Posts Tagged ‘short term loan’

NACFB Exclusive special offer

July 23rd, 2010

Masthaven Bridging Finance is delighted to be able to offer NACFB members an exclusive special offer.

As proud patrons of the NACFB we want to support members of an organisation that works as hard as we do to provide help, support and assistance to brokers and intermediaries in what is still a very difficult industry.

For a 2 month period (starting 1st June 2010) Masthaven is REFUNDING ALL VALUATION COSTS upon completion of all first charge bridging loans.

On larger value properties this could be as much as £2,000.

Just think what you can do with this extra income……

You could give a full refund to the client, and therefore advertise FREE VALUATIONS to your clients.

You could give a half refund to your clients whereby you still get an extra commission, but you could advertise HALF PRICE VALUATIONS to your client bank.

Or of course, you could keep the whole extra commission yourself.

Call Richard Deacon now on 0207 6434164 or email directly richard.deacon@masthaven.co.uk and start earning that extra commission.

Misleading debt management firm rapped by OFT

July 19th, 2010

The OFT has imposed requirements on a debt management company, Carefree Group Ltd, in respect of its advertising of debt management services.

The requirements also apply to an associated licensee, trading as Carefree Debt Solutions, and cover all types of advertising, including websites.

As a result of the requirements the OFT has imposed, Carefree Group Ltd’s advertising and promotional materials must not claim or imply that the service is free if a fee is payable at any stage and include details of all fees prominently in the advertisement

The firm has also been banned from claiming or implying that savings will be made by rescheduling debts, without making it equally clear that this will lead to an increase in the sum to be repaid and the length of the repayment period.

Carefree has also come under fire for stating that it could guarantee a favourable outcome when negotiating with creditors

The OFT also ruled that it could not claim that the debtor will be debt free in a certain period of time without explaining the adverse consequences on a consumer’s credit rating, and that Carefree Group must explain all of the advantages and disadvantages of each debt solution when providing advice to the consumer.

The West Yorkshire-based company, whose website is currently under construction, does not appear to be too notorious on consumer forums, although one consumer called Linda posting on iva.co.uk branded the group “rude”, writing: “Received a phone call from these people when I got home from work, I think they have been mentioned before. It was very unprofessional and I was also very annoyed as he said, ‘Is that Linda?’, when I replied he said he was from the Carefree Group and he was calling about my IVA.

“I put the phone down on him but felt very angry as I could have been anybody on the phone. How about data protection?”

Ray Watson, Director of the OFT’s Consumer Credit Group said: “The OFT will not hesitate to take action against any debt management business which uses material that misleads consumers. The requirements imposed on Carefree Group Ltd will ensure that the company’s advertising will not in future contain claims that are inaccurate. We will monitor these requirements closely and take further action if necessary.”

Masthaven is a competitive and quick way to meet your bridgingm loan needs.

Bad management blamed for 56% of corporate insolvencies

July 19th, 2010

Incompetence or bad management of company directors causes 56% of corporate failures, while nearly 40% of businesses could have been saved if professional advice had been sought earlier, according to a poll of insolvency experts carried out by insolvency trade body R3.

Commenting on the results of the poll, R3’s President Steven Law said: “Regardless of the economic circumstance, no business will survive with poor management in place. I have seen a good workforce let down and sometimes laid off due to management which do not admit and correct their mistakes.”

R3’s research also reveals that a further 60% of insolvency practitioners think the UK’s insolvency regime is overly forgiving towards directors who fail and over half think all directors should receive mandatory financial education before they even open a business.

However, R3 members believe there are some lessons that can be learnt from the experience as 74% of insolvency practitioners believe corporate failure can drive directors to be more successful. A staggering 84% of IPs also believe it can heighten business acumen.

Steven Law added: “For some directors, the experience of failure can clearly drive them onto greater successes, but I would share concerns that the current regime is, if anything, too forgiving to directors who have failed. Clearly it would not be practical to educate every director before they are appointed, but there must be enough checks and balances to ensure that directors of failed companies should not put creditors and jobs at risk if they are allowed to repeat their mistakes.”

