Direct Debt Advice

Distance Selling Regulations

Direct Debt Advice complies with Distance Selling Regulations and with the "Debt Management Guidance Notes" published by the OFT, which are available on their website: www.oft.gov.uk

What do the OFT Debt Management Guidelines say about distance selling?

'2.10......where the DMC operates by means of any distance communication it must comply with the regulations in the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 to provide (among other things) certain information to the consumer before the contract is concluded. In particular the consumer must be told that it has a cooling-off period of seven days during which the contract may be cancelled......'

What do the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 say?

'3.23......if you give your consumer the required written information on or before the day the contract is concluded, their cancellation rights will last for seven working days, counting from the day after the contract was concluded, or

If the required written information is provided after the contract is concluded but within three months (beginning on the day after the contract was concluded), cancellation rights will last for seven working days after the information is received.'

What does that mean for me?

This means that you have a cooling-off period of seven days, within which you can request a refund. You will fall into one of the following two scenarios:

I made my first payment after receiving written information.
Your first day will be classed as the day you made your initial payment.

I made my first payment before receiving written information.
Regardless of your initial payment date, the seven days will start from the day you received your information pack.

Complaints

If you wish to make a formal complaint you must set it out in writing to:

Direct Debt Advice (Complaints)
Seymour House
30-34 Muspole Street
Norwich
Nr3 1DJ

How we will deal with your complaint.

We aim to resolve your complaint as soon as possible. Sometimes things take a little more time. Please find below the process that Direct Debt Advice will adhere to respond to your query.

Within 5 Days of Receipt of Your Complaint You Will Receive From Us:
An acknowledgement letter to let you know that your complaint is being dealt with.

Within 4 Weeks You Will Receive From Us:
If the complaint is still being investigated within 4 weeks of receipt, we are obliged to send you a further response to let you know what is happening. This letter should detail either:

The reasons why more time is required to investigate your response but you should expect to receive a final response within another 4 weeks.

or

The final response from us. This will include the findings from our investigation and details of any compensation if appropriate.

Within 8 Weeks You Will Receive From Us:
Within 8 weeks of receiving your complaint we are obliged to have fully investigated it and provide you with the details of our findings, and details of any compensation that we think you would be due; in other words our Final Response. Hopefully this would be a mutually satisfactory response.

We will maintain contact with you throughout the process, and during this period, feel free to contact the Managing Director if you have any queries.

If you are not satisfied with our final response you may be eligible to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service, details of which will be provided at that time.

Further information from 'The insolvency service' is also available here.