FLA Reviews 2

‘… you may buy with confidence from firms which are full members of the FLA’ - FLA’s Lending Code.

The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) is another ‘private company limited by guarantee’ which I approached over the mis-selling of a caravan by Bourne Leisure with finance from FLA member, Black Horse. Below is an email trail of how I got on.

Email to Mr Haddrill, Director General of FLA, 13th August 2020:-

‘Please find below the email I have sent to Mr Richard Jones, MD of Black Horse Finance along with the attached pdf. As the DG of the FLA it may prove a bit difficult for you to deal with a complaint issued against the FLA's Chairman but I feel it would be good for a fresh set of eyes to look at this matter and please let me know what you think and what the FLA can do about what has occurred.’

The above mentioned email to Mr Jones, 13th August 2020:-

‘It is now over a week since my email to you dated 3rd August and to date I have not received any acknowledgment ... This is not the first occurrence of this failing on your part as you did not reply to the email sent 26th November 2019, therefore I am making a formal complaint about this situation.

‘Furthermore, I am concerned that although your company spent over £43,000.00 in legal fees fending off our claim of £4,370.00 there are several issues unresolved concerning the financing of a caravan purchase in June 2013. The contents of my previous email highlighted those issues … Please acknowledge receipt of this email and advise me as to what action you will now take to remedy this situation…’

Reply from FLA 17th August, 2020:-

‘Thank you for your recent email to Stephen Haddrill, attaching a copy of your recent complaint to Blackhorse Limited. Mr Haddrill has asked me to reply on his behalf.

‘The FLA no longer offers a Conciliation Scheme and therefore any customer wishing to bring a complaint should use the lender’s complaints scheme. We are unable to comment on individual complaints. Your correspondence indicates that you have already commenced the complaints process.’

Email to DG 17th August 2020:-

‘Further to my email of 13th August and Ms …’s response of today' date I thought you and the FLA ought to be aware of the depth of concerns we have regarding Black Horse Finance's involvement and cover-up of wrong doing in the sale of a caravan on hire purchase to us in June 2013 …

‘I am not looking to the FLA for conciliation but I do expect it to investigate these wrong doings. At the foot of a letter from Black Horse to us dated 17th June 2013 appears the following statement:-

“As a member of the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) we support and fully comply with their Lending Code, which covers the way we will work with you.”

‘What is the point of putting the above in a letter if the FLA refuses to investigate potential breaches of its Lending Code when it is presented with such blatant allegations of malfeasance committed by a member of your Association? Surely Black Horse must have breached your Code in some form or other?

‘I trust you will give this matter your serious attention and please let me know whether the FLA's Lending Code plays any role at all in preventing companies like Black Horse Limited from treating people like us so wrongfully.’

Reply from FLA, 26th August 2020:-

‘Thank you for your email of 17 August 2020, together with the attached documentation.

‘While we are unable to comment on individual firms, we welcome feedback on matters relating to the FLA Lending Code and compliance with its provisions and note your comments in this regard. The Code does not specifically cover your issue and if you would like to bring a complaint this should be done via the lender’s internal complaints scheme. This is our final response on this matter.’

Email to FLA 27th August, 2020:-

‘Thank you for your recent email explaining that the appalling way we have been dealt with by one of the FLA's members, Black Horse Finance (BHF), is not specifically covered by its Code. I hope the fact that your Chairman, Mr Jones, is also the DG of BHF is not a factor influencing the FLA's handling of this matter, but only time will tell.

‘Please find attached article which outlines how Black Horse abused its power by engaging expensive solicitors and a barrister to protect itself against a very small claim. Please let me know if anything in this article actually breaches the FLA Code. If BHF has not done any wrong relative to the Code perhaps the time has come for it to be revised and made more comprehensive to include such blatant abuses of power.’

NO REPLY