I've just been looking at your list of Debt collectors being linked to Building Societies, Banks etc. I've had some experience of dealing with Gregory Pennington. In fact I went to them because I was in and out of hospital and I thought it would be better if my debts (caused though having to leave work due to ill health - MS) where managed by someone outside the family. They were very. very bad. However, the main reason for the post is that they contacted me out of the blue at first with a lot of information about me that they could only have got from one of the credit reference agencies, ie how many loans I had applied for recently, and for how much. I got the distinct impression that they were notified after a set number of requests had been made and searches carried out. (I tried averything to get out of the hole my illness threw me into) I now discover that one of my son's is using them even though he's not in the same position I was. Strangely both of us have also got mortgages with Northern Rock. Both of us have found NR to be somewhat less than helpful!! Interesting don't you think?

Has anyone else had the same problems? All the best - Anne

-- Anne Veasey (anneveasey@btopenworld.com), February 21, 2002

Answers

It would appear that NR or this debt company have issued a credit check against you, and then deleted the "footprint" at the credit reference agency. But you do not make it clear if there is a record of such a credit check against you at the credit reference agency or not.

If you have obtained your credit reference reports from Experian and Equifax, and there is not a credit check from NR or the debt company, then I think you should complaint to the Information Commissioners and request an assessment. I know that the IC would be veyr interested in any instance of credit check footprints being deleted.

Good Luck, Harry

-- Harry Pearson (pearson_harry@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

test

-- test (assam_khan@hotmail.com), September 03, 2003.

I used Gregory Pennington because I was in serious debt, I found them to be friendly and approcachable, my debt where spiralling out of control, they freezed all the interest and in most cases reduced my debts by nearly half or more.

I think my it couldd have been a lot worse, Im so gratefull to Gregory Pennigton and there staff.

-- shirley (shaz_khan76@hotmail.com), September 03, 2003.

I've had no problems with Gregory pennington. In my opinion, they are a great and professional company who have helped me sort my finances out in a relatively short space of time. I was in heavy debt however the company managed to sort it all out making the monthly payments very flexible and manageable for me, the staff was very helpful and friendly. i have no regrets about approching the company.

-- Huma Babar (yumhum21@hotmail.com), September 03, 2003.

For anyone who hasnt heard of Gregory Pennington there's several mentions on the forum at www.debthelpuk.co.uk and in the archives you'll find many many complaints about people being in a worse position after using them. Payplan and CCCS offer the same service BUT they dont make any charge.

IMHO fee charging DMCs ought to be outlawed, specially after one of them shut shop and a large sum of customers money went with them.

-- sue (bradfordandbingley_suck@yahoo.co.uk), September 03, 2003.

Sue is RIGHT!

Why pay charges when you get the same service FREE!

-- fairer financial world (fairerfinancialworld@hotmail.com), September 03, 2003.

I had a look at debthelp.co.uk site I thik their is a lot of under hand stuff going on with that business. They basically parade as a debt help site but really they collect emails and sell them to companies or service their own needs.

Ulteria motive..hmmmmm

-- Steve (stevemorton@principalimage.com), September 04, 2003.

I've been reading the debthelp site for over 2 years and regularly post my email address and in all that time I've never had any spam to that address let alone contact from debt related services. The board used to have lots of spammers, specially the likes of those offering their "services" and promoting fee charging dmcs but that seems to have changed with the new software.

I'll be honest I don't have a problem with a site having advertising and/or links, if it wasnt for them I doubt that some sites would exist and many more people would continue to be ripped off.

Sue

-- Sue (bradfordandbingley_suck@yahoo.co.uk), September 04, 2003.

Both myself and my wife have been using Gregory Pennington for about a year now and I can honestly say they have done an excellent job in getting our financial lives back in order. We have paid off 2 of the debt which we sent to them, and we are well on the way to settling the othes. I would wholeheartedly reccomend their service to anyone suffering financial trouble. Thank You very much Greg Penn

-- Mark Macrae (m.macrae2@ntlworld.com), September 15, 2003.