account

Are you looking to make changes or look at your Debt Management Plan (DMP) outside of these hours? If you’re a DMP customer, you can use My Online Account to manage your plan from the home page on the Harrington Brooks website. With My Online Account, you can:

• view and update your contact details,
• view and update information about your income and expenditure,
• check your creditor references are correct,
• view payments you’ve made to us and see when your next payment’s going out,
• view distributions we’ve made to your creditors,
• make additional payments or set up Direct Debits,
• request prepaid envelopes, and
• amend your statement frequency.

All that’s left for us to do is to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

The post Find out the Harrington Brooks Christmas opening hours appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

So, if you’ve been running around all summer entertaining, taxiing, face painting, at the theme park, local park or museum, then you may fancy some relaxation of your own. Maybe your wallet has taken a bit of a hit too what with new school uniforms, shoes, stationery, ice creams galore…

That’s why our September competition is a Back to School Treat – for Parents and Carers. There are two £50 vouchers up for grabs which can be spent at the lucky winner’s request – as long as it involves some relaxation!

To be in with a chance of winning one of the two £50 vouchers we want to know what you’ve been up-to during the summer holidays or how you usually choose to relax.

It’s dead easy to enter, just tweet us a photo or video, post to our Facebook page or simply tell us on a tweet or a comment. Only send videos if you are OK to share your kiddies or photos on public social media channels.

The closing date is Friday 29th September 2017.

It’s free to enter; all you have to do is follow us on our Harrington Brooks Twitter account or like us on our Harrington Brooks Facebook page, then tell us what you’ve been up to OR how you choose to relax.

The winner will be chosen by an independent person(s) from the entries that we receive prior to the closing date of Friday 29th September 2017.

Terms & conditions apply.

Follow us on our Harrington Brooks Facebook page and/or our Twitter account and then tell us what you’ve been doing this summer – it’s that simple.

The opening date is Tuesday 12th September 2017 and the closing date is 4pm (GMT) Friday 29th September 2017, so get your school holiday fun into us by then.

Good Luck!

Here are our social media channels where you will need to send your entries to: www.facebook.com/harringtonbrooks or www.twitter.com/harringtonbks

Terms and Conditions:

Prize: We’re giving away two £50 vouchers to two lucky winners in our September competition.

How to enter:

1. To enter and be eligible to win, tell us what you’ve been up to this summer or how you choose to relax. Entries must be posted on either our Harrington Brooks Facebook page or on a tweet to our Harrington Brooks Twitter account. Entrants must also follow us before the closing date of 4pm (GMT) Friday 29th September 2017.

2. The channels you must use are www.facebook.com/harringtonbrooks or www.twitter.com/harringtonbks

3. The opening date is Tuesday 12th September 2017 and the closing date is 4pm (GMT) Friday 29th September 2017.

4. The winner will be chosen by an independent person(s) from the qualifying entries that are received by Friday 29th September.

5. The winner will be notified via social media by Monday 2nd October 2017 at the latest.

6. The winning entry must comply with the terms and conditions. No entry may contain unlawful, obscene or objectionable material.

7. The winner will receive the prize, as described above; there are two prizes in total – one per winner. The winner will be able to choose what type/ the supplier/ brand of £50 voucher he or she would like, subject to availability. The terms and conditions relating to the provider of the chosen voucher also apply.

8. The prize, as stated, is not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives will be offered.

9. If the winner fails to respond / contact us by Monday 2nd October 2017 or fails to claim his/her prize or if a winner fails to comply with these terms and conditions, such winner will be considered to have forfeited the prize.

10. The winner’s details and winning question will be published on all One Advice Group social media accounts and website(s).

11. Employees of The One Advice Group directly involved with this competition and their immediate families or those living in the same household of each such employee are not eligible to enter this prize.

12. This competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. Winners may be asked to verify their age and address.

13. The entrant agrees that The One Advice Group shall not be liable for any failure for the usage of the prize once they are received by the winners.

14. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the Parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

15. The promoter of this competition is The One Advice Group, which incorporates HB Financial Solutions Ltd, trading as Harrington Brooks, Jackson House, Sibson Road, Sale, Manchester M33 7RR.

The post A Back to School Treat – for Parents and Carers! appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

The review is now calling for evidence to support its research. This should mean companies can share ideas about the current picture of the debt advice sector. And hopefully, it will also mean more funding and support for those struggling with debt.

Let’s take a look at how this independent debt advice funding review can help those with money issues.

What is the debt advice funding review?

The independent review is necessary because the current debt advice sector is coming under pressure. MAS wants to ensure that those who need help can receive it – and it gets the proper funding.

