Baines and Ernst Debt Management Service www.bainesandernst.co.uk

I set up a DMP with this company several years ago. Initially the Lady I spoke to was very helpful. Then I was assigned a personal advisor. From the off she was rude and quite unprofessional in her approach. I complained to no avail. It wasn't until one of my creditors contacted me, did I find out that they had received no payments from B&E in the 6 or so months that I had been with them. I then decided to end my DMP and deal with the debt myself. Avoid companies who charge fees.

I went on to a Debt Management Plan with Baines and Ernst several years ago when my finances were out of control. They negotiated with my creditors to freeze interest and pay an affordable amount each month. Eventually, when I was in a position to settle my debts, Baines and Ernst settlement team were able to negotiate big reductions with almost all of my creditors (far more than I would ever have expected). They do charge a fee for settlement but it is certainly worthwhile and I would highly recommend Baines and Ernst for everything they have done to help me.

Under no circumstances should anyone consider employing B&E in any financial / debt consolidations matters..

These people took on a relations CC debt and put this person on their Debt Management scheme, with the promise that after my relation's death they would then freeze the remaining debt, interest free as my family secured to payoff the remaining debt on the sale of our relations property.

Baines and Ernst simply sold this debt onto a bereavement debt collecting agency who are calling us on a many times daily basis.

Thus this organization have collected a monthy fee (for 8 years) only to then sell this debt on, just like the councils do on failure to pay council tax...

You have been warned, DO NOT GO NEAR THESE PEOPLE

I don't usually write reviews but felt I had to write one this time round because of the situation I was in a year ago and the situation I'm in now.

Over the course of around 3 years, I managed to get myself into debt with a number of pay day loan companies. Where I owed so much out, I basically had to juggle between 4 companies in order to last the month. The turning point was when one of the companies wouldn't lend to me anymore so you can imagine the trouble that left me in.

I decided to search online for debt management companies and for some reason or another, picked Baines & Ernst from the many listed (I'd actually never heard of them before). The next morning, I had a call from a gentleman who asked me about my debt and then explained what their company could do. I was instantly impressed as the gentleman who called spoke with great calm and seemed to empathise greatly with my case (basically, I didn't feel like I was being judged whilst I was explaining how I'd manage to muck everything up!!!)

Since the first call, Baines & Ernst then took £286 every month from my account to divvy on to the separate loan companies. I must say, I was wary at first as I'd heard horror stories of dodgy companies and I was not certain that the loan companies had been contacted. I did receive some contact from the loan companies saying I hadn't paid at certain points but I forwarded on these correspondences to my B&E account liaison who dealt with these swiftly. What I imagine is that, where the loan companies are quite automated, they sent out these correspondences as standard.

To conclude, my debt is now all paid off and I am SO HAPPY for the help that Baines & Ernst gave me. Without their help, I'm not sure what state my finances would be in now. I know this sounds a bit clichéd but I would recommend Baines & Ernst to any of my friends/family that ever get into trouble and need help.

(I must also add, I am quite surprised by the negative reviews that have been posted on here but I can 100% confirm that I had none of the issues raised)

Braines & Ernst took £450 off me and they did not contact any of my creditors.

I have now lost £450 through this company I even emailed them 10 times to there customer complaint dept and they still haven't got back to me.

It been 10 months now since they took my money and they have not botherd to refund any of this money back to me.

I'm now going to issue a court summons and expose this company to the FCSC and Government watchdog

I contacted these guys to consolidate my debts, they told me what I needed to hear, then they arranged my monthly fees. Now I am getting court letters off my creditors (even though I joined the programme 3 months ago). I rang my creditors to find out what the problem was, and they haven't even been contacted by Gaines and Ernst, even though I have already paid out £500! Should you be put through to a guy, I will give you fair warning that this guy will set everything up for you as you request, then no payments will be made and he will stop responding to any emails and will definitely not return yours calls. Go to step change instead. They WILL help you. Thanks and good luck everyone.

