Rentons Countrywide is an estate agency located in Stokesley. They also have a branch in Yarm…read more When we decided to sell our house last year, we asked three estate agents to come round and give us a valuation. Rentons were the first to come out. The man who came round was very friendly and very professional. He seemed really impressed with the property and gave me a really slick sales pitch. Since he was the first one who had come round I had nothing to compare it with, but I was very impressed. He basically convinced me that he had a list of people on his books just waiting for a property like mine, and that we should have no trouble at all in selling. He also valued the property at more than I expected. With the benefit of hindsight, I feel this was an unrealistic valuation, but I have to say he did come across as very professional, and I was very tempted to sign with him. Their fees were 2%, which was double what all the other estate agencies were asking. Again, with the benefit of hindsight, I think they get away with the high fees because they convince people their properties are worth more than they are. In the end we decided to use a different company, so I emailed the Rentons office to thank them for their time and explain that we had decided to use a different company. Despite this, I received a number of phonecalls from them over the next few months, repeatedly asking why we had decided to go with another company. This really annoyed me since I had already emailed them to explain, but the phonecalls kept coming!

This is one of the very many firms at the present time advertising to claim back mis-sold PPI. As…read morewith many others, this is a no win no fee firm who take all your information then do all the communicating and arranging for you. As I had been paying PPI on a credit card (which I never actually applied for) since the early 1980's, I thought it would be a good idea to claim. The story was that I originally had an Argos card, then Argos decided to stop using them. My account was transferred to Yorkshire Bank, which I thought was actually quite good, as I could use the card in more places. I didn't realise that they were charging me for PPI until the current media attention. Over the years, I have spent quite a bit of time in hospital for a couple of reasons never having my payments paid for me. After about six months of negotiations, CFC accepted the first offer from Yorkshire Bank, which entitled me to £58.25. CFC have since sent me an invoice for their fees of £41.65. I think the reason for my awarding two stars is fairly obvious! They did save me all the hassle of writing/telephoning, but the benefits don't seem to be too good.

I had been mis-sold PPI by Barclaycard. CFC initially wrote and told me that they had not been…read moreable to agree a settlement with Barclaycard and would send my claim to the fInancial ombudsman. That was in January 2012 then I heard nothing at all from them for 1 year and 7 months!! Not a dickie bird, and assumed my claim was dead in the water as far as they were concerned. Out of the blue I received a letter from Barclaycard to say they would pay up. Four days later I received a letter from CFC with an invoice for their cut! I actually had no evidence that they had done any work for me, aside sending off a form to Barclaycard. I had no copy letters or docs or anything at all and therefore no proof they'd actually undertakeN any work. I didn't pay up straight away (they basically send a very nasty threatening letter to you if you don't pay within 7 days). I asked by email for copies of correspondence etc but all I got was a very terse email saying I had signed a form saying they would act for me. No Dear Mrs or Regards at all. THIS IS A SCAM. They simply send off a form that you complete and then when they don't get any joy from the finance company then they send it to the financial ombudsman but they do nothing at all from that point forward and then if the FO agrees your claim, they want a cut of your money even although they didn't actually acquire the settlement for you and you receive nothing for the best part of 2 years. The FO do not even write to CFC - they write to the finance company that owe the PPI. Their letters are tantamount to demanding money with menaces or blackmail. They write and send a list of charges that will be added if you dont pay up and at the end of their letter, they say that if you would like to resolve the matter without resorting to racking up charges, then contact them immediately!! Either way - you have no proof they have done any work for you at all and they won't provide it but they want your money. DON'T TOUCH THEM WITH A BARGE POLE!