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We signed up with Unitel Direct on the 11/10/2010 -on the basis that they would get us on the natural listings on (google) with 7 to 10 days - its now been 8 weeks since we signed up and no work has been done on our website or on the google natural listings.
i would strongly advise all companies looking to get ranked on google to not and I repeat NOT use unitel direct otherwise know as First Search Consultancy.
They are taking peoples money and making promises that dont keep!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer's satisfaction.
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I've had the not so great pleasure for working for the Snake of a manager CHRIS WILKINSON at first search consultancy/unitel direct for a few months.Ileft and went to work with a friend of mine who set up his own SEO business and we had more success than these bandits..What an absolute ###ing joke this guy is..I left after a few months after finding out what this Snake gets up too Inside and outside of work.
Renews customers 4 to 5 months in advance in order for the staff to get their targets as this is all he cares about MONEY IN HIS BANK(Hes already been bankrupt once and first search went into liquidation)
Chris wilkinson's aunty Bernice wilkinson who is also a so called manager at unitel direct hasnt got a clue what she is doing and has no significance in her role, How she has been made a manager is beyond me But thats another long haul story.
This company con customers left right and centre, some of the horror stories i could tell you about some of the customers i signed up and never got their unitel promise would make you blood boil and disgust you.
The amount of complaints and threats the manager and company got were unreal..Just a very badly organised company who love conning the public and new customers and never deliver on their promise..I seen what Unitel direct l/first search consultancy were doing and i opened my own company to which were having moderate success and people are actually Ranking on google and bing.I just hope people read this before they got to first search consultancy/unitel direct as this message will not only save you money but will also save you a hell of alot of trouble.If trading standards got hold of this bandit once and for all rest assured he would go under..JUST BEWARE AND NEVER GO TO CHRIS WILKINSON FOR BUSINESS.
hi john this company has done noththing for me and as taken it to court the high court I may ask I they want 2, 800 pounds I have baliffs coming round to remove my good and I am 73 years old they cold called me and promised the earth no work as been done to my webb site and I am not on googlee mel townsend
Unitel Direct, http://www.uniteldirect.co.uk/ are just cowboys.
They have just ripped off a mate for hundreds of pounds for a domain name worth £3 a year.
Nothing has happened since it was purchased but they keep getting on the phone trying to sell more worthless services
Avoid at all costs
I am so pleased I have just read all these stories about unitel direct. A guy from there has been calling me for months. I've now thought about signing up with them, friday I am meant to be getting a call back to set it all up and hand over £350... I THINK NOT! not after reading your stories. thanks everyone.. just saved me a hell of a lot of money. x if any one can suggest the best route to get out there on 1st page of google I'd appreciate the info.
thanks
sue
I paid £200 for my SEO and that only stayed on 1st page for 3months after taking around 4 months to get there.
Then I got mugged into paying another £800 for a generic listing 2 months ago.
Guess what, still nothing showing on google. I have spoke to them hunded of times and they keep saying they will look into it but never do.
I am so angree and feel betrayed.
Maybe its time we all stood up and contacted trading standereds or even watch dog!
Wish we had looked them up before handing over £300 + Vat. We feel like our site has been hacked! - we have lost our search engine position because of their tampering with our site. They guaranteed us page 1 listing on Google and Yahoo and we are no where to be found for the phrases they were optimising. We were on page 1 of Google and Yahoo for the phrases we had optimised ourselves but we wanted to expand our area and thought they could help - what a bunch of rip off merchants and cos it business to business there is no protection.
Only way to tackle them is to take them court for breach of contract but no doubt the company would just fold and re-emerge as something else!
Has anyone actually taken them to Trading Standards
They have taken unauthorised amounts from my bank twice now-each time I renewed my yearly package with them (both amounts have been refunded but not until I notified them)
I have also been charged twice for thus years renewal once in December 2012 and again in Feb thus year for the same package . They said it was a clerical error and the first payment was for a different package. Do you think I should speak to Trading Standards?
Talking to TS about them at the moment.
They got really annoyed when we tried to cancel. They really over charged my boss for work that did no good.
They claim to have done work on our site recently although they can't access it & have admitted that. Lots of crap about our site dropping off google etc if we leave.
Recent nasty email stating they will send in debt collectors if we dont give them access to our website to remove the work they have done in the past, that has been paid for.
Trading Standards are asking others to contact them to report issues, so please do
We are having the same problems as everyone else
we signed up for their telephone and broadband service and have been completely conned
will be going to Trading standards about the f not had satisfaction by week end
Don't go near them
half of use sound like ex employee's im on board with unitel direct and have had no problems
Having a lot of problems myself and will be reporting to trading standards
Having the same problems will be reporting to trading standards
I paid £420 in April . They tortured me to pay the full balance up front. I told them I would have no money in my account for over a week. They phoned me 4-5 times a day leading up to the end of the week asking for the money to the point were I said I want to cancel. Then on the Monday they took the money and said I had made a verbal contract. They took 9 weeks to send me a proof of just the first page of my website which was totally crap. I had to go through to there offices and threaten them with the police for taking the money after I had informed them that I was cancelling. The police were ready to go and arrest them if they did not return my money. Do not use this company they are cowboy bandits,
two years ago i was persuaded by Unitel direct to pay £300 to create a website to get my google rankings up.
