Before December 2015 Swift Sterling, Pounds Till Payday and My Money Partner were trading names of Northway Financial Corporation Limited, a Maltese company.
In 2016 these brand names were bought by a UK company called MMP which went into administration in December 2019.
When were your loans? This affects who to complain to
If your loans were before December 2015
Then you need to complain to Northway about them. If that doesn’t resolve your complaint you can’t go to the UK Financial Ombudsman, you have to go to the Maltese authorities.
The Financial Ombudsman won’t look at complaints about loans from the Maltese lender
The comments below show how other people have got on. SoO far as I am aware, these complaints are now being rejected as too old (“time-barred”) in Malta.
No-one has received a refund or a write off since mid 2019.
If your loans were after December 2015
This is NOT the right page for you, it only covers complaints about the earlier Maltese lender.
Your complaint is a normal payday loan affordability complaint in the UK.
You would have been able to go to the UK Financial Ombudsman, but now MMP is in administration, all claims have to be sent to the administrators using the Claims Portal.
All questions about the administration and these later loans should be asked on the main payday loan refund page.
Why can’t you take these complaints to the Financial Ombudsman?
Both Swift Sterling’s and Pounds Till Payday’s websites said in 2015 in their Complaints Procedures:
“At this stage, if you are dissatisfied with the delay or we have not been able to sort out your complaint to your satisfaction, you can escalate your complaint to an external body (see below).
Step 3 – If you remain dissatisfied
It is important that you give us the opportunity of addressing your concerns first before escalating your complaint as they will only consider your complaint after we have had the opportunity to sort out the matter under our internal complaints process.
You may ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to review your complaint. You should contact the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of receiving our final response letter. Their details are below: [full address and email details for the UK Financial Ombudsman]”
One reader has received the following reply from the Financial Ombudsman:
“Unfortunately Pounds till Payday don’t have offices in the UK and as a result we are still unable to look at complaints about them. As you said below, their offices are based in Malta and they are regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. I’m sorry their website seems to suggest otherwise… I agree this is misleading borrowers.“
So if you wanted to complain that one of these lenders gave you a loan that was unaffordable, you have to go through the Maltese regulators, not UK processes. But in 2019 these complaints were being rejected as too old – the legal term is “time-barred”.
Was your debt been sold to Lantern (was called MotorMile Finance)?
Swift Sterling and Pounds Till Payday have sold many defaulted debts to the UK debt collector MotorMile Finance (MMF), which changed its name in 2018 to Lantern. In November 2016 the FCA has made MMF offer a redress package to many customers because of poor way it has handled debt recovery.
Claims against Lantern can only relate to the defaulted debts sold to them.
Comments on this page are now closed.
Spode says
While I’ve still not heard off Pauline for several weeks, I just logged into my PTPD account for the first time in a couple of months and it’s saying my balance is £0 and the text which said my account was overdue has been removed.
Has anyone else experienced this?
John C says
I don’t have an outstanding balance as I paid all my loans in full and on time, only so I could get another. I’ve not been able to log onto PTPD website for months tbh. Sounds slightly promising though
Kevin says
Hi All
Just a bit of hope for those with long-standing complaints. I complained to Swift/Northway 5 December 2015, and never heard anything from them at all despite around 8 emails to Swift/My Money Partner/Northway over 3 months. I took it up with both the UK Ombudsman and the Maltese FSA. Northway finally communicated with the UK Ombudsman to deny they were under their jurisdiction. I had all the usual two month hold emails from Pauline at the Maltese FSA mentioned above, but then finally a decision in my favour about a month ago for full settlement of the interest charges. Northway then inevitably made an “oversight” and failed to issue the cheque, being the joyous company they are, until Pauline chased it up again, but it finally arrived, and despite continued skepticism, it has actually cleared my account.
It has been a horrible process as the company clearly don’t give two hoots about anyone, but it seems once Pauline actually does get on the case, there can be a positive outcome. I can only presume Pauline is too over-loaded, and unless she has news, won’t correspond with chaser emails, stressful as it is for us.
Hopefully this offers some comfort to those with old complaints, and hopefully those who will fall under the new arbiter will also see their patience rewarded.
Good luck to you all.
John C says
Thank you for the update Kevin, nice to see some good news. Apologies if you’ve covered this earlier but what date range was this over – was any of it more than 6yrs ago? And roughly what percentage of interest paid did you get back, as some successful claims seem to have got everything paid or nearly everything? Thanks in advance
Matt S says
Hi all,
Looking for some advise. Finally received a reply from Pauline today advising that Northway had informed her that they had removed the £976.49 that was outstanding on my account and based on this would I be happy for her to close the complaint. Just wondered what people opinions were on whether this was a fair offer.
Over a 10 month period in 2013/2014 I borrowed £5100 from Swift Sterling and repaid £6630. I then had a further loan of £920 which I was unable to pay and entered into a debt management plan. They accepted a payment figure from my debt management company in July 2015 and have received payments totalling £184.21 since.
I’m tempted to just accept this offer and close the complaint as its already dragged on for so long, however I’ve seen some people say they got all interest back and in my case all interest would be a fair bit more than the £976.49 they’ve offered to write off.
Spode says
Hi Matt,
I too have had the same offer in the last 24 hours for a very similar outstanding amount, and I was asked if I was happy for my complaint to be closed.
I borrowed just shy of £15,000 off PTPD and paid back over £18,000. I had 42 loans in total. In my reply to Pauline, I said I appreciated the offer but that I wished for her to continue with the investigation due to the sheer amount and volume of loans I had, which were taken out month after month. No way could these have been affordable and the lending was certainly not responsible. I’ve already had refunds from Wonga and Quick Quid and PTPD were part of the “big three” for me alongside them in terms of borrowing.
John C says
I wouldn’t accept that either if it’s only around a third of the interest you paid. 42 loans is a clear dependency. Check out what the MFSA said to Menai about her reliance on payday loans. Very similar to what an UK adjudicator might say
Spode says
Those were my thoughts. In my email back to Pauline I asked her what would happen next now that I had confirmed I wished to pursue my complaint but I haven’t heard anything back from her. My balance has been wiped to zero on my PTPD account so looks like that debt has been wrote off.
John C says
Hopefully you get a response soon Spode. i’m pleased some people are getting communication though, fingers crossed the MFSA get through everyone soon. The large group early May seems a loooong time ago!
John C says
Do you know if they have already wrote that off Matt? Speak to the company that holds the debt. If they have done it already then no issue continuing your complaint. If not then it depends on how much you need the other £800 or so, and if you think you’ll get it all back?
Matt S says
The debt has never gone to a debt collection agency, it has always just been Swift Sterling (Northway) that have been collecting payments on the debt… and we all now how bad they are at responding so wouldn’t expect them to tell me if it has already been written off.
However having re-read Pauline’s email it definitely does say that they HAVE removed the outstanding balance. It doesn’t say that it is just an offer to remove the balance. I may ask Pauline what the outcome of her investigation was, whether Northway admitted fault or not.
If, as it seems Northway have already written off the balance then as you say there would be no issue with continuing with the complaint. What’s the worst that could happen?
Spode says
Hi Matt,
I am just wondering if you went back to Pauline on this, and if you have received a reply from her?
Matt S says
Hi
I did go back to her, I asked her “Can you advise what outcome there has been to the investigation so far? Did Northway admit fault and admit to unaffordable or irresponsible lending? Also what was your opinion? Do you believe that the lending was unaffordable or irresponsible?”
And she replied “We are still discussing your complaint with Northway. Their offer was made as a gesture of goodwill and without any admission of liability.
I should be able to have our final views on your complaint in 2/3 weeks times. I’m sorry about this delay but the remit of the Consumer Complaints Unit within the Malta Financial Services Authority is being phased out and replaced by the Office of the Arbiter for Financial Services and we are therefore in a transitional period at the moment.”
As far as I’m concerned the existing debt has been written off so no harm in carrying on the complaint, will see what happens!!
Spode says
Thanks Matt,
I have just emailed her again as unlike you, I didn’t get a response when I said I wished to continue with the complaint and asked what happened next. I’ve asked for an update on what’s happening with the investigation.
John C says
Matt, when did you put your complaint in to the MFSA again? If you will have a FINAL update on your case by 2-3 weeks, i’m curious as to the time line. I’ve been waiting since the 14th March for anything on my complaint
Matt S says
Originally made my complaint to the MFSA on 3rd March, and was acknowledged by Pauline on 6th April. So IF I do get a final response on my complaint in 2-3 weeks then in total it will have been in total around 20-21 weeks from making my complaint to getting final response.
John C says
Thanks Matt. I made my original complaint to the MFSA on 28th February and first emailed Pauline on 3rd March after I couldn’t log into the Moneybox thing they have. They have had everything they need since 14th May when I sent my final response from Northway to them and the full list of loans. I have nothing outstanding to confuse things as my last loan was paid off in 2015, and I’ve only been asked for 1 bit of info which was to do with salary on the 18th May. I currently have no timeline for completion and not had anything from the MFSA since I rang them on 22nd June
Matt S says
Hi John,
Something that might be worth trying for you… last week after 6 weeks and multiple emails with no response or update I sent a message through the ‘contact us’ section of the MFSA website. I just gave the details of my complaint, mentioned that Pauline had been dealing with it but I’d had no update from her for 6 weeks and she was not replying to any of my emails and how infuriating it was when you feel like your just getting ignored.
Within 2 hours I had a reply from them, followed almost straight away by a response from Pauline apologising for the delay in replying and advising on Northway writing off my outstanding balance.
I couldn’t find any other email addresses to complain to so thought it was worth a try messaging through their website, and it seemed to help.
John C says
Thanks Matt. Against what I said I was going to – which was leave it till August 1st, I’ve dropped an email to them today asking for an update as we had reached the 4 month mark. I pointed out that when I spoke to her a few weeks back I asked what the typical timespan would be and she said 2 months, so we were at double that. If I’ve got nothing in the next couple of weeks then I might do what you did. Thanks for the heads up
Stuart G says
For those who have lodged their complaints with the new Maltese Financial Arbiter – how have these complaints been handled so far? I’m just getting ready to send mine in and make the €25 payment. Just wondered if things are moving any quicker?
John C says
Someone put their complaint in, but the comment above seems to have disappeared, so I can’t even remember who it was. Not sure if its just me, but there seems to be loads of posts missing from this thread?
I’m on week 17 since I had a final response from Northway (week 19 since I put my complaint in to the MFSA due to no response from Northway and week 21 since I asked for info from Northway), hopefully the Arbiter is set up to get through complaints quicker than that
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I “tidy up” comments every so often. This helps the pages to load faster and lets new people get a clearer view of what is happening. So a lot of the old comments asking about going to the Financial Ombudsman have been deleted. As have old questions that weren’t answered and comments from a few months ago about timescales which are now likely to be out of date.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
The Comment I think you are thinking of is from Carol on June 28th and it’s still there.
Tim says
Hi All,
Just to post on here and vent more than anything.
I have sent 4 emails complaining about 29 loans I took out with Swift Sterling over the past 10 weeks- £4600 interest paid without any interest applied (finally found bank statements to get exact borrowing!).
Ive not had a reply or acknowledgement to any email i sent. After some digging, I found the name of Northway’s CFO and after more digging, I think I found an email address for her direct. So now I have emailed her directly regarding my complaint and the lack of communication ive had. I fully expect to get a bounce back but no harm in trying.
That failing, from Wednesday I am going to email them 5 times every day asking for a reply until I get some sort of acknowledgement.
Im genuinely so peed off with this company’s attitude.
If I do hear something (which I doubt) I will give an update and let you know how i get on.
Cheers
Tim
Stuart G says
Hi Tim,
Good on you – let us know if the CFO replies to you. I have tried to contact Northway’s board too – I trawled LinkedIn looking for them as I too am getting fed up of not even getting a courtesy reply. I haven’t managed to connect with or contact anyone so far though.
John C says
Tim,
If you’ve been trying for 10 weeks but have all the info you need, i’d just put my complain in to the arbiter. If I’m honest the likelihood of you getting any kind of reply is slim from Northway. I only got a response after the MFSA got involved and that was to reject my complaint out of hand. The MFSA said they had to give Northway 8 weeks to respond, I don’t see that the arbiter would be any different. They have had their time, get your complaint in to an official body. Good luck!
