I'd been in a Debt management plan (DMP) with Bright Oak for approximately 5 years up to the end of October 2015. Firstly I'd like to say Bright Oak are a fantastic company and Phil Corfield turned out to be a night in shining armor! to whom I'm very grateful to, please read on.

So after 5 years on my DMP, I felt like I was plodding along getting nowhere fast, in fact my last statement quoted 9.5 years till I would be debt free. So it didn't take much persuading when I received a call from a company called Solutions Scotland, offering me a Trust Deed as the answer. I was led to believe that as the name indicates I was going to be dealt totally by a Scottish company, this meant a lot to me.

So on agreeing to let them give it a try, they sent me out a mountain of paperwork via a local courier type person. The paper work was covered with post note arrow heads pointing to the relevant places to sign. I got no home visit from anyone at Solutions Scotland, at this time I didn't know anything different, why should I. I thought at the time this was the norm. These people who come to your door can't answer any of your concerns they just want you to sign the forms. The paper work reaches Solution Scotland at lightening pace, everything accelerates very quickly from here on in. The next time I spoke to the representative at Solution Scotland he told me he had it all in hand, and I should be hearing real soon if I'd been accepted for a Trust Deed proposal.

It was at this point I sent an e-mail to Bright Oak to inform them, I planned to cancel my DMP and go down the Trust Deed route.

Right enough a night or two later, I received the call I'd been waiting on. Yes it was to do with my Trust Deed, but it wasn't from Solutions Scotland, it was from a company called Knightsbridge Insolvency based out of Manchester England. Remembering I thought I was dealing with a Scottish company, this was a bit of a shock. So right after this call, I called Solutions Scotland.

So now I find out the truth! yes they're a Scottish company, but people please beware Solutions Scotland are a go between. The hook you, get your details then sell it onto anybody they can. They will only ever see a handling fee. Then your signed up to A.N.Other. And you certainly don't get a home visit to explain anything.

As it turned out Knightsbridge Insolvency informed me they couldn't help me at this time. As the figures Solution Scotland were proposing to get for me, where unrealistic. On informing Solutions Scotland, Knightsbridge had called and informed me they couldn't help. I was told oh we usually get knocked back on the first attempt. And he then told me they would have to hide some of my expenditure here and a bit they're, then resubmit it.

My lucky escape occurred when Phil Corfield at Bright Oak was made aware of my plans. He called me out of concern, and when I relaid the above to him, he advised me that if I had spoken to him first he had contacts he could put me onto that would offer an excellent professional service. And to kill all communications with both Knightsbridge and Solutions Scotland, which I dually did.

Phil then introduced me to David Tannock from Wylie Bisset, he's a Trust Deed Advisor on this forum. On our introduction he immediately confirmed I'd had a lucky escape. He arranged our first meeting where he came to our house. He was extremely helpful, very professional and explained all our options, and not just for a Trust Deed. After agreeing we wanted to go down the Trust Deed route he got our signatures and started the ball rolling. From our first meeting till I got my confirmation today that my Trust Deed was now protected, has taken approximately two months.

So many thanks firstly to Phil Corfield at Bright Oak and also to David Tannock at Wylie Bisset who I can't recommend highly enough, for his advice and guidance a real credit to his company Wylie Bisset. My First payment was made today 47 to go till debt free!