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Are we being ripped off

Are we being ripped off

Old Dec 22nd 2006, 8:33 am
  #61  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

[QUOTE=jon&kate]
Originally Posted by Vinny van Gogh
have just got another bill for over £1000 incliding £63 for a 2 minute call they made to me.I have sent e-mail saying i will be contacting MARA.
Merry Christmas from the Migration Bureau then!!!!
It's an absolute disgrace isn't it. I wonder if Watchdog or Rogue Traders would like to make a programme out of them? Easy to say but try not let it spoil the festive season. All the best.
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Old Dec 22nd 2006, 9:39 am
  #62  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

[QUOTE=Bosshogg]
Originally Posted by jon&kate

Merry Christmas from the Migration Bureau then!!!!
It's an absolute disgrace isn't it. I wonder if Watchdog or Rogue Traders would like to make a programme out of them? Easy to say but try not let it spoil the festive season. All the best.
Also you can use the power of the internet...several really good, well read sites for consumer reviews. Pricerunner.co.uk, Reviewcentre.com are very informative and the OP may like to write a little piece on these sites.
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Old Dec 22nd 2006, 2:56 pm
  #63  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

my original post was deleted at the beginnign of this thread when I suggested it might just be our friends from MB

"This message has been deleted by Sue. Reason: Please do not post unfounded speculation"

It did annoy me a little, so I didn't bother following the thread any more.

I can now see there are quite a few out there that are familiar with these thieves.

Anybody having a dispute about costs, simply refuse to pay any more, and pull out of using them (if you are not too far) It wont affect your visa, because you can start the application again with another reputable agent, and still finish off spending less.

I would also recommend them being reported to MARA. I unfotunately am not very good with these sorts of things, but I have saved every sent & received email and all invoices, and would be more than happy to help back anybody else who is prepared to start the ball rolling.

I have since changed my application and am applying with another agent at a cost of at least 3,000 pounds wasted.




do you think I would get any help if I started a thread about leaving debt in Holland
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Old Dec 22nd 2006, 4:58 pm
  #64  
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Thumbs down Re: Are we being ripped off

it does sound like that our fees are nothing like that for a skilled 136 visa does £6000 include medicals etc etc or is that just the agents fee????I would query if i were you ours isnt half that for the agent?????
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Old Dec 23rd 2006, 4:24 am
  #65  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

I can understand why people might send a complaint to the MARA, but if the migration agent has acted in accordance with the terms of his or her appointment and in accordance with the MARA Code of Conduct I would be surprised if the MARA investigated the complaint to any significant extent.

In short, when deciding which agent to appoint consider issues such as whether the agent's fees are fixed, or are charged on an hourly rate basis - the latter can be an open cheque if you aren't vigilant ...

Best wishes to all for a Happy Xmas.
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Old Dec 23rd 2006, 7:38 am
  #66  
 
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

Originally Posted by Alan Collett
I can understand why people might send a complaint to the MARA, but if the migration agent has acted in accordance with the terms of his or her appointment and in accordance with the MARA Code of Conduct I would be surprised if the MARA investigated the complaint to any significant extent.

In short, when deciding which agent to appoint consider issues such as whether the agent's fees are fixed, or are charged on an hourly rate basis - the latter can be an open cheque if you aren't vigilant ...

Best wishes to all for a Happy Xmas.
Thanks for the info, as ever useful. Clearly it would be inappropriate for you to comment about another agent but I was having a look at the code of conduct and item 5.1 There is no statutory scale of fees. However, a registered migration agent must set and charge a fee that is reasonable in the circumstances of the case.

Charges in excess of double that of any other agent I would think would be not perhaps reasonable. Sharp practice could be alleged in not advising of a transparent estimate of total costs from the outset in terms of an hourly rate and expected hours to complete and fall under that section too.