Tim says
Cheers Guys.
Complaint will be on it’s way next Monday on pay day.
I actually offered to settle for less than the full amount, just to see if it was possible to tempt them in to any sort of ‘Swift’ resolution on it but no such joy! I havent had a bounce back from my email so it looks like it might have reached someone.
John- was that a further 8 weeks from your escalation to them?
Good Luck all.
Tim
John C says
I complained to Northway and after getting no response from a few emails over 4 weeks I put it to the MFSA. They told me they would park my complaint until Northway had their 8 weeks (from initial complaint, not an additional 8 weeks), but would let Northway know i’d spoken to them. Lo and behold a week later I got a final response from Northway so forwarded it to the MFSA. Then the waiting game started. I hope the Arbiter is quicker for you all
Duane says
Any chance you could share privately?
tim says
Hi Duane
I thought I had posted this yesterday.
The email address I found was lyn.gaskell@northwayfinancial.com
However I havent had a reply so im not overly optimistic.
Cheers
Tim
Tim says
After emails to the CFO, complaints email, info email, website email……. I actually got a reply from Northway today!!
Acknowledging my complaint and advising they will be in touch in 8 weeks. No No No i said, you have had 12 weeks. Offered a settlement to be agreed today of 70% im claiming or it’s off to the arbiter as i am entitled.
We shall see what happens.
Cheers
Tim
Stuart G says
Fingers crossed Tim! I too emailed Lynn several days ago so I will wait and see if I hear back from them. I’ve already had the “we’ll write off the overdue balance of £300, this is our final decision” email. The interest I paid is well over £2k so will not be resting until it’s looked into properly.
I wonder what penalties they are charged with for each case the arbiter looks into against them?
Tim says
Im curious as to what the Arbiter fees would be also, i reckon they will be relatively high.
I paid nearly 5k in interest, 7K with 8% added. I have £600 in outstanding loans so said I would settle for a payment of £3800 (from loan 3) and the loans written off. Works out as about £2700 im foregoing along with saving them Arbiter fees.
Ive sent them details of all interest payments, credit files and also decisions from our FOS on 3 complaints that were upheld. Im hoping this sways them but if not then so be it.
Im hoping enough people email Lyn that she decides to do something positive to avoid all of it but I highly doubt it.
Let me know how you get on.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Tim I would take the 8% out if the equation, to save on disappointment, as the MFSA don’t add this to any redress. It’s UK thing only
Tim says
Ah ok, i didnt know this.
I’ll carry on on the basis I wont get it but Im still going to chance my arm if/when I complain to the Arbiter and request it is applied or some sort of compensation added, the worst is they say no.
Appreciate the heads up.
John C says
Shy bairns get nowt Tim. I just didn’t want you to be banking on something that you wouldn’t actually see
Good luck with the arbiter. If I start seeing any responses through them, then i’ll be sending my complaint that way despite how long its been with the MFSA!
Spode says
It’s now been over a week since I replied to Pauline to say I wasn’t happy to accept their offer of wiping my balance and confirmed I wished her to continue with my complaint and my request for interest to be refunded.
I haven’t heard back from her, which is frustrating as I felt for a second like I might be getting somewhere with it. I’ve emailed her again and asked very politely for an update on the investigation.
John C says
I emailed her yesterday to ask for an update as it was now exactly 4 months since they had everything. I’ve not had a response either. I’m off to Ibiza tomorrow for a long weekend so going to forget about it all. Hopefully there will be a reply waiting for me when I get back. Come Aug 1st then I will be escalating it as far as I can go, because 20 weeks is more than enough to deal with a simple complaint. Where I’ll be escalating it I’m not sure!
I hope you get a response tomorrow Spode
Spode says
Anyone had any recent correspondence with Paula? Still nothing at my end.
John C says
Not a thing, hugely disappointing. I’ve sent her an email today asking for a response before the end of the week or I would be looking at an alternative way to persue Northway. I’ve had enough. The last email I got was on the 19th May saying her thoughts were going to Northway in a couple of days. Now I don’t want to sound ungrateful but that was 2 months ago! I’ve told her just how disappointed I am, that I feel nothing has been achieved in the 4 months the MFSA have had my final response from Northway and all my info. I have absolutely no idea what her thoughts are, what Northway have or haven’t done and therefore I have said I want to investigate whether I can challenge in a different legal way. I’ve said the complete lack of anything is not only frustrating, but goes completely against the problems of anxiety that I’ve frustratingly suffered from in the past. This whole process has got me up a height. I’ve had a conversation with her on the phone and explained this, but still nothing
I’ve apologised if I sounded pushy in what I’ve sent her, but I can no longer put up with the way things are. 2 months is more than enough time for Northway to do something with the MFSA’s findings. All I want to know is if they have or haven’t! If I don’t get anything by Friday, I will be looking at taking Northway to court through any small claims process that may exist. I will also be putting a complaint in at the top with regard to the MFSA and their total lack of direction and care. I know this sounds a total rant and its probably unfair, but I wouldn’t last 5 minutes in my job if I gave this level of service
Spode says
I share your frustrations John. The last email I got was more recently than you, on July 6 I was told Northway were ready to “forgive” my balance of £983 and she asked if I was happy to close my complaint in view of this development. My complaint will be four months old this weekend and that is the only notable development I have received in that time.
I have emailed back three times since then making it clear I wish to carry on with my complaint, and asking for an update, however, I’ve not received a single reply, so as it stands I have no idea what is happening with my complaint, and whether it’s even being investigated still or not. I have no idea what, if anything, the MFSA have decided about my level of borrowing, and if they’ve put forward a view to PTPD. I have asked these questions but had no reply.
The communication I have had so far from MFSA has been only slightly better than between myself and PTPD themselves, and that’s saying a lot! It’s got to the stage now where I just don’t know what to do as my emails are being ignored. I understand Pauline must have a high workload but I don’t see how it’s doing anyone any good just ignoring emails. Let’s say she is dealing with 10 separate complaints, all it would take would be one email at the start of the week to each person giving them a really quick one sentence update on their complaint so everyone knows where they stand. I am going to have to find an email address for someone else at MFSA I can escalate this to because I need to know if my complaint is still active or not at the very least.
Tim says
Do either of you know if anyone has had any communication back from the Arbiter regarding complaints? They state to provide resolution in 90 days and I think they a little more authority than the MFSA.
I will be raising my complaint with them tomorrow.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Not seen anything about the Arbiter, but if they do look to provide resolution within 90 days, i’d be more than happy to pay 25 euros if I thought i’d see this wrapped up by the end of August, because at the moment we seem to be nowhere with my case – or that of many others with the MFSA
John C says
I’m not sure if its a breakdown in communication due to language barriers, but its now bordering on a complete lack of care or even interest. It doesn’t look like the MFSA are bothered about complaints, and if they are, then they need to be a lot better at getting back to people than they currently are. We shouldn’t have to be chasing this way, but maybe that’s why the Arbiter has been brought into place? I’ve even spoke to the department on the phone, and was told that these things should take a couple of month, but the vast majority of us are way past that.
I’m in the same position as yourself – no idea at all what the MFSA are thinking. Even the FOS adjudicators give you their thoughts as they put it to the institution
tim says
I think this is why the Arbiter was brought in, im not sure how it will work though since from what I can see it is one person not many as we have with adjudicators and ombudsmen.
Just so you know, I had a quick look online and there is a Maltese small claims court, i think it is for claims up to 5,000 euros. Ive thrown that at Northway as a threat but i doubt they care much.
And yeah ive just checked the info i was given and it is definitely 90 days that the Arbiter aims to resolve complaints within.
Out of all the complaints i have, this is the company i want to win against most.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
I paid over £13k in interest to PTPD Tim, so considerably over the €5,000, which is a shame, but its always good to know, so thank you.
90 days sounds amazing in comparison to what others have had to put up with. I’m on day 142 now since my complaint went into the MFSA and day 128 since my final response from Northway, but i’m at exactly the same point I was at the time.
I’ll cross my fingers for you Tim and I hope that the Arbiter can get you a result within those 90 days!
Spode says
Just looking on the MFSA website and spotted their opening hours are cut in August by practically half a day. So if we are getting nowhere now, what chance have we got next month when it’s in effect a part-time office?
January to May, and from October to December: 08:00 – 17:00hrs
June, July and September: 08:00 – 16:00hrs
August: 08:00 – 13:30hrs
What is interesting (maybe more worrying) is that in her email on July 6, Pauline said that PTPD had informed her in JUNE her they were ready to “forgive” my outstanding balance. Now if they have informed her that in June, and she’s only emailing me on July 6 after I emailed her to say I had noticed they had wiped my balance when I logged in to my account, it looks like the delay is at her end as she is not relaying information being sent to her from Northway? When she says in June, she could mean the start, middle or end. I have no idea how long she has sat on that for, and when she would have told me if I hadn’t emailed her about it. As you said John it gives the impression of a total lack of care/interest.
Matt S says
Hi John
Did you try sending a complaint through the contact us section of the MFSA website. It may be a long shot but as I mentioned in a previous post I was in the same boat as a lot of people, 6 or 7 weeks with no reply to around 8 emails I had sent and no update. Was getting frustrated and couldn’t think of any other way to get my feelings across so complained about the lack of update and of how infuriating it was to be ignored. Dropped Pauline’s name into the complaint. Within a couple of hours they had responded to me apologising for the delay, and within 20 minutes of the response Pauline had also replied with an update.
Worth a try?
John C says
I’ve finally snapped this morning Matt, and sent a message through their website. I haven’t mentioned anyone by name, but have said the Consumer Complaints unit have ignored every email I’ve sent since May 24th when I’d been told Northway had till the 8th June to respond. I’ve put I can only think there must be an issue with emails as I see no other reason to completely ignore every email from someone since that time (I’ve sent 6) and wanted to know if there was someone who could give me an update or a manager at a higher level that I could speak to as this was unacceptable.
I accept that this might actually prejudice the team against me if i’m raising a complaint against them, but this whole process has become laughable. If at the start of May a raft of complaints were upheld, then what is going on with similar cases?
Stuart G says
I actually wondered if my email address has been blocked – I’ve sent emails regularly and had no response since their email saying they are writing off the balance (which is a drop in the ocean compared to interest paid). So part of me wonders if they’ve blocked my email address! It wouldn’t surprise me with these cowboys.
Spode says
I don’t blame you John.
Since MFSA emailed me to say PTPD had agreed to forgive my balance and asked if they’d like to close the complaint in light of the development, to which i’ve now emailed back three times to saying NO, i’ve not heard a word from MFSA. So I don’t even know if my complaint is still active. It’s an absolute shambles and I’m genuinely starting to wonder if MFSA and Northway are in bed together at some level.
John C says
Well I’ve rang the office again, only to be told Judith Charmers is on holiday again and will be back on Tuesday. I told the person who answered that I wanted an update or to speak to a manager. I was told neither of these things could be done! Pauline’s team now sit out of the MFSA (I guess under the Arbiter) and it seems there is no managers available. He said he understood I was frustrated, but I’ve re-iterated that its not frustration, but actually rude to have been ignored for months and completely unacceptable. Surprisingly he actually agreed. I said i’d rather have some negative news, or a “nothing is happening” update than radio silence. The whole thing is a joke
Duane says
So my complaint with Northway direct is now 8 weeks and only had a very simple confirmation email roughly at the start. The new Maltese arbiter is not responding since an email at week 5 with which told me to chase Northway first. Really starting to frustrate me like I’m sure it is others.
Can I claim in a small claims court as its worth 3k
Thanks guys
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I have no idea if there is a small claims court in Malta, or how you could enforce any judgment that you got in such a court.
Stuart G says
I know many of us are all becoming despondent with this – I for one am appalled that a company can simply ignore what must be hundreds of emails without as much as an automated acknowledgement – but we must all stick to our guns and keep fighting. They are hoping we’ll get fed up and go away. Keep going everyone, let’s not let them win! I’ll be lodging my complaint with the arbiter next week so will keep everyone updated.
tim says
Hi Stuart,
I did actually get an email from northway after about 13 weeks… just to say they would look into it and get back to me in 8 weeks. All be it I emailed the cfo and every email address I could find including the one the Maltese fsa gave me (simply info@).
