Ten Alps Publishing

[neil358]

Mmmmmm - has anyone heard of Ten Alps Publishing? I have checked them out and researched them and they do seen legitimate. The reason i am asking is i have just been contacted by a sales rep for them, for a local folder involving the council, all contact numbers and the like match up as i have checked by phoning them.
BUT
Sometimes things are too good to be true, like a 2yr advertising folder for local authorities to hand out to local planning applications and people requiring info on builds etc, all for £365 + vat.

To me this sounds way to good to be true, or is it just me, what with all the scammers around.

I have contacted the local county council person that is involved with this publication, but could they be being scammed and also me??????

Do you know when you get that feeling, i think i am having it!!

 

[Dawg]

It's Bobby Geldof's company, is it not? A PLC no less.

Tricky.
Heh.

 

[wecandobiz]

I had a conversation with a guy there some months ago who suggested lots of ways in which we could work together. I heard nothing more so followed the call up to discover he had left. No one had any record of what he and I had talked about.

Whereas not a suggestion that they are not legitimate, they would seem to lack some professionalism based on the above.

IH

 

[captaincloser]

There is certainly a company in London called Ten Alps Media Ltd.They do the advertising sales for Private Eye magazine.They are an established company but probably not working with local authority folders.

You need to be careful with someone with such a similar name.Why have such a similar name in the same business ?

Also these folders...yes they seem to have a good sales story but folders of this nature have been around a very long time and often have a high turnover of advertisers.They used to be produced in huge numbers in the North West...Blackpool rings a bell. Mainly done for estate agents and the salesman would spend a couple of weeks in the agents office flogging the space the move to the next office etc.These had some merit.

If you are particularly interested in local authority publications have a look at Burrows in Surrey for comparison purposes at least.They do lots of stuff for local authorities...it's a niche market and maybe questionable, particularly on distribution numbers.

If you ever put ads in smaller unaudited (ABC figures) publications insist on a copy of the printers bill with your invoice.

 

[captaincloser]

Additional point.

The biggest worry with a local authority planning folder is would it be used consistently ? The pubblisher cannot guarantee it and as for the actual planning department.... What do you think ?

Over 2 years the likelihood of the boxes being lost, forgotten , policy change, outdated, overlooked, ignored etc is too high.

Better places to spend your £365 I reckon.

 

[Piqueperfumes]

I used to work for a local authority and these sort of folders were produced on our behalf. After the first year or so no one wanted to know as the response to ads was zero. They also always produced too many and they ended up being stockpiled, looking tired and out of date.

Of course, it may be things have moved on as this was a few years ago.
Cheers
Phil

 

[TraderMR]

This company is a complete scam - Beware.

In October 2010 we were approached by Ten Alps who offered our small business a place in the local council building control folder which is to generate business from council properties which need work doing to them. This sounded like a good idea albeit £395+VAT was quite expensive but we were guarenteed to generate work for us so we accepted on the condition this was to be released in December 2010.

We were then contacted again later in Octber 2010 if we would like to upgrade for £257 for this to cover all of the county, this seemed like a better approach so we signed up - NOTE all of this was contacted via phone and contracts via e-mail sent only.

Feb 2011 - Nothing from Ten Alps apart from several requests for artwork which we sent again and again which they lost and sent threatening requests for more. We requested on several occasions as to why this was still not released in December as specified at the start of the contract - Ten Alps denied that this was to be released then so we forwarded the e-mail proof and had no reply.

April 2011 - Request for the payment of £257 - We rang to say we would not pay unless proof of origional document release was shown to us. We were sent through later in the month some rubbishy magazine (the kind you would throw in the bin if it came into your home called Sitelines) which we had not signed up for and was now months overdue from the origional deadline. Of course after reading the small print in the contract in detail it states they can change the deadline when they wish!!

They are now stating we have signed up for Sitelines Magazine advertising and want us to pay £257 for 4 months this year! Which is a complete rip off and not what was sold to us on the phone.

This company only sending threatening letters about Payment, does not respond to questions asked and the outcome is non-profitable for any business. AVOID TRADERS!! You will be conned into losing alot of money for no gain. We are currently in contact with trading standards and the citizens advice bureau as to what can be done about this.

 

[trevthehat]

I too have had big problems with this so called company.they ask you to confirm via email your order (is this binding) then dont even send you a copy of the portal to view. they merely copied and pasted an advert of mine totally contrary to mY requirements, and their customer service staff are an absolute joke.
Have now received a debt letter for full amount when i,ve not even seen the product
I am in the process of preparing a file for my solicitor and have also informed trading standards of there inadequacies. TOTAL JOKE OF A COMPANY
PLEASE DO NOT USE AT ALL !!!

Adverising standards have also been informed.

Watch this space- progress will be reported !!

 

[TraderMR]

We kept receiving many threatening letters for payment so we repeatedly sent an e-mail stating this was not what was discussed on the phone for the origional deal and we would not be paying and we want to know the fee to cancel the contract and get out. Contact with Ten Alps has now gone dead for roughly a month so will keep you updated with any news.

 

[Frank B]

They are con artists, they start with a small add, then want to make it bigger etc. My Son started with a 399.00 plus vat. No proofs, signatures, nothing and now w e have a baliff knocking on the door for.....get this... TWO THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO POUNDS AND SEVENTY PENCE. My Son agreed to the first 299.00 plus vat, nothing more. THEY ARE CONNING SCUM THAT WONT GIVE YOU AN ANSWER, WON'T CALL YOU BACK AND WHEN YOU RING THEM, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT SO THEY HAVE TO RING YOU BACK AND THEY DON'T. I am not paying and will exspose these creatures for what they are. Any one interested in a joint venture? When I go to court I will have testimony from companies all over the country thats been taken for a ride.

 

[Frank B]

We thought it had gone dead too. Then the Baliff turned up. Be careful.

 

[thesmudger]

A Trevthehat and Frank B

I too have been stung by this company. I've got loads of incriminating info on them, including documents which you will find very useful - happy to let you use it. Let me know if you want it?

 

[trevthehat]

well after being pursued by joke alps through the civil courts i now have a date for court in march which i will definitely be attending, i will be standing for myself against these imposters and exposing to the judge as much info as i can achieve.
i was offered to mediate with them but insisted there was no chance whatsoever, since then i have been offered a reduced settlement which i won,t be accepting, looking forward to my day in court with this mob
also being well known in my area for work, through my contacts i enquired to building control if there was any such booklet given to people having applied for planning and was informed there is NO such booklet and any such thing would only be additional paperwork for them which would not be welcome.
Anyone wishing a statement from me to verify my troubles with them to use in court please pm me and i will gladly provide this (and hope to get one in return)

updates will be posted as they happen.

trev

 

[trevthehat]

Court on Thurday, bring it on

 

[TenAlps]

Trev the hat - Thank you for your payment. I am pleased to learn that this matter has been sorted - Publisher at Ten Alps

 

[trevthehat]

Trev the hat - Thank you for your payment. I am pleased to learn that this matter has been sorted - Publisher at Ten Alps

Just to confirm, having had a court hearing adjourned i decided to pay a reduced settlement to ten alps rather than return to Manchester again at my expense.
I certainly would not describe this as sorted and very much regret having had any dealings with them at all.

Safe to say i shall be very wary of any future approaches for similar products from them or any other company for that matter.

 

[Crown Doors]

?

 

[Crown Doors]

A Trevthehat and Frank B

I too have been stung by this company. I've got loads of incriminating info on them, including documents which you will find very useful - happy to let you use it. Let me know if you want it?

Still got that info?