Accreditations

Baines & Ernst accreditations

Why thousands of people choose us every year

At Baines & Ernst, we understand how stressful debt can be. That’s why we do our utmost to offer clear advice at all times and guide you towards appropriate debt management solutions.

Getting into debt is easy; the hard part is getting out. We’re committed to helping our clients manage their financial problems and work towards repaying their unsecured debts at a rate they can afford.

Most of all, we’re committed to being open and honest. We operate to the highest standards in everything we do. So whether you’re calling for debt advice or want to arrange a DRO, you can be confident that you’re dealing with a professional team who cares about helping you – not confusing you with jargon.

Baines & Ernst top five accreditations

DEMSA Membership

To ensure we continue to operate to the highest industry standards for the benefit of our customers, Baines & Ernst Ltd is proud to be a member of the Debt Managers Standards Association (DEMSA).

Take a look at DEMSA’s Approved Code of Practice and why you can trust Baines & Ernst to provide reliable customer services.

We fully subscribe to the DEMSA Code of Conduct, which is approved by the OFT.

The Code of Conduct covers the following areas:

• Compliance with Statutory Regulations and OFT Debt Management Guidance
• Marketing, advertising and publicity
• Information to customers
• Contract terms
• Client accounts and interests
• Dealings with lenders
• Redress
• Complaint handling

DEMSA’s Code of Conduct aims to encourage the highest standards within the debt management industry – ensuring complete confidence for both the public and the credit industry.

As a member of DEMSA we have been granted permission from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to display the OFT Code Approved logo on all of our advertising and promotional literature. The OFT’s Consumer Code Approval Scheme is an initiative to promote and safeguard consumers by identifying, monitoring and rewarding better business practice.

Our advisors are trained to provide impartial debt advice and comprehensive information on an extensive range of debt services including Debt Management Plans and IVAs. This ensures we can help the people we work with find the best solution to meet their personal circumstances.

If you would like to see a copy of the DEMSA Code of Conduct, please contact us or the General Secretary, DEMSA, West Point, Westland Square, Leeds LS11 5SS. Alternatively, you can visit www.demsa.co.uk, email: info@demsa.co.uk, call: 0113 277 7610 or fax: 0113 277 3586.

Debt Management Provider of the Year 2011 Finalists

The past few years have been tough for thousands of people around the UK as the economy begins the long road to recovery following the recent recession. As a result, more and more people found their finances changing significantly, with debt becoming all too familiar in struggling households.

Dealing with debt is hard, but we believe that with the right advice and support, we can help people get their finances back on track. That’s why we’ve reviewed our debt management solutions to ensure our services are accessible to more people dealing with debt.

This year we have lowered the debt level needed to apply for a Debt Management Plan from £2000 to £1000. This means we can help people before they spiral deeper into debt.

We’ve also invested in ongoing training for our team of expert advisors to make sure everyone who contacts us gets reliable advice on dealing with debt.

As part of the Paymex Group of companies, we continually strive to improve our services for the benefit of our customers. Our commitment to helping people out of tough financial situations has once again been recognised and we are delighted to announce that we have been voted finalists for the coveted title ‘Debt Management Provider of the Year 2011’ at the Insolvency and Rescue Awards.

Granted the prestigious ‘Debt Management Provider of the Year 2010’ award, we’re hoping that we can make it as two-time title winners at this year’s eagerly anticipated ceremony.

Insolvency & Rescue Awards – Winner “Debt Management Provider of the Year 2010″

Baines & Ernst is part of the Paymex Group – one of the longest established debt management providers in the UK.

Since our formation in 1996, we’ve helped over 100,000 people and have managed £1billion worth of debt. We remain a leading choice for those who want to resolve debt problems because of our empathetic approach, standard of advice and range of debt management solutions.

Our commitment to service hasn’t gone unnoticed and we’re pleased to say that the Paymex Group were awarded Debt Management Provider of the Year at the Insolvency & Rescue Awards 2010 and Debt Counsellor of the Year at the Credit Today Awards 2010.

Credit Today Awards – Winner “Debt Counsellor of the Year 2010″

The 11th year of the Credit Today Awards was one biggest yet with a record 158 nominees battling it out to achieve outstanding awards in 24 categories.

Over 1,500 professionals from the credit industry attended the awards in the Great Hall at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. The theme of the evening was set by the incredibly talented musician and one of the UK’s finest stand-up comedians – Bill Bailey.

With 67 finalists announced, several judges rated the quality of submissions as the highest in the history of the awards. Jeremy Sutcliffe, honorary vice president of the Civil Court Users Association and one of the judges, said: “This year’s [awards] were undoubtedly the best yet.”

Baines & Ernst award winner
Lawrence McGinley - Debt Counsellor of the Year 2010

Baines & Ernst nominations
Paul Morgan - Debt Counsellor of the Year 2011

Office of Fair Trading (OFT)

The Office of Fair Trading’s mission is to make markets work better for their customers.

To ensure we operate to the highest standards and our clients have access to the most up-to-date information, we follow the Code of Conduct set by DEMSA which is approved by the OFT.

Business in the Community

We’re proud members of Business in the Community – an initiative that advises, supports and challenges us to improve business performance and create a sustainable future for our planet.