I told them I wouldn’t accept a further 8 weeks but they just haven’t replied despite my offer to negotiate a settlement. So I’m pretty much spamming them daily now requesting replies while I put my case together for the arbiter.
I will chase this till I get some sort of resolution. They are absolutely disgraceful.
If anyone gets any success keep us updated.
Keep going.
Tim
John C says
I was lucky enough to get a “not interested” email from Northway after 4 weeks. However I’m now beyond disgusted with the MFSA. A governing body that’s clearly not fit for purpose, and I can understand why they have been replaced. I STILL haven’t had a response to my message last week or the one on Monday night saying how annoyed at the complete lack of response for weeks. You’d think when someone points out how annoyed they were, the person receiving the email would at least acknowledge that.
Duane says
The new lot isn’t any better trust me
Tim says
Hi Duane,
Have you raised your complaint with the Arbiter? If you have, what are your experiences so far?
Many Thanks
Tim
Duane says
Yes. Told me to deal with Norhway!!!
John C says
I rang the MFSA again today, and once again I was told that no-one was available for me to speak to, but they were aware of my emails and message last week and someone would come back to me “soon”. I asked when “soon” might be as I haven’t had any kind of response for over 2 months! I asked to speak to ANYONE and after the receptions went off the phone for 2 min, she came back to tell me once again no-one was available and asked me to send another email to them. So I’ve done exactly that, but with added emphasis on what this was doing to my mental health, that I wanted to know why everything I sent was being ignored and expected an update by end of today. The receptionist did however give me the email address for the General Director of the MFSA, so guess who’s getting an email tomorrow if I get nothing back from the consumer complaints team! And all i’ll do is forward the long conversation that shows the complete lack of acknowledgement and my increased annoyance at this
louise says
Can you comment with the address, if enough of us complain about the service then it may speed along the complaints that are with MFSA (The ones with Arbitrar and not with Pauline will need to wait for the time given) I’ve been told 3 weeks for her decision and that was in the first week of July the deadline for that is the first week in Aug.
John C says
Hi Louise, in light of the fact there is a week to go until the deadline is up, lets hang fire till then. Although i’m really annoyed, bashing on someone in a department and calling them out to a manager may not help get a resolution to this, and may in fact prejudice against those complaining (it shouldn’t, but it might). Lets face it there seems to be a lack of care throughout the MFSA right now and i’d hate to find my complaint fall to the bottom of a pile again if this attitude was shared right through to the top. If after the first week of August we don’t have anything, i’m more than happy to post the General Directors email address if Sara is ok with it?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
no problem at all with that :)
louise says
Sorry John hadn’t seen the earlier reply lol. Yes I agree totally. I’m going to try and remain positive as I think that she could be waiting for a response from Northway whether or not they accept her decision. I really hope so as I’ve got major surgery on the 18/08 and wanted everything all sorted before hand. Fingers crossed.
John C says
Fingers crossed you do hear something before then Louise. If not then use mscicluna@mfsa.com.mt as that’s the email address for Marianne Scicluna who is the Director General of the MFSA
John C says
Got a response as follows:
“Dear Mr XXXXX
Thanks for your e-mail and sorry for not getting back to you earlier.
Review of your complaint is at an advanced stage and we hope to be able to update you on the outcome in the near future.
Thanks and Regards”
I’m speechless! No explanation of why I’ve been ignored for months, no explanation of what “near future” means. In fact its the most pointless email I think I’ve ever received as it tells me absolutely nothing. I thought in May we were at a point of receiving something in the “near future” so where do we go from here? To say i’m beyond fed up is an understatement
louise says
Who was that from? That’s a pointless email as it doesn’t even explain what the advance stage is? Optimistically it could mean that they have sent Northway their decision and are waiting for a reply….I try to remain positive but it’s definitely starting to wear thin. Who did you email and do you have an address so that I can write too?
Thanks for the update
John C says
That was from Pauline who is no longer the manager of the consumer complaints department, but now has analyst, conduct supervisory unit as her signature. She didn’t address one single point from what I’ve sent her.
Spode says
I’ve just emailed them through their website and explained I haven’t heard off Pauline for three weeks since I asked her to confirm my complaint was still being investigated, and I’ve asked is she still working for the unit or has she left. A completely reasonable question given the length of time with no reply!
John C says
Well worded Spode, I hope you get a response tomorrow
John C says
I’ve sent this. And baring in mind I’ve sat on it for 3hrs and re-wrote it about 6 times as it was a lot worse…..
“Thanks for your email. Could you please clarify what “near future” actually means? What date should I be looking to get an update by, as I’ve effectively had nothing since I started this complaint back at the end of February, other than a few replies stating that things were being sent to Northway or you were waiting for a response? I don’t even know what happened to the deadline of June 8th for Northway to come back to you, if they did, what they sent etc. I was of the impression that this was their opportunity to supply a response to your initial feedback? Surely that can’t take 2 months? I’ve been asked a couple of questions but not heard any opinions on my case, and all the responses to my questions have been vague at best.
I’ve repeatedly asked for some clarity and I’ve not received any. Even the response below tells me nothing, and doesn’t put me in any different position than I was this morning. You may know what the “advanced stage” means, however it unfortunately means nothing to myself. Is this where a final binding outcome on the case is formed?
This process has now been running for 4 months, so I hope you can see just how frustrating it is for myself when I can’t see what has actually happened”
Spode says
Good email John. I think we need to keep this pressure up now. Taking time to investigate is one thing, but the lack of communication and ignoring emails is simply not acceptable. The more people we can flag these delays up to at the MFSA, the better in my opinion.
I was told on May 19 the MFSA had requested information from Northway and had given them two weeks to reply, and that they “normally cooperate fully with our investigation”. It’s 8 weeks tomorrow since that deadline passed and I am none the wiser as to what’s going on, or if Northway have even co-operated. If my complaint is dismissed, I will have no confidence that it has been handled properly whatsoever.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
At some point people may feel cross enough to go to their MP and ask for their help eg by writing a letter.
John C says
Well you’ll all be stunned to know I’ve had no response to that email. If there wasn’t as much money riding on this then the next message would have been considerably stronger. I’m now more worried I end up sending something I really shouldn’t and the case is then thrown out. £13,687 is the interest I paid from 2008 to 2015, so I can’t be losing my cool with that amount at risk. If it had been a couple of hundred pound then I’d be going to the top immediately and then deal with what happens. At the moment i’m just going to have to sit tight. If I get the result i’m looking for then great, if not then I have somewhere to go with it and point out how poorly the whole thing has been handled. From that position I would have nothing to lose, at the moment I have a lot to lose
Spode says
Still no update at my end after I sent an email through their website asking if Pauline is still employed or not. I lodged my complaint on March 24 and it was only on May 19 that I received my first email back off them.
So it’s over four months now since I made the complaint and I have no idea what is happening with it.
John C says
Well if anyone wants it the General Director at the MFSA is Marianne Scicluna and her email is mscicluna@mfsa.com.mt
Its up to you how you might want to use it or not! Good luck
Duane says
Seriously guys, the new arbiter isn’t any better. No communications. It’s like they are all in it somehow and one big cover up. I urge people to hound all of them everyday I like I have, albeit it’s not got me anywhere yet
John C says
Duane, if the 8 weeks have passed since your complaint went to Northway, surely they would now take up the case?
Duane says
Well that’s you would of thought but 3 emails in and noting. Very dissapointing. Is yours with this Pauline lady?
Tim says
Morning All
Im giving it another two weeks before I go to the Arbiter. Based on what Duane has said im not giving them any wiggle room with the ‘talk to Northway’ reply- Im emailing Northway as much as possible to prove ive made all efforts I can to talk to them. So far im on 12 emails, I will wait till i get to 20 and then send them attached to my complaint.
Also I actually had a reply from Lyn Gaskell the CFO! It was just an out of office saying she was away from 22 july- 16 August. However that proves she received all my emails, I will copy her in sporadically still as further evidence that the CFO ignored me.
Good luck and dont give up all, I know it’s disheartening.
cheers
Tim
Duane says
I had that email. I’ve actually found a guy called Sandro Bianco who is the top guy apparently and it hasn’t bounced back
tim says
Morning Duane
I had a quick google and it looks like that as per Linked In, he moved on to Noble Financial in 2014.
However I did find 4 people on Linked In who say they still work for Northway in various departments. Im going to email them individually and request the email of the complaints department manager.
Cheers
Tim
Duane says
This is a massive long shot but hey it’s worth a try.
Mr Sandro Bianco is now president of Nobel. So I’ve emailed them with my complaint effectively saying as Mr Bianco was the president of Northway during my loan sequences and was therefore the guy at the top of the lending chain, I hold him personally responsible for the claim and have kindly request he investigates it.
10000/1 I get a response but hey what’s to loose.
Duane says
So finally after spamming their emails yesterday, a response from the new arbiter…….
Dear Mr Castleman
I acknowledge receipt of the many emails you have been sending us.
Please have some patience. We are not only looking into your complaint but we also have other complaints which we also need to review.
I am not in a position to state when your case will be resolved. But rest assured that we will revert at the earliest opportunity.
However, to make sure that we are on the right track, please confirm that the basis of your complaint is as outlined in your email attached.
Thank you.
John C says
Pleased to hear you’ve finally had a response Duane and the Arbiter has acknowledged your complaint. I’d ensure you point out that Northway have now had more than 8 weeks and you can’t do any more with them and yes you want to proceed with your complaint based on what you originally sent. Send them copies of your correspondence with Northway, any credit files you may have, copies of other dealings with the FOS (I’ve told them the FOS held up a complaint against QQ and WDA upheld my complaint themselves to give an idea of how the UK was looking at things). I’m afraid to say you’re probably going to have to do all the hard work for them, I’ve made sure the MFSA have had every piece of info that could help my case, from day one. No reason to think the Arbiter will be any different!
Spode says
Just had a reply from the MFSA.
I said:
One of your members of staff, Pauline Tonna, has been handling a complaint on my behalf since early May. On July 6 she emailed me to say that Northway (who the complaint is against) were ready to forgive my outstanding loan balance and in light of this, did I wish to close my complaint. I have emailed back twice then confirming I wish to proceed with my complaint but I have not heard back from Pauline and it will be three weeks tomorrow. I am concerned my complaint has been disregarded and closed at your end. Does Pauline still work for you or has she left? Please can you provide an update on my case as it is now almost three months since I was first contacted and I have not had any real updates since then.
They said:
Dear XYZ
We have noted your reminder. We shall get back to you as soon as possible.
This was from the manager of the communications unit. I see a follow-up email being sent shortly.
John C says
Well that’s something of nothing, but not a total surprise. At least its been acknowledged and hopefully someone will come back to you today. I’m really starting to think that it must just be a very different level of attitude in Malta and things like professionalism etc are at a different level than the UK. Much like mañana in Spain!
John C says
Hi Spode, did anyone eventually come back to you then?
Spode says
Hi John,
Yes I got a reply which confirmed my complaint is still being investigated and that was it. I’m starting to lose interest now, the MFSA don’t care.
John C says
That’s disappointing. Based on that I’ve sent my reply to the Director General. See below
Duane says
Shock horror, a response from Northway. They haven’t considered any of my loans apart from one!!!!!!!!!
We are in receipt of your further correspondence regarding your account with PoundsTillPayday.co.uk. Please be advised that Northway Financial Corporation Limited no longer owns PoundsTillPayday.co.uk and we are responding as we were the creditor for this loan.
Our records indicate that your application was received in May 2009 and your most recent loan with our company was due to be repaid on May 27, 2011. Until February 2011, there was no specific requirement regarding checks for affordability.
We confirm that upon receipt of your requests for credit, we considered, among other things, the information supplied by you on your loan applications and your past borrowing and repayment history with us. Previous to your current loan, all past loans were successfully repaid in full on the scheduled repayment date.
The terms of the loans granted to you were straightforward and clearly outlined in the loan agreements, and we have attached a second copy of your recent loan agreement for your reference. Those loans included the following features:
1. a flat fee per £100.00 borrowed regardless of the length of the loan;
2. repayment in full on the due date without the possibility of any “rollover” whatsoever;
3. no additional interest charges on any late payments.
