I think you are likely to see negative reviews about every insolvency practitioner firm out there to be honest, Hoopsah. It's the nature of the job that sometimes a trustee has to make difficult decisions in order to fulfil their obligations under the law, which inevitably some clients disagree with.

Positive feedback is much harder-won, so maybe it is best to look to see how much of that there is too?

Of course Kevin, wasn't trying to bad mouth anyone but get myself a bit worried when I look on-line and there are a score of complaints about someone giving advice.

Still doing homework!!

Hi Hoopsah,

Like Kevin has advised, from time to time there will be negative reviews of any business and the nature of the job that Insolvency Practitioners do can unfortunately result in negative reviews. Selling a property for example under a Sequestration is never ideal and sometimes a client isn't willing to co-operate but the Trustee has a duty to realise the property for the benefit of creditors.

I think what you are referring to is an article on a website which my firm choose not to respond to. Other than that, I can't see any other negative reviews. On this website it has an article in relation to a case which we acted as agent for the Accountant in Bankruptcy and then within that article it has ÔÇ£anonymousÔÇØ posters who have suggested that they have experienced problems with my firm.

For data protection reasons I'm unable to discuss this case but wanted to try and expand a little on the article itself and also provide some general information regarding Sequestrations

Some back ground information first of all to Wylie Bisset LLP and the Accountant in Bankruptcy

In 2009 Wylie Bisset LLP were successful in tendering for a service provider contact to deal with the administration of Sequestration cases on behalf of the Accountant in Bankruptcy (Scottish Government). We secured 30% of this contract in 2009.

In 2013 when the contract went out to tender again, Wylie Bisset LLP were successful in securing 60% of this contract and as a result deal with approximately 1,800 new Sequestrations per year on behalf of the Accountant in Bankruptcy. I don't think we would have been successful in securing an increased amount of this contract if we have a large amount of complaints and were not handling the administration of cases appropriately.

From the article, it suggests that out of 3,703 cases that we have reportedly dealt with from 1 April 2009 to 27 July 2012 under our service provider contract with the Accountant in Bankruptcy, there have been only 18 cases that resulted in a complaint to the Accountant in Bankruptcy. It also points out that the complaints were not necessarily on the conduct of Wylie & Bisset or our administration of cases and included matters relating to the general bankruptcy process which is governed by legislation. I think that it's a very small % of cases which we handle have actually resulted in a formal complaint to the Accountant in Bankruptcy and especially given the nature of the work that Insolvency Practitioners have to do.

In terms of the cases we receive under our service provider contract, these cases have been allocated to us to deal with. When we receive these cases all we can receive sometimes is the name and address of an individual. It's then our job to try and trace that person, interview them, assess their asset position and to determine if they can afford to make a payment per month.

For some people, the Sequestration comes as a shock and they are not willing to co-operate. The Trustee still has a statutory requirement to carry out their job and this can sometimes rub people up the wrong way. I myself have had to appear before a sheriff numerous times and advise that a client hasn't co-operated and I've even questioned someone under oath before a sheriff to trace a very large and expensive asset. I didn't believe their version of what happened so took the matter further. I'll be honest, if you asked those clients for positive feedback on me or my firm they would have chased you but unfortunately it's our job to do things like this.

It's always advisable to do your own homework and check out any firm or advisor that you are going to be dealing with. For people that pre-select me or my firm to deal with their case they shouldn't experience any problems as up front they have an understanding of how things will work and what has been agreed.

As Kevin also said, positive feedback is harder to win and receive. The internet and forums generally attract people who haven't had a positive experience. Have a look on the forum, balance the positive reviews from real people who have used me and my firm against the anonymous reviews.

Hopefully this provides a little clarity and balance to the negative reviews that people may see about my firm.

I think it's always sensible to look around for the information that's available before making a big decision.

In this instance I'm not sure the article I'm aware of (I would assume it's the same one that Hoopsah and David are referring to) is a fair reflection as it stands.

It's referring to a sequestration contract which the public body concerned (the AIB) has since doubled and extended. In itself I'm sure that says something pretty positive. I'm sure everyone reading this forum can envisage how sequestration, and in particular sequestration that might have been forced by a creditor upon an individual, might result in conflict between an individual and their trustee.

There's been loads of praise for David and his colleagues on this forum from visitors that have used them to set up a trust deed. I can't remember a complaint.

Hoopsah - You must make the decision that's right for you taking into account what you've found out. I'm not trying to sway you towards this firm or any other. I just wanted to add my own thoughts to the thread given the direction that it has taken.

I had to have a look at those articles.

So many 'insiders', so few names. So much ignorance about the basics of bankruptcy. An entire article making a meal about getting a discharge certificate.

It all seemed to have more text effects than actual facts.

Would I use either of those sites as a basis for choosing a company? No.

Hi Hoopsah,

I know how confusing and stressful your situation may be, but remember that unlike some companies, none of recommended experts on this forum are chasing you for your business. You simply have the option to make contact with them should you wish to do so. I personally took great reassurance in discovering that the company that I had been referred to by a well known middle man company was listed as one of the recommended partners. Prior to that I was getting myself in to a right state as I had no idea as to what I had just done.

At the end of the day, these guys are offering some free advice on a public forum. It would be no benefit to them whatsoever to then provide a bad service to you as the first place that you would come too would be the forum. I suppose its not guaranteed, but at least its a little bit of comfort that you might not get elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

Ali

Hi

Thanks for all the reassurances.

I'm sorry if it came across as sniping, but I was actually surprised when I read the bad reviews as so much on this forum seemed positive.

Thanks again for the responses though.

There's nothing to be sorry about Hoopsah.

You asked fair questions based upon what you'd found.

The experts that post here understand that they may come under scrutiny and have accepted that by choosing to post here. In fact, you need to be pretty self-confident about your business to be prepared to post here in the first place.

As SkintAlly pointed out - if our experts were regularly letting down enquirers you'd be able to read about it all over this site.

Hi Hoopsah,

You didn't come across as sniping at all. It's positive that you are doing your own research into setting up a plan to help you deal with your debts. I'm a little surprised that it hasn't come up on the forum before now.

Customer service is key to the roll that I perform for the firm and it's a little different from our service provider contract with the Accountant in Bankruptcy and the cases that we deal with via that.