I was in a sticky situation and needed help. I looked up a few companies on the internet and called B&E.

They talked me through what they do and how it works but only when I received the paperwork did I know their fee and how much I was actually paying off my debt and how much they were taking as a cut.

I feel completely lied to, yes they reduced my payments ( however, calls were still coming in from my companies as it was set up very badly). I even had to call 3 of the companies and get them to agree to the plan as B&E had sent a letter but nothing else.

Thanks to this company I actually ended up in more debt as I was still being charged interest (not what I was told on the phone by B&E), I was now stacking up late payment fees as B&E send they payments when they want and not when its actually due and I then had 3 CCJ on my account.

I am now in talks with a legal team and a judge to see if I can claim all the money I paid them back as they failed to keep to the contract they agreed and failed to do what they promised

PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GO NEAR THIS COMPANY.

Started with baines and Ernst in 2000 because i was having financial difficulties and didint want to not pay me debts so i went with baines and ernst as it was advertised on the telly. Debt started off at £34,000 then baines and ernst added an extra £10,000 on for their fees. Started off at £400 a month and then escalated to £600 a month, after 5 years I recieved a letter off baines and ernst stating that I owed £47,000 still, so i went to the CAB who discovered that £24,000 was unaccounted for, I was hounded with phone calls off bines and ernst saying to go back with them the letter was miss printed or something, went back with them for a further 2 year after 7 years recieved a letter off them stating that they wanted me to pay another £66,000 which would take 11 year at £6,000 a year I then stopped giving them money and went with a person who dealt in debt who i payed for 6 year a total of £18,000 to sort it out and 14 year later I have recieved a letter from the county courts I have been took to court off the lowell company off debt that started off at £800 and has now escalated to £3000 after paying a total of nearly £60,000 out over 13 year I am still being harrased, is anybody out there who can help or advise me what to do

I have been dealing with b&e for 3 years. Initially I never heard from anyone or appeared to have any problems with them paying my creditors until I received a statement from 1 saying I was in credit and checked my b&e statement and they were still paying them. I called them up and had very little help and was told they speak to creditors all the time and manage your account THIS IS NOT THE CASE. I decided to call the creditors myself and found out they hadn't been in contact for over 12 months. Why am I paying a management fee???????

I decided to give the company 1 more chance and carry on with my account.

This time I received a letter from a creditor stating that b&e had broken the terms of the agreement and they had not received any payment and were starting litigation proceedings. I called b&e and spoke to the most couldn't care agent. I explained what happened eventually got to a manager as I wasn't happy that yet again there appears to be any control or management over my account. They said they would call the creditors and resolve straight away.

The couldn't care agent called me back and said she was unable to get through as they were closed and had an answer phone message. I didn't trust her put the phone down and dialled the same number she did and got through to the creditors immediately. I decided to call the agent back to confirm she said the creditors were closed and she said this was the case when I questioned why I got through on the same number, she didn't offer to call them straight away instead argue with me. I asked for the same manager I spoke to 15 mins before and apparently they had now left and they have no management team or anyone senior on during the shift another lie.

This company are disgusting the way they treat customers and continuously lie to you. Would strongly recommend do not use and go to citizens advice

They just called me out of the blue, did not introduce themselves, only a Manchester number came up on my phone. The conversation went:

B&E - are you (my name)

Me - yes I am, who are you?

B&E - do you want any elp with your debts luv?

Me - no thank you. Who are you?

B&E - (yawned down the phone) ok then will call ya later

I dialled the number back to establish who was calling me and the person confirmed it was Baines & Ernst, I gave them a summary of the above call. The man Proceeded to tell me that they were a professional company etc etc with so much speed he could hardly have breathed, but could not tell me the complaint to dept number..... Too much..!!

If I did need help I would not goto them, and given some of the reviews about their fees that kind of seals it.