Upon review of your file, we have found that upon receiving notification of your financial difficulty on June 1, 2011, we had responded to you on June 21, 2011 agreeing to your proposal for repaying your outstanding balance. At this point no additional charges were ever added to your balance. As such, this demonstrates our willingness to work with you with forbearance and due consideration after being advised of your financial circumstances. We can confirm that your account has been paid in full in April 2012 with no further obligation to our company.
We have received no correspondence from you in this time to suggest that you were unhappy with your dealings with us and disagree with the claims included in your emails. Please be advised that we are unable to offer any compensation to you regarding this matter.
Please note that, under the terms of our internal complaints procedure, this is our final response.
Should you have any further queries, please feel free to contact our office with the information provided below.
Sincerely,
Customer Support Department
Email: complaints@northwayfinancial.com
John C says
Now you have your final response you can send it to the Arbiter with all the stuff I mentioned in my reply to your post above. Annoyingly this is now just the start of part 2, but at least you don’t have to wait for Northway anymore. Much like QQ they never acknowledge anything, unless there is a balance outstanding. If the Arbiter follow up on their claim of 90 days then you might get a result before the end of autumn! Good luck!
Duane says
Thanks John. Already with the arbiter for a few weeks as I had response from them to say basically I’m in the que. Just need to wait for bank statements to come through. Poor final response though don’t you think? Never mentiond the 6 other loans
John C says
I just meant get all of it sent to the Arbiter asap, because they won’t do the work for you. That’s just based on my experience with the MFSA
I had well over 100 loans with Northway between 2008 and 2015 and they gave me exactly the same response. I’ve got emails pretty much begging for a loan because I was in such a mess. Don’t be disheartened by the Northway response, it’s what they give everyone (if you’re lucky to get one at all) Northway don’t care about you, me, or anyone they have ever lent money to. It’s very clear what kind of business they are and why there is such a backlash against them across the world. They are being investigated across the US for their business practices. Make sure you put emphasis on the fact you used them as they lied on their website stating they were covered by the FOS and you thought that meant they were covered by UK law and practices, when in fact they weren’t.
Duane says
I don’t have a screen shot of their website showing the FOS affiliation so can I still say they lied? Might be under one of their old emails footers. I’ll check
John C says
I can’t find a page with The FOS detail at the moment, but this one from 2011 shows that loans could only be less than a 3rd of income, which was total rubbish as most of mine ended up around 50%
https://web.archive.org/web/20110315131611/http://www.mypoundstillpayday.co.uk/responsible-lending.html
JL says
I have been reading the above with interest. After making complaints about 9 PDL comapnies and being successful with all, this is the only one I have hit a brick wall with. I went the usual route Northway/swift sterling thenonto the the Maltese FA who did not uphold my complaint. Thought I was having to put this to bed back in 2014. Even contacted the new parent compant of swift sterling as a last resort at the end of last year, but with no joy. Is ther any point in going this new new route and if so, how do I get started ?
John C says
Hi JL, what was the reason for the MFSA to turn your complaint down? I suspect any opportunity that you would have had to go back and appeal, would be long past any time frame allowed. Going to the Arbiter might be an idea, but its a risk at €25 if it doesn’t get off the ground.
How much interest did you pay?
JL says
Hi thanks for the reply. Interest must run into thousand.I was paying back about £1100 – £1200 back each payday just to them, so I think it was at least £400 interst per month. Tis went on for over 12 months, when I entered into a debt management plan. Everything now paid off . The reasons that the mFSA gave was that Northway credit checked at the beginning, already had 3 PDL loans and an installment loan going, and also that the fact that I didn’t default on any loans.
Matt S says
Well I emailed Pauline on Monday looking for an update as it had been 3 weeks since she advised me that they should have their final view in 2/3 weeks.
She emailed back yesterday saying ‘Review of your complaint is at an advanced stage and I am hoping to be able to provide you with some feedback in the near future’
Not sure what this means, will see if I get an outcome anytime soon.
John C says
That’s exactly the same as the response I got last week. She hasn’t replied to my reply asking what “advanced stage” and “near future” actually meant, as her email meant nothing. Both are terms that are ambiguous at best and don’t give me any indication of how far away from a resolution we are. I was told Northway had till the 8th of June to respond to “feedback” but that is nearly 2 months ago, and I have had nothing since. I have no faith in the MFSA’s words, to me they are carefully scripted to fob people off. I wish I shared your positivity Louise, but having message after message ignored despite complaining about it, I don’t think the MFSA are in control of anything. Happy to be proved wrong though. Over 4 months to deal with a complaint is a total joke, esp after Northway have been proved guilty on a number of occasions for exactly the same reason.
John C says
As I’ve had no reply to my email to Pauline last week, or to the one I sent on Thursday asking for a response and pointing out my email had been ignored again…..I’ve forwarded the whole email trail showing all the ignored emails, t the Director General. Lets see where is gets me
Dear Ms Scicluna,
I hope you are well?
As Director General of the MFSA could you please help with a serious issue I have?
At the end of February I referred a complaint to the MFSA about Northway Financial. By the 14th March the consumer complaints team had all of my details of the complaint, a full history of conversations between Northway and myself, a breakdown of the financial payments including the final response from Northway and a history of loans with other businesses. Since then I have been asked one question on my salary and been given no other information other than a date of June 8th when Northway had to respond to Pauline’s questions. As you know June 8th was well over 8 weeks ago. The email trail below shows the amount of times I have asked questions and the fact I have been completely ignored time and time again. From a service view point I find this truly unbelievable. Not once, in over 4 months, have I been given a straight answer to anything I have asked. The fact I have pointed out time and time again what this is doing to my emotional state seems to be irrelevant to your team, is this the standard of service that the MFSA are happy to give? Are my concerns and my complaint taken seriously by the MFSA? At the moment it certainly doesn’t look that way, which is disappointing to say the least
Over 7 years Northway Financial, under the name Pounds till Payday, were happy to bleed me of money every single month to the point I almost lost my home, became severely depressed, lost my job and had my relationship end. You maybe aware of current cases in the UK where a number of payday lenders have had complaints upheld on the grounds of irresponsible lending? Companies that lent money to those vulnerable and clearly unable to pay back without borrowing again. Between December 2008 and August 2015 I borrowed over £50k from Pounds till Payday – a short term lender, and repaid over £63k, trapped in a cycle of payday lending due to unaffordable loans. I was paying back so much money I couldn’t pay my mortgage which ended up 3 months in arrears. Pounds till Payday also positioned themselves as a UK based lender, even referring customers to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the UK, who in fact were unable to look at anything to do with this company as they obviously sit under Maltese jurisdiction
All I want to know is what is happening with my complaint and where we are with a genuine timeline, not some vague answer that tells me nothing. It has been 4 months where I’ve been barely asked anything, and been constantly ignored, even to the point of having to ring the MFSA to get some kind of update, but even then I was fobbed off. If Pauline is doing some great work in the background, then why doesn’t she just tell me that, rather than me reach a point that I have no other option but to contact yourself? From what I can see, and what I have actually said to Pauline is I see no progress in the 4 months my complaint has been with the unit. The last piece of concrete information I received was back on the 24th May, which in reality was just a date. Despite numerous messages since then, to ask what is going on, I have had nothing. It has reached the point I have spoken to my local MP who is concerned that a member of his constituency is having trouble with a financial service authority in another country and the complaints process is not taken seriously. I have also spoken to a national newspaper, who have been challenging this issue in the UK, and are aware of similar issues that are with the MFSA and a number of people in the same position as myself, frustrated at a lack of information.
Any update you could give me would be gratefully received
Kind regards
Spode says
Hi Jon,
Have you had any response to this? I have just emailed their communications manager explaining the lack of information I am getting from their end and asking for an update. It is now almost five months since I submitted my complaint and I have apologised for having to email but stated it is entirely reasonable for me to know what stage my complaint is at by now.
As I posted in an earlier message, their website says the MFSA’s hours of operation in August are cut to 8am to 1.30pm, compared to the normal 8am to 5pm. I can’t see how this can mean anything but a longer wait for us.
John C says
Hi Spode,
Not a thing. I wish I could say I was surprised, but i’m not really. Welcome to the MFSA school of customer service – where someone complains about the fact they are being ignored, so to make things right you just….ignore them! I can’t believe that this is meant to be an independent body. Not fit for purpose, if you ask me
I’ll guess you haven’t had anything back either?
Spode says
Hi Jon,
No I haven’t heard anything. I’ve had 4 emails off Pauline in 3 months which is shockingly poor. I’ve resigned myself to pretty much waiting for the rejection email from them now.
John C says
I rang the MFSA again today, using Pauline’s direct number. A man answered and said she would be back at 1:30. Of course at 1:30 she has gone home. Absolutely fuming, do this lot think it is funny to play with people like this?? I’ve rang the reception, told the receptionist that I was told to ring back at 1:30 and I was sick of trying to get in touch with someone. I also said I’d been given the Director General’s email address and had no reply to that either. I even pointed out how rude this was and she agreed. She then said something that surprised me…. she told me to email the communications email as she had been told by the communications team to give this to anyone that had been trying to get in touch with people at the MFSA and getting no response. It tells me that this situation must be endemic of this shambolic organisation. Although I’d hazard a guess that is the email address you have used this week and had no reply from too?
I’m currently writing something to them to express my absolute disgust at their service
John C says
Message sent….. I’ve even highlighted the fact there are a number of UK based complaints where we are on forums, all comparing notes and the MFSA look like an authority that do not care about those complaining, and is this something that they are happy with?
Spode says
Hi John,
Yes that’s the email address I’ve been using, the communications one. I have actually had two responses from it so you may get lucky. But both were very short and didn’t answer any of the questions I put to them, so I don’t know anything extra which I didn’t already. The first just said ‘we have noted your reminder and will get back in touch as soon as possible.’ I have put those questions to them again via the communications email but I’ve not had a response yet.
The emails I received were from the communications manager, who I’m assuming must go to Pauline for an update on my complaint, so I’m not sure why she just doesn’t email herself. There is something very fishy about the whole thing in my opinion, is Pauline still even working there? I asked that directly in my email but didn’t get an answer.
Have you not had any response from the director general yet? Any idea who they report to?
John C says
The only email I’ve had from the MFSA since the 24th May was the one that said my complaint was at an advance stage and they would hopefully have an update on an outcome in the near future
advanced stage
hopefully
near future
These are all terms that mean absolutely nothing!
Nothing from the Director General. I always reply to an email, or forward the last one if I got no response. That way I have a trail. It also shows the person that answers the communications email that I sent emails to Pauline on the 13th July, 18th July and 26th July before receiving that nothing response. I then replied on the 26th, sent another email on the 4th August expressing how annoyed I was, one to Ms Scicluna on the 6th August and finally to them today. All I want is an acknowledgement. Next stop will be the Malta Times!
John C says
Well I’ve actually managed to speak to Pauline today and she once again apologised for not having an update. From what she has tried to explain, its more to do with the set up of the arbiter and jurisdiction issues. I’m not really buying that to be honest, but have to take her word for it. I’ve told her that I know there was a number of complaints upheld in May, so couldn’t see what the issue was. I also said I see this whole exercise as incredibly frustrating to be ignored. She said she felt embarrassed not having a response, but I said that wasn’t good enough. I’d rather have her tell me she is working on my complaint and there are some issues internally than just have her ignore me completely. I told her the phrases in her last email told me nothing, and she admitted she doesn’t have any kind of date for me. She said she was putting my case details further up the business to “management” to try and get a response, claiming that her hands are tied at the minute. When I asked if the delayed issue was at Northway or the MFSA, she did say it was the MFSA and Northway had been compliant through the whole process. That I do find hard to believe! She has promised me some kind of response today, so lets see what it says. I now think that this is all over. The MFSA are going to pull any kind of investigation as it doesn’t fit what they do now, Northway will argue that I am out of any time frame to complain through the Arbiter and its going to become a white wash. Absolutely fed up of the whole thing
John C says
Well true to her word I did get a response from the MFSA which was as follows:
Dear XXXX
Thanks for your e-mail and sorry for not getting back to you earlier.