Melanie Giles, insolvency expert and director at Philip Gill & Co, agreed with the findings of the poll, saying: “In my experience, it is the inability of management to adapt to changing marketplaces, coupled with an inability to explore new opportunities, which is a leading contributor to corporate failure.  This is particularly apparent in owner/managed or traditional family businesses, where directors refuse to acknowledge or adapt to change – often at the expense of profit, and ultimately creditors and employees.

“Business failure is said to be part of an ongoing education which can add strength to managers and directors in new ventures – and it is clear that hard lessons can be learned at the coalface, which will benefit a resurrected or new-styled venture. This must be balanced, however, with harsher penalties and closer ongoing monitoring of repeat offenders.”

Masthaven is a competitive and quick way to meet your bridgingm loan needs.

Secret millionaire sued by little brother over property sale

July 19th, 2010

One of the most generous secret millionaires from the Channel 4 programme of the same name – who during one episode gave away £155,000 of his own money – is being sued by his younger brother over £15,000 allegedly owed to him from the sale of their mother’s home.

John Griffin, who founded London’s largest taxi firm Addison Lee in 1975, was taken to Central London County Court this week by his brother, Michael Griffin, a fifty-three-year-old out of work actor from New Barnet.

According to the younger sibling, his sixty-eight-year-old brother, who is estimated to be worth £50 million, cut him out of the profit made when their mother’s home was sold in 2004.

The house had been left to them and three other siblings after their mother died in 1998. However, at the time the family home was occupied by their sister, Eileen, who had recently gone bankrupt, and to aid the selling of the property the deed was signed over to John, who gave each heir £19,200.

The house was sold in 2004, after Eileen had been evicted by the trustees of her bankruptcy, and John gave each of the siblings £15,000 from the sale, each except Michael, and now Michael is demanding his share of the money.

He told the court: ““There’s been a massive tear in our family. It’s signified by John’s inability to consider or pay put what I believe to be my share of my mother’s estate.

“My brother has a great resentment towards me and this is clearly suggested by his lack of willingness to help me in my life and the fact he has spent more money on solicitors and legal representatives than he even owes me.”

John claims he withheld Michael’s share of the profit because he had heard from mutual friends that he had been mixed up in drugs. He said: “I’m not a fan of your activities across the board. I’m not a fan of people [who] do not ever work. I’m a hard working person.

“What I find in you is a million miles away from where I stand.”

He added: “I have no legal obligation to give you any extra money, I’m doing it as an act of largesse. I think this reasonably reflects my late mother’s intentions in handing out her will.

“Life’s not about handouts and freebies. Until you have met my requirements I will not pay you any money.”

The case continues.

Masthaven is a competitive and quick way to meet your short term loan needs.

Bankrupt advisor denies defrauding clients out of £1.2m

July 2nd, 2010

A court has heard how a North London businessman allegedly conned clients into giving him £1.2 million for “bogus property investments”.

Dipak Patel, 50, from Wembley, North London appeared before Harrow Crown Court where he denied five counts of fraud.

The advisor, declared bankrupt in 2008, has been accused of pressurizing five clients into letting him invest their money in the housing market, telling them that the opportunity would disappear if they hesitated too much.

None of the five victims ever saw their money again, and when they asked where the “huge returns” they had been promised were Patel avoided their calls, or asked for more money, telling them that he had re-invested the profit.

Two of the victims, Mr Alan Wilson and his wife, are thought to have lost over £1 million that they claim to have given Patel.

Two business partners apparently gave £155,000 between them, according to local news site, Harrow Times.

Andrew Evans, prosecuting, said: “Mr Patel received substantial sums of money from clients who paid or loaned him these monies, in order for him to invest them on their behalf on various property developments, both in the UK and abroad.

“However, none of these monies were in fact invested as the defendant claimed they would be.”

The trial continues.

Masthaven is a competitive and quick way to meet your bridging loan needs.