I transfered one of my domain names to them so they could use it.
They built a one page site that looked rubbish and in the first year I didnt see the new site anywhere on google.
The next year i was pestered to renew but as the website was ineffective and no help with google I ASKED TO CANCEL.
there were some veiled threats of i would disappear off line and my original website and ranking would be affected so decided to give them one more go at a reduced rate of £150 plus vat after being promised by an agent that she would be on the ball and call me bi monthly to jig the website to get me where I want to go.
AFTER ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT A CALL OR ANY SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT IN GOOGLE ADS I was call again to renew, i said no please cancel and although bombarded to stay kept to my guns. I asked for the to transfer my domain name back but they refused unless i pay £99 fee to get my own domain back!
i refused to pay and im gonna contact the domain people to report them and possibly trading standards.
Do not touch them with a barge pole sammers all the way!
Please report Unitel to Trading Standards as they are currently being investigated.
Just phoned up (withheld number) and told me that someone from our company had contacted them and they just needed to confirm the details so that they could go ahead with getting our details submitted to Google. Thankfully we're a small company so I deal with all the IT myself (plus I haven't just fallen out of a tree) so I put them on hold while I Googled them - then told them that my IT manager (that'll be me then!) said that they hadn't contacted them and suspected they were just trying to sell us something. How many companies do they catch off guard like this when some poor receptionist is tricked into giving details which will no doubt sound like a verbal contract once recorded?
Comment by Wersal on 30th April 2013
"half of use sound like ex employee's im on board with unitel direct and have had no problems "
God help us all! That says everything about the company if you are on the board. I assume the ability to communicate in English to an acceptable standard is not prerequisite for your position?
Got conned into new contract saying there would be no change to my internet. Now turns out the ISP is someone I've never heard of. Will now have fun trying to get out of contract as direct debit set up over the phone. Seemingly costs £10 for copy of phone call verifying direct debit Details. If in doubt stay away. I usually do but this time they got me
I have been conned out of £1580 by Unitel Direct. They are definitely a shower of cowboys as I have been waiting for 10 weeks on my so called all singing all dancing Website. I have been emailing them every week asking where it was and kept getting told the Technical department are dealing with it. I don't think they have a Technical department.
I emailed them on Monday and told them I wanted a full refund as I was not willing to wait any longer. I reported them to CISAS on Monday as well. Magically on Tuesday I received the draft page of my website and it was complete rubbish. None of my images ere there there was no text in it and they had all the wrong info as well.
I received an email this morning saying they do not have a refund policy and therefore cannot refund my money. I have told them I am now going to Ofcom and also the newspapers as they are complete rogues. I will also go to Trading Standards and will ensure that everyone hears how bad they are and that they are robbing people.
Hi
Im going through a similar issue as you have been through with these sharks can I please ask how you got on and if you actually reported these people to trading standards... as I have taken legal advise and will be talking to Trading Standards myself.
look forward to hearing from you.
DODGY TRADER ALERT! - We have just been threatened with collections by a seo company seeking £695 for nothing. We used their services nearly a year ago which we pre paid a set amount for seo services which they guaranteed first page google results, they did not deliver until the last week of contract. Contract has ended. They now want access to my website to remove things unknown to me, i have refused as i have had other seo companies make changes and i do not want this undone, they then threatened me with a bill of £695 if i don't let them get into my website. i did not sign or agree to any contract but they seem to think differently
Some years ago I had a cold call from Unitel Direct and foolishly agreed to allow them to mess with my Website.
Basically they charged me for NOTHING I repeat Nothing. After a year they insisted on another charge, when I refused they threatened me with debt collection agency. My Comment "See you in court" heard nothing.
Buyer Beware ---- Don't use these cowboys !
Fighting them as we speak. I had the gall to leave them and they are threatening me with their enforced collection service as they say the person who has designed my website is using their SEO and they want to bill me for it. The key words they are quibbling about are ones that anyone with a business like mine would use. Unbelievable. They have overcharged me outrageously for the last few years and talk very fast and try to confuse with their jargon. Ghastly people!
This is a very nasty little company. They mis-sold me a home telephone/broadband etc package, to replace the one I had with BT. They said it would be £X per month and it would include 'everything'. However, once the switch-over had taken place, I found there was no TV included. I couldn't do anything about it so did without. Meanwhile I received huge bills (double those I had with BT) which was down to my children's downloading etc. It seemed that my limit had been set very low (5MB) after angry discussions they kept increasing the limit, each time adding a huge charge, as it was a 'new contract'.
I have also asked them at least twice to take the 'caller display' off my bill, as I don't use it. They haven't done and now say I have never made this request. They have refused a refund and have cited the fact that I mas given a 'like-for like' package. In which case, why was my limit set lower than BT's and how come TV wasn't included?