As explained during our earlier telephone conversation, unfortunately I am not able to commit myself to a date when we will be able to provide you with our final conclusion on your case.
Northway are being very cooperative in the investigation of your complaint but unfortunately things are being held up due to the transition process to the Arbiter’s Office.
I would like to have your complaint resolved as much as you do but as things stand at the moment I am not able to push your complaint forward.
As soon as I have some concrete developments I will not fail to keep you posted.
I think i’m just going to forget about this for now, and see what comes of it…..
Spode says
Thanks for the update, John. It sounds like the best thing to do, like you said, is forget about this and see what happens.
It is so frustrating that they have sent an update to you yet nothing to me. Why not send that email out to all people who have been asking for updates? I am now being updated via an Internet forum, as opposed to the MFSA themselves, and that sums up this whole shambolic process!
John C says
To be honest Spode, the only reason I got that is because I rang her direct number and she answered. First time I said who I was I got “hello, hello, hello” as if she couldn’t hear me. She then put the phone down, so I immediately rang back. Wasn’t having that! This whole thing has me ill again, thinking about how much of a mess I ended up in with Northway. I’m going to switch off about it and see if anything comes over the next few weeks.
If you want an answer then i’d actually ring her direct number, see what she says. If the stories match, then we’ll just have to see what the outcome is. If Northway are co-operating as i’m told, I don’t see why they can’t uphold my complaint, regardless of the change from MFSA to Arbiter. Good luck
Spode says
Hi John,
Well it’s now been a week since I emailed their communications manager and surprise surprise, no response. I would ring up but I am on a pay as you go phone and a call to Malta would likely wipe off the majority of my balance for the month.
Sending one last email now but after this I’m just going to forget about it as it’s not worth the stress it’s causing.
John C says
That’s terrible Spode. I’ve given up on the whole thing for a few weeks. I’ll get in touch again in September and see how the land lies. The whole thing was making me ill through the stress of it, and how much it was annoying me. If I haven’t got any kind of update by mid September then i’m going to the Times of Malta, The Malta Independent and Malta Today. See which of them wants a story about Northway, their practices, their dealings with customers in the UK, the inefficiency of the MFSA, the pointless introduction of an Arbiter that seems to be doing nothing at all, and the mess the whole Maltese financial industry is in. All 3 of these have ran at least 1 negative story about Northway and their issues in the US, so i’m pretty sure they would be interested in what one of their own was up to abroad. If the issue was the change from MFSA investigating complaints to the Arbiter, then why say the MFSA were continuing to investigate existing complaints, if that simply isn’t the case?
Spode says
Hi John,
I emailed yesterday and explained the stress this was causing me, and how I was preparing to contact my local MP. Low and behold I got a reply within the hour which was the same as the one you got last week about not being able to push the complaint forward, copied exactly word for word. Without this forum I would have no idea about the transition to the arbiter’s officer, but they reference it in the email to me like it’s common knowledge.
Very disappointing they are using blanket responses without going into detail on individual cases. I’m going to leave it for a month and see if anything progresses.
John C says
I don’t think they have a clue what they are doing over there. Its shows that there is a complete lack of regulation on businesses and as far as any financial authority is concerned Maltese companies can do what they like abroad, as long as they are clean at home. Although i’m doubting Northway have a great reputation in Malta either
tim says
Sorry to hear your still having frustrations gents. It’s all a bit of a joke. I’m still emailing northway weekly, I think the Lynn gaskell lady is back in now so she is going to get copied in to all my chasers.
Due to other complaints with UK based companies which I’m getting some resolution on finally I’m sticking this on the back burner for a bit before escalating it. I’ll still pester the hell out of them though.
On the 14th of July they did acknowledge my complaint, stating they have 8 weeks which I believe gives them until 08/09/16. Once that time is up and a few of these other complaints have ended I’m going to give them hell.
Wish you all the best with it.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Probably a good idea to park this one Tim. Hopefully the MFSA / Arbiter hand over is well and truly sorted by then and it makes for a smoother complaints process. Its also probably easier to actually have a final response from Northway too.
Good luck!
tim says
Hi all
I surprisingly had a final response from northway today!! Unsurprisingly they did not uphold my complaint however did state that they would deem the outstanding balance as paid… like they had a chance of collecting it.
So I’ve advised why i do not accept and stated that I would be prepared to accept half the amount as final settlement that I will be requesting from the arbiter. If I haven’t heard back from them in a week I stated I will bemail going to the arbiter with my full complaint, credit files, brooding history and to assist the arbiter I will include 4 decisions that the UK ombudsman has found in my favour regarding complaints of the same nature.
Doubt I’ll hear back but worth a shot.
Cheers
Tim
Matt S says
Well maybe finally there is some headway being made. Received the following from Pauline today…
‘I have sent my final feedback to Northway last Thursday and allowed them until 15 September 2016 to reply but they came back requesting an extension to the deadline by a further two weeks in view of the current workload. I have allowed them a further week so until 22 September. They promised that if they can give their feedback earlier than this date, they will.
So as things stand, I am afraid I will not be able to provide you with any updates until then.’
Will see what happens but maybe a light at the end of the tunnel.
John C says
Hi Matt,
Just had exactly the same email from the MFSA. At least there is date to aim for now. Most exciting news I’ve had in weeks! Lets all cross fingers and toes. Says everything that Northway have a large current workload though!!!
louise says
Hi All,
I had that exact email. When I asked if her feedback was her final decision based on the information she has she said yes it is. Hopefully she has upheld the complaints hence why she has contacted Northway first and they accept it and respond quickly. Fingers, Toes and everything else crossed.
John C says
I’m hoping you are right Louise. If she wasn’t expecting Northway to action at least something, then why get in touch with them in the first place? I’m trying not to get carried away though, this process has already taken up three quarters of a year and until this morning it felt no further forward!
id says
I had exactly the same e mail. It’s been a long wait. I think I initially sent this at the end of Feb. Hopefully we all get back what we deserve.
John C says
I was late Feb too id
Let’s hope this is the end in sight!
Spode says
I’ve had the same email too. Guess all we can do is sit back and wait!
Jon says
In relation to emails has anyone had any correspondence from the new arbiter in relation to their complaint? I have sent 3 emails and had no official response, just an automated receipt for the last two. The first was over two months ago. Not a promising sign.
Duane says
So far they are terrible. Had one response 2 months ago after I spammed their email to say they were very busy etc etc and I would hear back shortly. Nothing since. I’ve given them until a week today otherwise I will pass on all my information to the BBC Watchdog programme to investigate why a so called governing body who’s sole existing is to protect consumers don’t give a dam
H B says
Ok I feel like a total idiot, but when I click on the MFSA i can’t see a submit complain option, do you have to post the information to Malta? Can I do this all electronically? Would like specifics of how to complaint about Northway Finance, because I would really like to have communication with the famous Pauline.
John C says
Hi HB. I would suggest reading through the whole of this thread, as you can not put your complaint into the MFSA and Pauline will not deal with you. This department no longer exists, and all complaints are now handled by the financial arbiter that was set up in its place. If you have not done so already you need to put your complaint into Northway, just like in the UK. Once 8 weeks is up or if you get a response earlier (they will reject, or offer to write off anything you may currently have outstanding) then you need to put your complaint into the Arbiter. It cost 25 euro, and to be honest the 90 day turn around quoted by them seems to be a bit of a joke – see Jon and Duane’s comments above.
What have you done so far?
Duane says
See a response yesterday from the new arbiter after I spammed their email again and telling them we are considering getting the Watchdog program to investigate.
I feel this ”legal” bit is a way out clause so that noting happens.
What do others reckon?
Dear Mr Castleman
I refer to your various emails and reminders in regard to your pending complaints against Northway Financial.
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay. It is not in anyone’s interest to delay responding to complaints.
However, there were some aspects on which legal guidance was required to ensure that the review of your complaint is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the law. Legal guidance has been provided and we are in discussion with the Malta Financial Services Authority, the regulator of financial services in Malta, in this regard.
I therefore hope to be able to provide you with an update very soon.
Sincerely
John C says
Without having any legal knowledge at all, i’m guessing the Arbiter didn’t have a clue what to do, so weren’t sure what they could do from a legal level with a case like this. I’d say there isn’t a common complaint on affordability, as currently in the UK. I think (and i’m guessing again) they have spoken to the MFSA as they are still the regulator in Malta and therefore set the guidelines. I’d like to think the MFSA have set a precedent by upholding cases previously, despite the length of time in doing so. I’m hoping that the last lot of cases with the MFSA have also been upheld (at least in some form) otherwise they wouldn’t have had final conclusions sent to them by Pauline if they had been rejected. Plus my complaint covers over £13k of interest alone, so it would be nice to get some of it back. Pauline has stated in at least one case, that reliance of this kind of loan should have been picked up and recognised, and Northay should have done something about it, rather than keep lending
Still think its ridiculous that they are saying 90 days to complete a dispute, when its past 90 days since they set up, and I bet not one case has been resolved so far
Spode says
I agree John, the fact several of us have now had feedback on our complaints sent to Northway from the MFSA surely suggests our complaints are being upheld in someway, or they would have been dismissed.
Today is the date Pauline originally gave them to reply before agreeing a one week extension, so I guess we may receive some sort of answers at some point in the next seven days. It feels like light at the end of what has been a long and frustrating tunnel but I am bracing myself to receive nothing so then I can’t be disappointed with whatever the outcome is.
Jon says
Hi Duane,
Funnily enough i got that exact same email from the new arbiter yesterday, basically word for word! Nice to get a response finally, albeit another holding one.
Spode says
Did anyone go back to Pauline after her email and ask what her feedback to Northway was?
louise says
I did but haven’t got any reply. They’ve got until wednesday so I’ll keep on it until then n if nothing I’ll carry on. It’s looking good though because from the complaints that were up held before they got their cheque before the email to say it was upheld lol
Dylan says
Hi, I am in a slightly different situation as I am paying Swift Stering/Northway through my DMP with payplan. I have read lots of different things but many suggesting they are no longer entitled to recliam my debt as they don’t have a licence to trade in the UK. Am I in a position whereby I can just remove them from my DMP with no firther consequences or not? I only found this out because I was trying to contact them to give them a new address. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Sara (Debt Camel) says
This is an interesting question.
If you had borrowed from a UK payday lender, there would be a “Consumer Credit Agreement” for your loan which the lender would have to produce to take you to court. I don’t know if Swift Sterling can produce this agreement. If they can’t, then I think they would find it very difficult to enforce the debt in an English court – I can’t say it’s impossible (I am not a lawyer) but the first thing to do is to ask them to produce a CCA and see if they can.
There is a sample letter here https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/getting-information/credit-agreement-advice.aspx that you can use. You have to send them £1 for this as that page explains.
If you do ask MMF to produce a CCA, I would be interested to know what happens!
Matt S says
So for everyone that has been told they should have a response this week, how confident are you of actually receiving one? I have no confidence in the system over there and wouldn’t be surprised at all if there’s yet another hold up.
Spode says
I’m expecting the deadline to come and pass without hearing anything.
John C says
Honestly? I’m not expecting anything, that way I can’t be disappointed, and just might be pleasantly surprised. If Northway are indeed playing ball, we might see no arguments to whatever has been sent to them. I genuinely hope that this is the final conclusion to all the cases that are sat with the MFSA and a precedent set for those arguing through the Arbiter. Maybe it just has been a terrible transition between the two and it is now all sorted out? However, after feeling let down on a number of occasions through this process, I’m not getting my hopes up now. Louise is right, all the other complaints that have been upheld received their “case upheld” email pretty much the same day their cheque arrived, I don’t remember any of them saying they had an email from the MFSA saying the final verdict had been delivered to Northway. Hopefully that’s a good sign. 2 more days to do to the 22nd, but realistically I wouldn’t expect to hear anything until next week anyway
Matt S says
Well I emailed this to Pauline this morning.
“You advised that you had allowed Northway until 22nd September to reply to your findings, but that they had promised that if they could respond earlier then they would.
Can you advise if you have had any response from them yet?
Also, are you able to advise what your feedback to them was?”
