The Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Team has been made aware of a “Property Finding and Purchase Management” service on the market that can tie personnel into aggressive contracts, with the unfortunate consequence that some have fallen off the T&Cs.
They’ve ended up paying out money they can’t afford for a “product/service” that ultimately isn’t delivered. Some terms are not compatible with Forces’ life, and more importantly sometimes the services just aren’t necessary in the UK.
Unfortunately, when an individual takes out a commercial agreement independently the MOD isn’t in a position to take on that person’s case and engage in contractual disputes, so it’s important that personnel are financially astute in order to avoid these situations in the first place. In particularly the vulnerable, such as the young and those for whom English is not the first language.
Key things to remember:
1. Read T&Cs and seek advice if unsure before signing: Anyone signing a commercial contract really needs to read and understand all the terms and conditions. Seek support/advice if the information is too difficult to understand and never feel pressed into signing – that’s usually a red flag.
2. Be informed: do you need this service? Is it regulated? Useful signposting can be found here for house-buying: https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/estate-agent.
And the Covenant Team signposts people to the impartial and useful MoneyHelper org: Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper
3. Check the credentials of a company: Pasting the AFC logo on a company’s website doesn’t automatically confer an alliance to the Armed Forces Community and its core values. Companies need to make profit at the end of the day, so be aware and do your checks on the community – don’t be sucked in by the marketing.