Due to the recent credit crunch my wife and I are experiencing financial difficulties and we found Churchwood Financial Limited on the internet.  We rang them and they took our details and sent us out an application form which we completed and telephoned them when this had been done. They then advised us that a gentleman would call on Thursday evening and collect all the papework, which he did.  We were then told to pay the £550 and we would then be assigned our own financial advisor.  I paid the money by debit card on the 2 March 2009,  this was duly taken from my account.  Since the money has been paid we have heard nothing from Churchwood about our case.  We had phone calls from about six or seven different people who knew nothing about our account i.e who our advisor was.  I have given my mobile details three times but they never had it when I did speak to anyone.  The people we spoke to have said we haven't received your information or some have said yes but that nothing has been done.  We even had a call from one member of staff saying congratulations you have been accepted for a loan, which we have never even applied for.  I have tried to ring them on numerous occasions but I am put on hold and them cut off.  My wife both faxed and wrote to them on the 6 March stating that due to the poor service we wished to cancel the contract and have our money returned but we have never heard from anyone.  My wife has written two letters to their complaints department but yet again have received no reply.  This company is a total waste of space and I would advise anyone never to use them as they just take your money and they never contact you again afterwards.

I contacted Churchwood on 23rd March to help sort out my finances as i was struggling with my debts.  They said they could help me and send out the forms.  I then sent them back ASAP as they said you got priority treatment if it was returned within 24 hours.  I then had to pay my first payment of £200 5 days later (27th Feb) to cover admin costs.  Thereafter i was to pay £200 a month to be distributed to my creditors.  In the last week of March (my payment was due to be distributed to my creditors on March 31st) one of my crediotrs contacted me.  I said Churchwood were dealing with my creditors and that they would recieve the first payment on 31st March. They said they hadn't even been contacted by them or been offered a payment.  I then contacted all my other creditors who also had not heard from Churchwood.  I sent an email to Churchwood letting them know i no longer wished to be represented by them as they hadn't done what they said they were going to do.  I don't know what they were going to do with my second payment of £200 as it wasn't going to my creditors thats for sure! I have written a letter to them today asking for my 1st payment back.

Received cold call from churchwood in Nov 2009, explaining DMP, I then asked them to send on details. Completed forms prior to xmas and returned them. Heard nothing for a couple of weeks rang them and they explained they did nothing until they received their fee. As I was keen to get something started with my creditors. I paid them £300 with my debit card. Next day I got my internet reconnected and typed in Churchwood scam, and low and behold, the internet was full off irrate clients. Rang CW the next day to cancel (7 day cool off), had to put it in writing etc. did that, and sent off letter. Rang previously available staff, now couldn't comment on cancellations/refunds procedure, only way to discuss was via email. Guess what, fee not refundable, seemingly my contract started the day of the cold call, ie Nov. Spoke to my creditors and CW had done nothing apart from a letter saying they would be acting on my behalf. Does this cost £300?, you can have a much better service from the CCCS free. I have not given up and have contacted the Debt Resolution Forum people, whom CW is a member. Seemingly this practice of fee taking is against their code of conduct, they are now trying to extract the money out of CW!. I will not give up, these people are unscrupulous and their license should be revoked. I am so glad I cancelled seemingly your problems only get worse when they start controlling/managing a debt management plan.

The story continues 20/02/2010, CW have sent numerous rude e-mails to me stating that they had carried out lots of work on my file, and under no circumstances would I get my money back.  The work story is untrue, checked with all creditors, the only work they had carried out was to send a pro forma letter of authority.  I have contacted the Financial Ombudsman they have just recorded the dates without the details and have been in contact with CW.  CW have 28 days to respond.  I will update this site when I receive their outcome.  I will not give up.  This is what CW want!.  Don't give up!.  I won't.