“No Northway did not give me any feedback as yet.
As to your second question, in view that we are still discussing the merits of your complaint with Northway, I am not able to relay our feedback to them as this might prejudice their position. I will however give you a detailed résumé once we receive their final feedback.”
Will definitely be surprised to hear anything by the 22nd.
John C says
“Discussing the merits of your complaint” is another wishy washy response that doesn’t tell you anything. Nor does it match the question where Louise asked if it was her final decision, and Pauline said yes. If its a final decision then there isn’t anything to “discuss” What exactly is there to prejudice by telling you the MFSA’s findings? Or is this to cover themselves when Northway do not follow the recommendation by the MFSA (as they don’t have the same kind of authority that the FOS to insist on a business doing something)
melly says
Hi All
Just to let anyone know who is trying to claim frm Swift Sterling,I have finally had a response from the FSA in Malta. Its taken me several emails and almost 6 months of waiting but do persevere as they will eventually get back to you
John C says
Hi Melly, The MFSA may have responded, but I doubt they will do anything for you if you are just starting out with your complaint, except point you in the direction of the new Arbiter that will be dealing with complaints in Malta. However if your complaint has been with them a while (and 6 months is a long time to get no response!) hopefully you are in the last of the people to get their complaint dealt with by the MFSA
melly says
Hi John
Thanks for the link again I did read through that ages ago when i first started with the complaint. I have had replies from a Jonathan Debono who is with the Malta Financial Services Authority so hopefully so yes i think i will start to just bang my head against the nearest wall if its not!!
Matt S says
Hi, that’s great news. I’ve been told i’ll have a response by the 22nd. Was it a positive outcome?
melly says
Hi Matt,
I haven’t had any outcome yet just finally been allocated someone to deal with it,i’m hoping they will uphold my complaint as there were over 8 loans one a month for eight months increasing everytime so fingers crossed i have a good case,i’m just so glad i’ve finally gotten somewhere after six months of emails back and forth lol
Mark says
Hi I got a response from an Anna Paris this week from the MFSA saying they have registered my complaint and informing me of my case reference. This was also having submitted a complaint in May against PTPD.
melly says
Hi Mark
I must be in a queue then because i had an email from a Jonathan Debono with a case reference….lets hope we both hear something within the next few weeks then,sounds like our time scales are pretty much the same.Good luck
John C says
Melly, I’m curious as to what Jonathan’s response was to saying he would be taking up your case, as the MFSA stopped dealing with complaints a number of months ago? We haven’t seen any cases since the very start of May, where a complaint was upheld. Since then anyone putting a complaint forward to the MFSA has been told they would not look at them, and they had to wait for the Arbiter to be set up, who has been as equally inefficient. 8 months without a response is an absolute joke. As for your case, I had 191 loans over 7 years, my complaint details have been with the MFSA since March and I am still no further forward than I was then. Whatever patience you still have, is going to need to hold out for some time yet i’m afraid
Spode says
When Pauline said in her email on the 5th that she had sent her final feedback to Northway last Thursday, are we all taking this as being Thursday, September 1st? So tomorrow will be three weeks since they received her verdict.
John C says
Yes, it meant she sent then her final feedback on the 1st. She originally gave them till the 15th (2 weeks), but they asked for 2 more weeks (so the 29th) as the poor people who work there are so busy with complaints they needed more time. She said they couldn’t but could have a week, so the 22nd.
I’ll be stunned if we hear anything this week
Duane says
I’ve just sent this to the new Arbiter…..
Good Morning Mr Bezzina,
I hope you are well.
Please would you be kind enough to provide a meaningful update to the review of my complaint against Northway – Poundstillpayday.
I’m not expecting a running commentary but the information provided so far over 120 day period since my complaint was first emailed to the OAFS has fallen short of what I would expect from a governing body who themselves recognise
90 days to be limit for complaint resolution.
Dozens of UK consumers are becoming ever increasingly frustrated with both the original arbiter and the new one to which you are chairman for the board of management with how long our complaints are taking to resolve.
The latest email you sent to me on the 13th September indicated some legal guidance had been sought and received and this was going to allow you to provide and update ” very soon” but almost another 2 weeks have passed with nothing.
I am happy to call you to discuss this matter further which I will do later today unless I hear from something concrete via email before 3pm UK time today.
Thanks
Duane Castleman
John C says
Well unsurprisingly Northway haven’t responded to the MFSA!
Matt S says
Hi John,
Just checked my emails and assume you got the same reply as me?
“Unfortunately I didn’t receive a reply from Northway and I did send a chaser yesterday morning. I will call them up today to follow up so hopefully we can get this sorted.
I will keep you posted with any developments as soon as they arise.”
Not surprised at all, was kind of expecting this to be the case.
Spode says
I’ve had the same email.
At least we know she is calling them today so let’s see what they have to say. It sounds like she wants it sorting like we do.
Does anyone know if they face some sort of penalty for missing deadlines set by the MFSA?
John C says
The MFSA don’t actually have any power to enforce anything, they can only make recommendations. Can’t remember where I read that, but it was when they were setting the Arbiter up, who does have final say on an investigation, much like a court ruling, or the FOS in the UK
louise brind says
Exactly the same email I received. Actually feel bad for Pauline as I am sure they’re are muking her about too. Never know Northway might be sending out cheques as we speak. The last few back in May that were all upheld didn’t they get the Cheque on the same day as the email decision from Pauline? Also does anyone know what happens with outstanding balances? Does that amount come out of any settlement?
Fingers crossed for us all
John C says
I feel a bit sorry for her too, but it just shows the complete lack of authority the MFSA have and that Northway don’t care about any of us.
John C says
Exactly the same email Matt. My response wasn’t quite so jolly, but it was firm and to the point. I’ve said I’m speaking to a number of people if this isn’t sorted by the end of the week. 8 months for an investigation isn’t good enough. I’ve also pointed out in the UK the person complaining and the complainee learn the result at the same time.
louise brind says
But surely if it was just a recommendation then why are they sticking to it? By what know about Northway and the way they are treating their customers etc then I am really surprised they comply if it is not compulsory?
John C says
he Consumer Complaints Unit deals with complaints through mediation and/or investigation. The MFSA does not charge for this service. Complaints are reviewed on their particular merits and the issue is discussed with the parties concerned with a view to arriving at a fair and reasonable arrangement. The Unit can only make non-legally binding recommendations. This means that the complainant and the financial entity may choose not to accept the Unit’s recommendation. When the Unit considers that the financial entity has treated the customer fairly or is already offering adequate redress or compensation, it will advise the customer accordingly. However, if after an investigation, the Unit does not uphold a complaint or the financial entity refuses to accept the Unit’s recommendation, the complainant is advised to seek professional help.
louise says
Ah right so basically after all this if Northway decide to ignore MFSA we are screwed. What about the arbiter? Paying €25 and then for the same to happen is wrong. Not sure what to do if Northway ignore her opinion.
John C says
The Arbiter is different. It does form a legal basis that Northway would have to follow. Pretty sure they charge a fee too though, so fingers crossed they can be persuaded to agree with the MFSA to avoid a charge down the line. I have asked about section 4.3 that states there should be no undue delays, as no idea if we are still within the legal time frame to bring this to court after all the ridiculous delays.
Spode says
I thought that but then don’t forget several people on here have already received refunds from Northway a few months ago following investigations by the MFSA, so I can’t see them now turning around and refusing as a precedent has been set.
John C says
I’ve highlighted that although all cases are individual, the fact a number of cases have been upheld should set some kind of precedent to similar cases. I’ve never had that acknowledged ?
garry richardson says
i received a refund about 6 mths ago. I did complain to the MFSA but Northway paid out before too much intervention if any from them.
I asked for an outstanding balance to be cleared and compensation of £600 interest which was about half what they owed me. They paid out pretty quickly.
I think I was probably one of the first to complain to the MFSA
John C says
That seems a long time ago now Garry, when the group of you all had your complaints upheld the rest of us thought this process was nearly over. That’s coming up 5 months ago and nothing has really happened.
Tim says
So I had literally printed our all the information I intended to send to the Arbiter last night, bank statements, credit reports, decisions by the FOS in my favour, payment breakdowns to Northway, full details of all payday lending etc.
I raised a complaint with the MFSA in July and was told that i had to go to the Arbiter…. This morning I had an email from Pauline Tonga at the MFSA stating they are picking up my complaint. I asked if I had to go to the Arbiter and she said no.
Anyway ive forwarded her all the information and hopefully they will get some resolution.
Cant make any sense of it to be honest.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Someone called Melly had stated they had heard from the MFSA in the last week or so about their complaint, which I thought was strange. Their comments are on the main PDL page on debt camel. Maybe that’s encouraging??
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I’ve actually moved that thread over to this page as I would prefer people to find this page if they google for Swift Sterling or MFSA.
Duane says
So does this I need to contact this Pauline as well? Would you be willing to share her email please
Duane says
I’ve never been asked to pay a fee and as far as I see it my complaint has been with the arbiter for nearly 4 months. I’d argue the cost with the delay anyway.
Can we try anything else? There seems to be dozens if not hundreds of us and if we combine as a unit then surely these so called goverign bodies need to bloody speed up.
Duane says
5 phone calls so far to Mr Bezzina who is the chairman for the new arbiter dealing with all the Northway complaints, every time he is in a meeting!!! Must be a very busy man sorting the Northway complaints!!
John C says
I replied to the MFSA yesterday asking the following:
Principle 4 of the Commission Recommendation 98/257/EC of 30 March 1998, states:
4.3. a procedure which ensures minimum bureaucracy, no undue delays and which does not deprive the consumer of the protection afforded by consumer protection legislation or to bring an action before the courts for the settlement of the dispute;
As this looks more and more like it could lead to court, what time frame do I have to raise this? The delay on this and many other cases has been significant, and it was a concern I had, that I would fall out of any legal time frame to raise a case this way. I’m very worried I will be unable to do this now as my final response from Northway was back in March
The reply was less than hopeful:
“if your complaint is not resolved through the MFSA then you will have to refer the matter to the Courts of Malta. If you eventually decide to take legal action, you can only do so if the case is not time-barred. You might wish to seek legal advice for further guidance on this legal issue”
My question was about what time I have, and I didn’t get a straight reply. I’ve now lost any hope I had in this case. I’m sick of the whole thing
Spode says
At least you got a reply. I emailed back yesterday and have had no response.
So I guess Northway will just ignore the MFSA, the MFSA will say to us ‘we couldn’t resolve your complaint, here is what you can now do’ and the last six months will have been a complete waste of time.
louise says
I got a response from Pauline.
“As promised I followed up the issue with Northway yesterday and they informed me that they are aware that the deadline was last week but they are still awaiting feedback from their compliance team. They are hoping however that they will be able to provide us with a reply by the end of this week. Hopefully therefore I will be able to provide you with an update next week since I will need some time to process the information we receive.”
John C says
Pretty much what I got with the exception of the last bit about next week and the bit about seeking legal advice added. All I want is a straight answer, which no one is getting
louise says
I sent this response
“Thank you for the reply. Surely everything they can send has been sent? It seems that the delays are unfair from their end and they disregard any deadlines set by yourself. It is taking so long that I am starting to feel hopeless wth this complaint. I hope these delays have been mention in your final decision that you sent a few weeks ago…”
Spode says
“Hoping….hopefully……”
Just about sums it all up!
John C says
That’s what I mean, its all incredibly vague and nothing is to the point. 8 months of this we’ve had.
Duane says
Surprise surprise. Email this morning from the new arbiter saying the MFSA are now dealing with my complaint from here on in and I need to email them.
What is going on??????
John C says
Good luck, think you’ll need it. Maltese financial regulation is a mess, from the outside looking in. I wish i’d never heard of Northway or Pounds till Payday
tim says
I’ve had the same thing from the Arbiter today.
There is also a line at the bottom… ”For the sake of clarity, the Office of the Arbiter for Financial Services is unable to intervene in your complaint”. Im guessing this means we cant have any assistance from the Arbiter. I have replied though and asked, if the mfsa find in my favour will their decision now be legally binding to Northway.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that this will take either a massive amount of time to resolve or not actually be resolved by the MFSA. Im hoping though ive given them enough information that it should not take too much investigating. Credit scores, bank statments, records of all payments to northway, records of all other lending and hopefully the most helpful thing and i have 5 adjudicator decisions in my favour for complaints against UK companies which i forwarded on too. Im hoping that they might use these decisions to help guide their own… Hoping being the word.