This company are cowboys!
I chose Unitel (previously First Search Consultancy) of my own free will. I choose to 'let go' of any negative history with them, but from a kindness perspective to anyone who is looking to have their website built or optimised or hosted - I would definitely 100% run a mile from Unitel. I do not recommend them under any circumstance. Today is a good day because i have decided to cut my losses and leave them completely. They have chosen to charge me £100 plus VAT £118.80 for the luxury of allowing me to transfer my domain and hosting to another provider. Bear in mind it costs nothing for them to do this. The good news is I AM FREE.
If Unitel is really so bad then Trading Standards should audit them.
MY Dad is 81 years of age, he, ll be 82 next year if he lives that long, up to asking Unitel to make a web sight for him, they went way beyond his expectations they served him with two, he cancelled because of this and they served a summons on him for £2040 Jan 4th 2019, since then my dad has never been the same, he, s in court in Sept 2019 what thev, ve done, i, d gladly kick the lot of them into the long grass. For good health avoid these at all cost.
Wow, that is horrible absolutely horrible to hear, l am so sorry..
I have been conned by this company they haven't done any thing they have gone to high court they want £2, 800 pounds out of me I am 73 years old how can I stop these con merchants mel townsend
Hi Melvin,
Im in much the same predicament as your self, can I please ask how you got on with Unitel Direct and did things go in your favour? this company needs reporting to trading standards, and after recently seeking advise thats just what Im going to do.
I am also in the same situation and would be interested to know if anyone has any further information on reporting them to trading standards ?
I was issued a letter from the Bailiffs two weeks ago asking for £630 that Unitel Direct say I owe them..very laughable Not!
Ive asked Unitel Direct for proof of works that they say that they carried out om my website, believe it or not without any payment from myself, or the passwords to get into the backend of the website, now Im a firm believer that if the work has been carried then the Invoice should be paid... in this case I had a third party check my site as I did and they could find nothing that had been done.
No proof has been sent by Unitel Direct and Im still waiting two weeks later.
Denise, I am aware that you are now in contact with our head of collections to bring a resolve to this. Regards, Unitel
Melvin Townsend - after many many months and attempts to reach you to reach a resolution - we didnt get a response. Ultimately the matter was passed to the courts and we obtained a judgement after the court ruling in our favour. Your account is no longer with Unitel and is with High Court Enforcement - you will need to liaise with these moving forward.
Yes I kept asking for proof of work they were doing on my website and they couldn't come back with any evidence. My website was only on page 8 or more for my keywords on a google search and for the amount of money I was paying for SEO package I would have expected to be on page 1 ! Total rip off
I think we need to all come together and take a class action on this company now
They have no proof of anything, they do not do as they promise, that just want to collect many for absolutely no work done... they have now taken me to the small claims court and l need all of us to fight this company and put a stop to this. The Trading Standards needs to act fast on this company and put a stop to this...
If the court ruled in your favour how did they manager to obtain a writ to enforce the action... this sounds horrid, they have just taken a claim at the county court for a small claim
Took a website package with them they took over 1050.00 took 4 months before they gave me my site.my 6 year old could have done better and then loads of lies.biggest con artists I've ever met.do not trust these scum bags they will only lie to you and take your money.
They have done the same to me. Have you managed to get your domain name transferred from them ? I need to do this but know they are going to ask for more money to do so !
@evelexi - we have sent a direct message to you as we are unaware of who you are based on your user profile.
You are 100% correct I have been conned but reported then to onbudsman, scammers
This company has lied and lied and lied, at least you had a site to refer to, l got nothing and now they are taking me to small claims court for breach of verbal contract... i never entered into any contract with this company. When l have requested the recording of the conversation, they have failed to provide this information. We all need to do something and stop this company from affecting so many lives and businesses. They are a rouge company and act on false mis representation and they are a fraud company, they steal and destroy small companies they have no integrity what so ever. Their actions are affecting my livelihood! They should be stopped.
Sammy how did you get on I've had the same and just reported them to Police
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Phillip Cooper
GB
For companies
Review of Unitel Direct Ltd
Phillip Cooper
3 reviews
1 star: Bad
4 hours ago
Not to be trusted
Not to be trusted
My experience
I have now got to take legal advice from Trading Standards
The hub of the complaint
I have told them they have totally misrepresented me to the public.
Their response is they are laying down the fact I have breach their contract by not going ahead with their proposal web site
The website misleads the public and they are going to take me to court if I don't paid the direct debit which I stopped and told them why
I have also reported this to yell .com but was told they are just a customer not part of yell
Anyway I will put this over social media if it's not resolve I have all the written evidence but I will still ring them tommorow and ask for a apology for the Harrasment
Trustpilot
We have also been ripped off by these Con Artists. Trading Standards will not help, Unitel record you agreeing to a verbal Contract which they then enforce, but they do have a Cancellation form which you can complete, but they insist on 30 days notice, so you have to know date of Contract. We may need to involve the Ombudsman Service to sort out these people. OFGEM should be able to assist. