To be honest, the company I went with hasn't had the best of press if you google them. They were fine with me throughout the process. Like Charlie said, I did what they asked of me, when they asked and I kept in touch with them on anything I wasn't sure of. Even the dreaded PPI letter was sorted with a phone call and a discussion. As TDA says, negative reports will come up more than positive. Sometimes the negative reports will be because some aspect of the process hasn't been followed properly from either side.

One thing though, incase it hasn't been said. It would have been so easy for Mark to name and shame the firm involved who gave bad advice. It shows professionalism that he didn't. That's what I'd be looking for if I was about to enter this kind of arrangement.

That's really interesting feedback as well gillian. Sometimes when we read criticism about firms here (and in other places) it's probably worth remembering that there will be a largely silent majority of clients who are pretty happy with how things are going.

Maintaining good lines of communication, as you and Charlie1958 have emphasised, seems to be one of the best ways to make sure everything goes well.

The other is the mantra we keep coming back to, at the start of the process, to have a face-to-face meeting where you ask loads of questions and request written confirmation on important points before signing anything.

It seems likely that some legislation will need to evolve. The numbers affected are growing and the results of poor advice are far-reaching for the trusting and desperate.

Mark-too late for this week's time wasted but..
After spending too many hour long round trips and half hour's hanging about in an empty property, I now ask for a confirmation text a half hour before their appointment. If someone gets busy, forgets or has an emergency, they won't text and I won't leave for the appointment. Timewasters are unlikely to go to the bother of sending you a text if they don't intend to turn up. For those who want to meet with you, it is not a lot to ask and has never been a problem for those who want your help,or in my case view a property.

What a rubbish day Mark! Don't get why people can't jusy have a bit of common curtesy and call in if they can't be there for the meeting. Awful.

As for the info those people were given it just goes to show how much false information is out there doesn't it. However, my husbands trustee takes my benefits in to account when calculating how much he has to pay. They take the household income and then all the outgoing items for the whole house and what's left they take and that includes my esa (employment support allowance payments). My little one is prob going to be in receipt of dla soon and I worry that they will also take this money too.

Hi gillianr2.

Obviously your concerns about how you have been treated in general are well documented on your previous posts. It is normal for all sources of household income to be looked at when working out a trust deed contribution though. Having said that, I'd have thought that a proportion of the household disposable income would normally be allocated to you rather than it all being due to your husbands trust deed.

Im not working though so I guess I don't have any disposable income.

Yes, but your benefits do form a part of the income that generates the household disposable income. I'd have thought it wouldn't necessarily be appropriate for the full household disposable income to be taken into a trust deed for one person in such circumstances.

I think the problem is that I was working at the beginning of the trust deed and then had to give up work with a heart problem, at the start of the trust deed I did have an income form working so they just took all the households income and expenditure in to account and whatever was left they said was the payment to the trust deed. At that time there was just over £300 a month so they said that my husband was to pay £150 a month towards his trust deed and I was to pay £150 towards the car equity plus £13 month for the equity in the house should there be any at the end of the trust deed (which there wasnt and wont be). Then I had to give up work so my payment was stopped altogether, now my husband pays £201 month towards his trust deed and it will be extended in Sept for 2yrs for him to pay the amount for the car instead. When they send the income and expenditure sheets every 6mths they ask for the full household income and expenditure and what's left is the payment. They kow we can't afford £201 a month but say unless we pay this they will discharge him with his debts and he will be left with the full debt again so they know we have to make the income and exp so it comes out at £201.

I do hope the couple who decided not to accommodate Mark had a valid excuse for not doing so, but if not I feel you have just missed out on what could have been a hugely important meeting which potentially might have changed your life. My wife and I met with Mr McFadyen last Monday and I can honestly say, without trying to turn this into a competition, I have yet to meet a more genuine and likeable man! I know others on this forum have dealt with Mark and his company and indeed others again have dealt with similar companies who share his profession. I found myself pouring my heart out to this guy who I have never met in my life before and for me that is really something! I do believe, even in my very short time of involvement, that this forum is the ONLY route to go down if you are having problems. I have no intentions of patronising in any way so suffice to say I feel a whole lot better today than I did a week or so ago. I'm so glad I found this forum: EVERYONE had been SO supportive: from Kelly to TDA, to Maria and of course Mark. I just had to write this I do hope I haven't embarassed you...my face is a little red however!! Thank You.

Really glad to hear we could help Toby, and that things are going in a direction you are happy with.

There are a couple of red faces here too! Thanks for your kind words.

Ha Ha! Sorry TDA ! Didn't mean to embarass you....! But if I did....well you all deserve the odd pat on the back: it's all very well going flat out and helping people with some wonderful advice, but now and again us mere mortals need to let you know we ARE grateful!

Jeez! Talk about a red face. Compliment is very much appreciated.

That said, your coffee was the best i've had for a long long time.

Mark

I feel your shock, Mark.

Unfortunately, I have seen many examples of that type of advice. And the outcome for the people who took it. So, although it still shocks me, it's more on the level of 'not again', rather than 'I didn't believe this kind of thing could happen'.

You have told us the story of one lucky couple who had the opportunity to get proper advice, and the correct information.

I'm very thankful on their behalf. But I know that lots of people are 'sold' a trust deed when it's not the right option for them (and the 'selling' is based on nonsense).

Unfortunately, most of those people don't find out what has happened to them until they are struggling, or until they have paid what they can to the trust deed, but don't get discharged from their debts because they are deemed to have 'failed to meet the conditions'. Even when the 'conditions' were unattainable from the start.

Having said all of that, it is very heartening to find a forum about trust deeds which does put forward an ethical approach to them. I don't always see that.

More power to your ethics.

Welcome to the forum candlewick and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

We do hope that this forum can play a small part in helping people to find real information that they can use to make educated decisions.

Every time we see somoneone write here about having avoided the clutches of a salesman with no competence or conscience it's really satisfying.
Sadly, it's often not long afterwards that we hear from someone that hasn't had the same fortune.

Thanks for the welcome, TDA - I've been a 'lurker' for a while.

And - against all the odds - you've managed to convince this cynical old heart that you are not part of the huge band of people (including IPs) who will put anyone and everyone into a trust deed because it's the best option for the referral company/IP.

Of course, since you don't know me, or what I have seen, you have no idea just how huge an achievement that is![:D]

I do like this site, and I will try not to 'name and shame' the companies/IPs I have in mind - no matter how great the temptation.[;)]