Either way im gonna keep at it and probably will take it to court- i made my complaint prior to it being time barred so i will not accept it being time barred due to Northway’s non-cooperation.
Anything I get back is now being treated as a bonus.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Do you know what the time frame for something to be time barred is then Tim? The MFSA will not even answer that simple question
Duane says
I’m flabbergasted how poor all this looks and a complete disregard for all of us. The MFSA may suggest something but if they have jurisdiction over northway then it all stinks to me.
I am going to get a result even if I have to take them to court as I will do. Can we do a mass claim for those of us who want to get together?
John C says
I doubt it. Each case has its own merits, so whatever happens we would have to do it individually
Duane says
So after sending everything the MFSA asked for yesterday I received an email from them this morning saying my complaint will be handled in most cases inside 3 months but longer in some cases. As I have pointed out, you are expecting me to wait another 3 months on the back of 4 already!!!!!!.
I’ve asked for contact info for a court in Malta as ridiculous is an understatement
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Not sure why you would want to sue someone in a Maltese court. The debts should be governed by English law. If you sue in Malta, its easy for their lawyers and expensive for you and hard to get free advice. If you win a case in an English court, you have the problem of enforcing the judgment in Malta, but you *probably* have exactly the same issue if you win a case in a Maltese court.
Duane says
Very true but if the MSFA can’t enforce Northway and the new arbiter not doing anything and only passing cases back to the MSFA then who is goverign banking intuitions over there and what can consumers????
Are you saying we could take action in a small claims court over here?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
oh you can take action – the problem comes if you win the case and they still don’t pay – how to enforce the judgment against a firm with no assets in the UK. But I suspect you would have exactly the same situation if you sue in a Maltese court.
NB I am not suggesting that you should take legal action against them – I am not a lawyer and you should take legal advice before doing this. What I am saying is that IF you take legal action it may be preferable to do this in an English Court rather than in Malta.
Spode says
“In most cases inside 3 months.”
Has anyone here had a resolution inside 3 months? I submitted my complaint over six months ago now. They’re delusional.
John C says
Ha ha ha, 3 months? Who are they trying to kid!?! Why not truthfully manage peoples expectations? Not one person has any result within 3 months for this kind of issue, except maybe a rejection by the MFSA. And in the response I got yesterday after I mentioned that although each case is individual, that some kind of precedent should have been set, I was told that some cases HAD been rejected. i’m trying to read positives into that, meaning that ours haven’t?
Spode says
I’ve emailed twice asking for an update since we all got that generic email on the 27th and still not had a reply. Which is infuriating as I know on here people are getting replies!
It’s quite hilarious when you read the section on responsible lending on PTPD’s website. And I don’t see how they can have a leg to stand on in defending against our complaints.
Inappropriate use is apparently using one of their loans to routinely cover living expenses, to pay off another instalment loan and for extra spending money. Erm, you gave me in excess of 42 loans in four years. Just all 3 boxes ticked off then.
And then this gem: “never borrow money from a company that doesn’t practice responsible lending.” If you find that you are taking another loan immediately after you repay the previous one then you should seek debt advice.”
Amazingly, their website still directs people to complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service in London with full address, email address and phone number.
John C says
Spode, I’d ignore the website. Northway sold it to a UK based business so it has nothing to do with them. They are now covered by the FOS. As of Jan 2016 they are trading as they should be. That covers both PTPD and Swift Sterling
Spode says
Ah, thanks John.
Hoping we are going to get some sort of update today from the MFSA.
John C says
I’ve messaged this morning to ask if Northway have bothered to reply as it has now passed the extension time they asked for. Having repeatedly been told they are co-operating completely, I see no reason why they wouldn’t. Based on the reply that Louise got I don’t expect any update till mid next week at the earliest. So basically a month after we were last told that something had been sent to Northway and they had originally been given 2 weeks to come back to the MFSA
Spode says
I’m going to have to email her again today as the other two emails I have sent this week asking for an update have been ignored. And because I know people on here are getting responses, I’m now starting to wonder if there is something specific about my complaint she’s holding back on.
As you said yesterday was the date Northway had originally asked for, so it’s reasonable for us to expect their resolution has now been sent to MFSA. And if if they have, MFSA should be able to tell us how long it will take to process.
John C says
If it makes you feel any better I haven’t had a response to that. To be honest the response I got the other day to my question on how long I have to raise any court action, was replied to, but the question itself wasn’t answered
Darren says
Hi, just read this forum page.
I owe money to poundstilpayday and am being chased my MMF…
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Hi Darren,
do you think you were given unaffordable loans by Pounds Till Payday? If you were, you should put in a complaint to PTP. it may not be fast to resolve, but it establishes that you are disputing the debt.
You could also ask MMF to produce a Consumer Credit Act agreement for the debt and a statement of account, see https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/getting-information/credit-agreement-advice.aspx. If MMF have added a default to your credit record, you should say that PTP never reported this debt to a CRA and you do not think you gave permission for the debt to be reported to a CRA when you took the debt out – ask them to produce evidence that you did consent to this.
If you have bigger debt problems, not just this one, you should also consider tackling them – contacting StepChange is a good first step: https://www.stepchange.org/Howwecanhelpyou/DMPdebtmanagementplan.aspx
Tim says
I think it is best (however frustrating it is) to ride this out at the moment.
Im going to see what the MFSA investigations find and if they rule in my/your/our favour and Northway choose to ignore this then I will be seeking advice from the Arbiter. Their email i said is that they cannot intervene in the complaint, which to me says they will not get involved in ongoing investigations. It doesn’t say anything about what they will or will not do once the complaint has been investigated fully and a conclusion reached. It maybe at this point we can escalate to them.
Hopefully if Northway ignore the MFSA then we can escalate to the Arbiter, kind of like an adjudicator and Ombudsman.
I think i may be being optimistic but im not letting any of this stress me out now.
Cheers
Tim
louise says
Just sent Pauline an email “Good Afternoon Pauline,
I am getting very distressed with the amount of time it is taking just to get an answer to your final feedback. To me and a number of others it seems that Northway are showing disregard for the process and are creating unnecessary and unfair delays. This is the last hurdle but after the 2weeks extension you’ve afforded them they’re still not coming back and it’s been 4 weeks since you gave them your final feedback. Just can’t understand how they can continue to do this. It is so unfair. I don’t blame you nor does it reflect on your work as you can only do what you can with what you have available. It’s starting to take its toll on my health as it is stressing me out waiting in limbo..”
I purposely haven’t blamed her because I doubt that helps the situation and thought it might make her push for answers. Probably not but fingers crossed any how!
Spode says
I’ve just emailed her, my third this week. I’ve said I assume Northway have now sent their feedback to her because it’s gone past the deadline they asked for, and asked her to share it with me today. Not expecting a reply but to know we are all in limbo and deadlines coming and going and to not keep us updated is pathetic.
Spode says
So……
Anyone had any recent updates? This is now the 11th dead since the all important “deadline” passed.
louise says
Nothing yet…..I sent her another email asking for an update but no reply. Today was the day she said she would have an update. Grrr!!
John C says
Not a thing, dropped another chaser this morning but not had a reply. Beyond annoyed now!
louise says
Maybe she’s waiting for them to send the cheque ??? bit of a long shot lmao
John C says
April the 1st was 6 months ago Louise
louise says
I meant now that she has made her decision and has the feedback from Northway. Reason I say that is because people received their cheques before Pauline’s email confirming the decision lol.
Spode says
It’s become farcical now.
Spode says
Another day, don’t suppose anyone has had a reply before I email her again?
John C says
I emailed on Friday, yesterday and today and explained that this was now making me ill. No response at all. Clearly the MFSA don’t care, Northway don’t care and the Malta Financial institutions can do what they like and not be held accountable for anything. I despair. It’s another month since a final response was given to Northway and absolutely nothing back
Spode says
It would make it a bit easier if we had some idea what she has recommended. Are we talking tens, hundreds or thousands of pounds?
tmi says
I dont think it is the MFSA’s fault here, I suspect Northway are just going to ignore everything knowing that there is nothing that can really be done. Granted the MFSA could give more reliable/punctual updates.
The MFSA’s decision is not legally binding so therefore it can be ignored by Northway with no repercussions.
Maltese Small Claims or the European Small claims courts are the next option. However both require you to attend court in Malta from what I can gather so this is not an option I could pursue.
My only forseeable hope is that if the MFSA’s decision/findings are in our favour and not honored by Northway that we can then raise a complaint through the Financial Arbiter. This would be legally binding.
If we can’t go down the Arbiter route, then unfortunately Northway pretty much can ignore us and the MFSA or are absolutely dragging their heels. Looking at their website and facebook page, there have been no significant updates for a couple of years now so I wouldnt be surprised to see them ‘disappear’ shortly.
Sorry to seem so pessimistic here people, they were by far my biggest lender and if i get half back I would be more than happy. Unfortunately I just dont think there is much we will be able to do about this one. The MFSA have no real power of enforcement so we just gotta hope for the best : ( I highly doubt it would effect Northway if their License was revoked since I cant see what/how they are trading with.
Anyway all the best to everyone. I hope there is some resolution/update for you all ASAP.
Cheers
Tim
Spode says
Understand where you are coming from Tim but the fact people have already received money back following the involvement of the MFSA suggests they do listen to what they say.
Tim says
Hopefully Spode,
I dont know if after they paid the first few and then received a glut of further complaints based on that (im sure a lot of people read these threads with complaints raised with them but dont post on here). Without any obvious source of revenue I dont know where they will keep the money coming in from to pay the refunds. Looking at their facebook page when they were posting on it, they were not shy about spending money. I guess i am just very dubious about their methods and morals and dont want to get my hopes up too high.
It would be nice to get something back, i just dont want to stress myself anymore by it. Out of curiosity, do we know how long it took from raising the complaints with the MFSA to the refunds being issued? I think the whole Arbiter mess really wasted a lot of time- I first raised a complaint with the MFSA 3 months ago but they are only just picking it up due to the Arbiter supposedly picking it up and then not. This shouldn’t have made a difference to complaints raised before it but I bet it did.
Anyway hope you guys who have the older complaints get some resolution (cash money) sooner rather than later.
Cheers
Tim
John C says
Don’t expect any reply today, Pauline isn’t in the office until tomorrow. I’ve rang and basically unloaded on the receptionist, told her how many angry people there are in the UK. She tried to give me the communications email but told her that they ignore that, I’d emailed the director general and had that ignored. I said the MFSA should be embarrassed at the way they are dealing with things. She was pretty shocked! Oh well, see what comes tomorrow
Spode says
Great! Nice of her to get back to those of us who have been emailing her before she went off. She is the one who emailed us all with the deadline she’d set the MFSA, which gave us all hope at the end of a very long and frustrating tunnel. And now she’s gone completely off the radar again and tomorrow will be two weeks since the deadline passed. It’s really not on. The fact she replies to some people with information (when she told Louise about Northway saying they were waiting to hear off their compliance team) and not others just shows how unprofessional her approach is to the whole thing.
John C says
I told the receptionist that I was disgusted with the level of service, she tried to put me through to a number of people who either wouldn’t speak to me or weren’t available. I told her i’d emailed Pauline on Friday, Monday and Tuesday and received no acknowledgement, despite my last email saying “can you please respond even if you have nothing to tell me” When she gave me the communications email I said it was pointless as i’d emailed that and the Director General a few weeks ago and i’m still waiting for a response. I said the MFSA should be embarrassed and told her that there were a number of very upset people in the UK, all in the same boat. The poor woman was mortified and said she would get Pauline to come back to me tomorrow.
John C says
Update: Pauline is off all week on annual leave, the fact I was told to ring back today as she would be in, is an absolute joke. And I’ve also been told that Northway are not co-operating and not responding to the MFSA. Sorry to the bearer of bad news but I’ve had enough of Northway and the MFSA. According to the person I spoke to, they are responding to people, but I’ve asked him if he realised how many upset and annoyed people are currently speaking to each other in the UK? I’ve said no-one is getting updates and the whole thing is a shambles. I’ve said it looks like the MFSA are doing nothing and don’t care about us.