It will look at:

• how much debt advice is currently needed and what will be needed in the future,
• what it will cost,
• how the debt advice sector should receive funding and where this help should come from,
• the current debt advice funding model and what could change, and
• how the debt advice sector should implement any necessary changes.

This new call for evidence means that anyone who has insight into how debt advice is currently provided can share what they know. This should make for a collaborative piece of work – and means that the right people get a say on what needs to change.

The report and any recommendations from it will be present by July 2018.

What could this mean for people in debt?

Hopefully, this review mean that the debt advice sector gets the funding it needs to support all people in debt. Looking at relevant evidence should also mean that the facts back up any suggestions for changes.

The debt advice funding review comes after MAS found that one in six in the UK is at risk of crisis debt, but less than one in five actually seeks advice. This shows it’s important that the review also considers any barriers to getting help for money issues.

It’s important that no one with debt issues suffers in silence and that the debt advice sector receives enough funding to deal with this. This should mean that everyone can get help who needs it – and that financially vulnerable people don’t have to struggle alone.

The post Independent debt advice funding review: What it means for you appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

Update as of November 2017 –
Please note: we are no longer running the Refer a Friend scheme.

If you know someone who needs help to take control of their unsecured debts, we might be able to help. And if you refer a friend to us you could get £100 in Tesco vouchers.*

You can ask them to get in touch with us and mention that you’ve sent them. Or if you’d prefer, you can pass their details straight to us and we’ll call then at a convenient time. If they start a solution with us, we’ll send you £100 in Tesco vouchers.

Want to find out more about how our Refer a Friend scheme works? Read more to find out everything you’ll need to know.

How Refer a Friend works

Our Refer a Friend scheme lets you put us in touch with someone you know who might need help to manage their debts. Whether it’s a friend or family member who’s having problems keeping up with their debts, we might be able to help them.

If your friend is looking for some support with their debts, ask them to give us a call on 0800 048 1764 or 0330 102 0165. When they speak to us, make sure they tell us that you’ve put them in touch with us. This means we’ll be able to pay out your Tesco vouchers if we manage to help them.

You can also get in touch with us on your friend’s behalf. If you refer them to us using the form below, we can give them a call back and see what we can do to help.

You’ll just need to give us a few of your friend’s details – their name and telephone number. Tell us a bit about them so we know what their situation is.

We’ll also need your details too so we can make sure you’re already a customer. Just tell us your name, your client reference number and your postcode. This will help us identify you as a current customer.

Of course, it’s important to make sure you have your friend or family member’s permission before you send their details to us. Speak to the person who you’re referring and make sure they’re happy for you to put us in touch.

When will you get your Tesco vouchers?

If your friend is getting in touch with us themselves, make sure they give us your details. That way, we’ll be able to pay out your Tesco vouchers if they become a customer.

You’ll only get your £100 Tesco vouchers when your friend makes their first payment into their financial management plan or has their IVA proposal approved.

When this has happened, you’ll be able to claim your Tesco vouchers.

And you don’t need to stop there. If you know a few people who could benefit from our help, you can refer a friend as many times as you want, each time we will say thank you with £100 of Tesco vouchers.

The post Refer a friend: You could get £100 in Tesco vouchers appeared first on Harrington Brooks.

An Amazon Echo Dot has the ability to help reduce your household bills by turning off the heating and they can also set a timer to make sure you cook the Sunday roast absolutely perfect.

They’ve also got the capability to play Spotify, Pandora or even stream the local radio for free.

Another cool feature of the Echo Dot is the ability to plug into your car and help check warning lights, battery charge, service interval and other useful stuff.

We’ve got another one of these Amazon Echo Dots to giveaway and to be in with a chance of winning, we want to know what you would ask Amazon Echo Dot to do to help save you money.

It’s free to enter; all you have to do is follow us on our Harrington Brooks Twitter Account or like us our Harrington Brooks Facebook Page. Then tell us what question you would ask Amazon Echo Dot to save you money.

Terms & conditions apply.

The winner will be chosen by an independent panel from all the qualifying entries that we receive by Friday 25^th August 2017.

Here’s what to do:

Follow us on our Harrington Brooks Facebook page and/or Twitter page and then tell us what question you would ask Amazon Echo to save you money.

The opening date is 12pm (GMT) Wednesday 16^th August 2017 and the closing date is 4pm (GMT) Friday 25^th August 2017 so get your question into us by then.

Good Luck!

 Here’s our social media channels where you will need to send your chosen activity to: www.facebook.com/harringtonbrooks or www.twitter.com/harringtonbks

The post Another Amazon Echo Dot Giveaway appeared first on Harrington Brooks.