Its buyer beware of course as with any service but sharp practice profiteering shouldnt be accepted by any industry registration body, especially an industry which is growth and hopes to maintain self regulation.
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Old Dec 23rd 2006, 3:36 pm
  #67  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

Originally Posted by Alan Collett
I can understand why people might send a complaint to the MARA, but if the migration agent has acted in accordance with the terms of his or her appointment and in accordance with the MARA Code of Conduct I would be surprised if the MARA investigated the complaint to any significant extent.

In short, when deciding which agent to appoint consider issues such as whether the agent's fees are fixed, or are charged on an hourly rate basis - the latter can be an open cheque if you aren't vigilant ...

Best wishes to all for a Happy Xmas.
Will agree with this. Unfortunately people leave themselves open to severe charges when employing anyone, or company, for services without a quote.
My brother and sister in-law used an agent who they found advertised on the back of a newspaper. They too were charged over £6000. I remember him showing me what paper work he was having to do (including filling in all the skills assessment forms and DIMIA forms). The look on his face when I pointed out that he might as well have not used an agent.He had reached over £5000 at this point and he too dreaded e-mails asking for more info, and at one point replacement info for forms they had misplaced which they then duly charged him for.
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Old Dec 23rd 2006, 10:57 pm
  #68  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

Unless you've actually dealt with these people you won't understand how awful they are. I'll give you an example. Whilst waiting for a CO to be allocated i.e my application was in, M.B. decided it was about time to extort some more money out of me. I received in the post a general letter about the Australian Taxation system. Fine I feel, but nothing I haven't already read up on from the various books I've bought. For the privilege of this letter I quickly received an invoice of over £100. I told them where they could stick that invoice of course and they replied with some old rubbish about it was there duty to inform me of anything that may affect my application. I told them to stop talking crap and not to try anything like that again.
That was just one example of the kind of stunts they will pull. I can't thing of any other kind of industry or firm that for just a minutes worth of conversation or communication, they charge you the earth for it.
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Old Dec 23rd 2006, 11:44 pm
  #69  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

Originally Posted by jon&kate
We are using an agent for our move and the bill is at over £6000 thats excliuding the costs for my TRA and the cost of our visa.We have been accepted for stni by canberra and are just putting together what i hope will be our last major paper work for DIMIA.During our application we have had to change visa type as my wifes brother let us down (he was going to sponsor us)This didnt cause to much upheavall with our application as we suggeted to our agent going down the stni route.Bearing in mind my tra was done before being let down.We get a bill every month with a breakdown of work done.We have been charged for reseaerch into stni visa (surely an agent know's about the different visa's on offer.I can understand that paperwork had been done for a 138 visa as this was our original route but this bill only came to £750.The agent we are using is a very famous one and not some backstreet job.I n the e-mail it says a bill for £1600 is in the post but since last month we have been putting together our paperwork for DIMIA i:e birth a marriage documents updated letters from work etc and although i have contacted agent by e-mail i fail to see how they come up with theses costs.I have just sent an e-mail to the accounts department expresing my disgust at the costs.

Yeah seems v.expensive our agent for a 138 visa is £1500
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Old Dec 24th 2006, 2:12 am
  #70  
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Default Re: Are we being ripped off

What does the letter of engagement say about their "duty to inform you of anything that may affect your application"?

If it is silent on the subject you probably have a good basis for not paying the invoice. By contrast if you have signed a letter containing such terms you may not.

The letter of engagement and the MARA Code of Conduct are the key issues here ...

Best regards.




Originally Posted by Bosshogg
Unless you've actually dealt with these people you won't understand how awful they are. I'll give you an example. Whilst waiting for a CO to be allocated i.e my application was in, M.B. decided it was about time to extort some more money out of me. I received in the post a general letter about the Australian Taxation system. Fine I feel, but nothing I haven't already read up on from the various books I've bought. For the privilege of this letter I quickly received an invoice of over £100. I told them where they could stick that invoice of course and they replied with some old rubbish about it was there duty to inform me of anything that may affect my application. I told them to stop talking crap and not to try anything like that again.
That was just one example of the kind of stunts they will pull. I can't thing of any other kind of industry or firm that for just a minutes worth of conversation or communication, they charge you the earth for it.
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