Fastway Couriers

[Escape-Watersports]

After Fastway Couriers South Wales went into administration I have been left with over £400 of un usable pre pay tickets. We have been in business for around 3 months and this has been a blow to our finances.
Is anyone else left with pre pay tickets, what action are you taking?
or
Do I just have to deal with it and try not to make the same mistake again?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Escape Watersports

 

[roydmoorian]

See

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=47676&highlight=FASTWAY

Nothing new there then ! !

 

[Escape-Watersports]

Hindsight is a lovely thing!
I have read through the posts you have mentioned and wished that I had found this site earlier!
The reason I posted in the regional part of the forum was to see if anyone in the South Wales area was taking any further action, or could offer advice.

Escape Watersports

 

[NeilHarries]

Have they gone into administration or is it liquidation? Either way contact the administrator/liquidator you may get something back. It depends on how much they owe in comparison to their assets, to what your chances are.

 

[Bri]

Seems to be lot of them, not listed as limited companies though and all have CCJ's against them, none registered in Wales though?

 

[Escape-Watersports]

I have spent a lot of time searching the internet and have yet to come across any information on who to approach.

 

[NeilHarries]

I have spent a lot of time searching the internet and have yet to come across any information on who to approach.

Have you tried calling their office phone number?

 

[shadesofblue]

After Fastway Couriers South Wales went into administration I have been left with over £400 of un usable pre pay tickets. We have been in business for around 3 months and this has been a blow to our finances.
Is anyone else left with pre pay tickets, what action are you taking?
or
Do I just have to deal with it and try not to make the same mistake again?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Escape Watersports

The way the fastway's business model is set up will make it quite difficult to get your money back. I use the word business model in the loosest possible sense.

The regional Franchisee owns the local depot and arranges the overnight haulage to the main hub. The driver franchisees then buy the round from the regional franchisee who gives them a portion of his territory.

In short your contract is with the owner driver and the regional franchisees rarely honour these tickets. It's also unlikely the new driver who takes over the area(this happens a lot) will want to honour them as they'll effectively be working for free because the money you've paid in advance has gone to the now bankrupt driver.

In short, it's highly unlikely you'll get your money back but that's not to say don't bother trying.

Take a look at the websites www.blagger.com, foulbusiness and the london gazette to get a taste of this "franchised" operation

I feel for the people at the bottom of the pile.

 

[deniser]

Do what Neil Harries says and ring the administrator or liquidator.

 

[Escape-Watersports]

Phone numbers are dead.

How do you find out who the Administrators or Liquidators are?

Learning a vital business lesson here!

 

[myparceldelivery]

Sorry to hear about your situation Escape.

Unfortunately, I have heard of a number of Fastway franchises that have gone under over the last year. We have picked up a lot of new business as a result.

Have a look at this link - there is lots of information on here which hopefully should help you
http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/

Cheers

 

[NeilHarries]

Phone numbers are dead.

How do you find out who the Administrators or Liquidators are?

Learning a vital business lesson here!

If they were trading as a limited company write to the registered office address.

Not looking very good I am afraid?

 

[ivorjbody]

I have also lost a few hundred £'s. Not too happy only purchased one book a day before we were told Lewes depot went into liquidation. Mind you our driver has lost his franchise (appx) £25.000 and his job and then there is all the staff. 3rd time it has happened to me. Last time Tiny computers. Got some money back from liquidators. Who are they in this case anyone know please???
ivor

 

[hbcraen]

After Fastway Couriers South Wales went into administration I have been left with over £400 of un usable pre pay tickets. We have been in business for around 3 months and this has been a blow to our finances.
Is anyone else left with pre pay tickets, what action are you taking?
or
Do I just have to deal with it and try not to make the same mistake again?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Escape Watersports

I had a client whose Fastway Franchise went intyo liquidation in EastSussex
and he has a number of pre-pay tickets. This is a company to be avoided

 

[ivorjbody]

After Fastway Couriers South Wales went into administration I have been left with over £400 of un usable pre pay tickets. We have been in business for around 3 months and this has been a blow to our finances.
Is anyone else left with pre pay tickets, what action are you taking?
or
Do I just have to deal with it and try not to make the same mistake again?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Escape Watersports

have been onto the BBC watchdog and they have been back twice and want more information fro me.
ivor

 

[NeilHarries]

have been onto the BBC watchdog and they have been back twice and want more information fro me.
ivor

Interesting, please keep us informed.

 

[ivorjbody]

Hi Neil. Sent copy of your thread to BBC. Hope that was ok?
ivor

 

[northern equine]

Hi The same thing happened to me. Fastways depot closed down without them even telling anyone. i am left with new books of stickers too. For now i am going to try contacting the depot to see if anyhting can be done, but i am not holding out much hope

 

[Mrbadger]

hi, I was a driver franchisee in the South Wales Depot. for what it's worth we were told on the Friday that the regional franchisee was fully comitted to the business untill Feb 2012. on the Wednesday we came back at the end of the day to be told it was in the hands of the liquidators. I contacted all of my customers who'd purchased within the last week to tell them to cancel their cheques. I lost 10K for the franchise and 4 weeks earnings aprox 2k. the entire thing was mis sold to us and badley managed. if Watchdog would like a couriers point of view I'd be more than happy to talk to them. BTW the regional Franchisee sold an insurance company he owned prior to starting Fastway for a reputed £20Million