Matt S says
Hi John, thanks for updating us. Not good news however can’t say i’m genuinely surprised. I’ve been feeling for a while now that the MFSA are the ones who have been lying to and misleading us. It all just seems too co-incidental that everyone always gets the same information at the same time. For example, when we were all advised that she had sent her findings to Northway and given them 2 weeks to respond. Surely if she was investigating all these cases from people in the UK she would send her findings to Northway upon completion of each investigation and not hold them all together to send at the same time, then swamp Northway with multiple cases and expect them to respond to them all within 2 weeks. Also you’ve been advised she’s out of the office all week on annual leave after being told yesterday that she would be back in today. If this is the case then why is nobody who is emailing her getting an out of office. When she was actually out of the office for a couple of days the other week her out of office was on, surely if she was on holiday for a week she’d have turned it on again. Makes me think she is actually there but is ignoring all emails and has advised the receptionist not to put any calls through to her from anyone in the UK. Maybe I’m just being pessimistic, but its genuinely how I’m starting to feel about the whole thing.
Spode says
Just coming back to this. She told Louise last week she hoped to be able to give us an update this week. And now died off on annual leave all week?
Hmm……
Sara (Debt Camel) says
hi guys,
sorry everyone is coming up against this brick wall at the moment. One thin you could try – and it will help if more people try it, not just one – is to contact your MP and MEP (https://www.writetothem.com/) and ask them to write to the MFSA on your behalf:
Your MP / MP isn’t going to know anything about this situation, so you need to be prepared to give:
– a 1 paragraph summary of “affordability” and why people who have borrowed from payday lenders in the UK are getting refunds
– a 1 paragraph summary of the number of times and total interest you paid borrowing from SS
– a 1 paragraph summary of why you were mislead by their “contact the FO” on their website, which was basically a lie and you have to go through the Maltese regulatory system
– a timeline for the complaint and contacts with Northways / MFSA/ Office of the Arbiter
louise says
Thanks Sara,
Instead of our MEP or MP how about someone in regards to the EU consumer credit? I’m going to do a bit of digging but as Malta is part of the EU and so are we at the moment wouldn’t they be able to get involved.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Dig away … but I would be surprised if any body has any regultory authority that exceeds the MFSA.
Don’t underestimate the power of letters from elected representives though. That has a better chance than most other options when you are basically being ignored by a regulator.
Spode says
I’ve just emailed all seven of my MEPs. It’s easy to do, just visit this site: https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=CM6zntquxs8CFQmdGwodDn4BcA
I’ve let them know about the problems we are facing with the MFSA, the ridiculous length all this has been going on for and how they are now seemingly doing nothing and hoping we will just go away because we are based in the UK. I’ve given up now on getting any sort of refund from all the loans I took out with PTPD. Hugely frustrating but it’s doing me no favours stressing and worrying over it. But I do want answers from the MFSA on what has gone so badly wrong on this. Right now I have no confidence Pauline actually sent her findings over to Northway. I have contacted them directly and asked for a contact in their compliance team who Pauline previously mentioned.
Spode says
Well I’ve just sent this to their communications email address and also the manager of the communications unit. Doubt it will make any difference but felt good to vent, and I think we need to keep making them aware we are more than just one person and we are all becoming increasing fed up/suspicious of what is going on.
Good morning,
I wonder if you can help me. I have had a complaint logged with MFSA since March 2016 against Northway Financial (poundstillpayday). On September 5, I received an email from Pauline Tonna who said she had sent her final feedback to Northway on September 1 and had given them a deadline of September 22 to respond.
It is now two weeks since that deadline expired and I am struggling to get an update from Ms Tonna on what is happening with my complaint. I have emailed Ms Tonna several times asking for an update since the deadline expired but I am yet to receive a response from her, and while I do not want to be seen to be harassing her in any way, it is becoming increasingly frustrating not to have any idea what is happening with my complaint, and if Northway have responded to her or not. My situation is unfortunately not unique and I am in communication with several other people in the UK who have similar complaints against Northway and who are finding it equally as difficult to get any sort of updates on their cases from Ms Tonna and the MFSA in general. To receive no update whatsoever from MFSA two weeks after the deadline I was given has expired is very disappointing and leads me to believe the MFSA views my complaint as a low priority. The lack of updates is not a new problem and has been an issue since I first submitted my complaint back in March.
Please can you provide me with an update on where my complaint is at, and if Northway have responded to the final feedback sent on September 1. Please can you also tell me what the feedback was that Ms Tonna sent to Northway Financial on September 1 so I have some sense of what is being discussed, as this information has not been shared with me. I would also urge you to do the same for every person who has a similar complaint as mine logged with yourselves to ease their stress and frustrations because they are becoming increasingly upset at the situation.
I now intend this afternoon to write to my MP and my MEP to explain the brick wall we are all coming up against at the moment.
Louise says
Ok I think I may have found something of interest – the Maltese financial tribunal. from what I can make out they are a court that deals with financial services in Malta. Please read as I may have read it wrong but here is says
———————————————–
The Financial Services Tribunal was set up by ACT XVII of 2002 Special Funds
(Regulation) Act 2002.
What are the functions of the Financial Services Tribunal?
The Tribunal functions as a court although it is separate and distinct from the Court of Justice. It incorporates the duties and obligations previously vested in the Malta Stock Exchange Tribunal (Malta Stock Exchange Act of 1990) and the Financial Services Tribunal (Banking Act of 1994 and the Insurance Business Act of 1998
What do you think? Worth a try?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
There seems to have been 1 judgment in 2015, previous to that nothing after 2012. As the judgments are in Maltese it is hard to say anything about the sort of cases it deals with. i think you will need local legal advice to tell if this could be useful.
louise says
I’m going to email them, outlining what’s going on and ask if there’s any help they can offer. If Northway don’t listen to the MFSA findings then this could be the way forward. I’ll let everyone know once I hear back from them, if I do hear that is. I might try and get in touch with Northway and ask what the hold up is and if they can update me. It can’t hurt can it? Not sure what do do at this point
John C says
Please let us know how you get on Louise. I’ve wrote and rewrote an email to the MFSA that shows just how furious I am with the whole process, but have it sat in my drafts at the moment. What I can’t get my head round is the unprofessionalism by the whole regulator, the consumer credit team and the amount of rubbish we’ve been fed. Its nothing short of embarrassing for everyone involved. The MFSA have dropped a huge clanger with what they have done. As a regulator they are not fit for purpose
Louise says
I have sent the email outlining what has been going on and that there are many unhappy people all with the same issues. I’ve also sent an email to Lyn Gaskell asking if they could give me a status update with a veiled threat of going to the Maltese tribunal. I’ve got a feeling these guys are the same as our ombudsman ( Pauline’s being the same as an adjudicator where it’s not legally binding) but I could be wrong.
John C says
I’ve emailed Marianne Scicluna again and left a scathing report on my opinion of the state of the MFSA and its position as regulator. Guarantee I’ll not get a response. I will be following back up with my MP and see if I can speak to the MEP too. Depending on the response I get on Monday from the MFSA I will also be speaking to the Maltese press. This whole thing is a shambles and anyone connected with it should be thoroughly ashamed of the way its been handled
louise says
What email are you using for Marianne Scicluna? I’ve tried the one on here but its bouncing back? If she gets enough complaints then hopefully she might take a bit of notice lol
John C says
mscicluna@mfsa.com.mt and I copied in communications@mfsa.com.mt
That was the email I was given and she is the Director General, so she heads up the day to day running of the regulator. I was also given the communications email, but no-one has answered me on that either, however Matt and Spode have had responses off it. I emailed Marianne yesterday and not had an out of office or it bounce back.
Spode says
There is also KZahra@mfsa.com.mt
He is the manager of the communications unit and he has replied to me in the past but not yet to my email yesterday.
tim says
Hi All
If you want to complain/escalate this then ive cut the below from their website. It details a number of bodies that the MFSA are involved with or members of, I wonder if they would sit up and take notice if you threatened to (or did) complain to these bodies regarding their practices. Also the mfsa reports in to the Maltese Parliament so if you could find the right contacts that might be worth pursuing.
‘Malta is a jurisdiction that complies with and helps develop international best practice and is actively involved with the OECD, the EU and the Commonwealth in modelling global regulatory policy. The MFSA is a member of the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). The Authority is also a member of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and a signatory of the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding with other members of these Institutions’
I have a feeling that the MFSA aren’t actually competent/experienced enough to deal with any sort of complaints or volume of complaints and are overwhelmed. Im not sure if 15 or so people in the uk will be able to instigate mass reform or just annoy them into ignoring us.
Cheers
Tim
Spode says
This isn’t a tin pot organisation though operating out of someone’s bedroom. Their website says they have more than 310 staff!
Tim says
They may have 312 staff but i highly doubt they all work in the complaints department. Comparatively there are 4500 people working at the financial ombudsman where i have had cases last over 6 months and who are now setting up a specialist team to deal with these types of complaints. Putting that in context it is more than reasonable to think that the MFSA might not be capable of handling an influx of specialized complaints.
Im not excusing the lack of updates and broken deadlines, im in the same boat, but it is highly feasible that they may not be equipped to resolve these as quickly as we would like or they advised, especially if Northway do not play ball.
Have a good evening all : )
tim says
If anyone wants any information on the number of complaints they receive, below is from the MFSA 2015 annual report.
http://www.mfsa.com.mt/pages/viewcontent.aspx?id=45
In 2015, they received 124 cases, closed 180 and have 139 pending. Gives an idea of the annual workload and backlog. An additional 100 cases from the UK is gonna cause problems.
REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS
Table 28 – Formal Complaints and Enquiries
Formal Complaints and Enquiries Table
Cases Received Cases Closed* Cases Pending* Enquiries Received Queries Received
Complaints related to: 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014
Banking 41 38 48 23 15 18 23 65 292 448
Insurance 34 36 35 36 10 13 31 57 601 663
Investments 38 53 94 47 109 169 43 126 378 1319
Other 11 0 3 0 5 0 14 3 459 86
Totals 124 127 180 106 139 200 111 251 1730 2516
Source: Malta Financial Services Authority
* Includes cases from previous years
Alastair says
Hi All,
I’m after some advise, I’ve had success in gaining all my previous loan details from PDUK, Lending Stream,Pixie Loans and Uncle Buck. Still fighting with WageDayAdvance but I am making progress. However with Swiftsterling/Northway I am getting nowhere. My loans dated back to approximately 2011-2012 where I took out over 20 loans, I have zero record of them and I wondered if anyone has successfully gained information from them regarding their own personal loan history?
I have read this whole thread and I can see how frustrating and draining this process is for you all and I’m happy to attempt another claim as apart from my time and shouting at my email inbox a little it seems like it’ll be worth it, even if I get a fraction of what I paid back.
Do any of you have any experience from gaining your information? I cant login to my old swift sterling account as its been closed and therefore my history has gone (so Northway UK tell me) so I’m stuck at the minute. Help anyone???
Spode says
Hi Alastair,
I sent them dozens of emails asking
For my loan history but never got a single reply. In the end I requested all my statements from my bank going back six years and went through them to find all the loans I’d had and what I’d paid back. Good luck.
John C says
Got to go with Spode here. You’d be better off getting your bank statement and going through them to find what you paid out and had paid in. Be careful as they paid money in and took money out under a couple of different names. I used PTPD rather than Swift Sterling, but I had entries on my statement as Poundstillpayday, Northway, and Northway Pacific. I did eventually get a copy of my statement but not till I received my rejection. Fortunately it actually gave me some info on loans that were before 2009 (that’s as far as my online banking went back)
Duane says
I’ve found a archive website site which shows Northway and Poundstillpayday advertised the FOS and OFT could support if the lender can’t help. Let me know if anyone needs screenshots
louise says
Pauline replied to me today informing me that Northway didn’t reply so she called them and was told that it passed the compliance team and now is with their legal council and she should receive their feedback by Monday if not today. I’m think this is normal for Northway from what she is saying. Hopefully this means the end is nigh! ??????