Insurance and maintenance company Homeserve has suspended all telephone sales amid claims of mis-selling by its call centre staff.
The Sun newspaper reported 100 workers at the company's biggest call centre in Walsall, West Midlands, were given the day off on Friday as a probe began. It said an internal investigation had suggested some employees were using questionable sales techniques. The firm has suspended outbound calls and says it is retraining 500 staff. The company said a review conducted over the past month had found that in some cases sales techniques at its call centre did not meet the company's standards.
Earlier this year Homeserve and another company, Npower, were investigated by Ofcom after it was suggested call centre staff were ringing homes and then....Read more here---> BBC News - Homeserve suspends telesales to probe mis-selling claim
Home repair insurer's shares plunge 28% after it admits FSA investigation may lead to fine and announces plan to axe another 250 jobs as it shrinks UK operations. HomeServe, one of the biggest home repair insurers, is under investigation by the Financial Services Authority for mis-selling, the company has admitted. The revelation sent its shares plunging 28% to 164p as the firm added it would be shrinking its UK operations by half a million customers. The company, which billed itself as the "fifth emergency service", could face a hefty fine from the City watchdog over what it called "certain historic issues", although the investigation is likely to take several months. Chief executive Richard Harpin said the alleged mis-selling had damaged the business and hinted that he expected the company to be fined. He said: "The problems have had an impact on our brand, certainly in the short term, but my hope is this hasn't done any long-term damage because we have made dramatic changes. "We were told last Friday by the FSA that they will be investigating, and that could probably lead to a fine." He added: "I would suggest the share price is down not because of the FSA investigation but because we have re-based the business down 20% in 2014."...Read more here: HomeServe investigated over mis-selling by FSA
Despite an FSA investigation into alleged mis-selling at Homeserve, and a share price that has fallen 70pc over the last year, the board has not curtailed its lavish payouts....Read more HERE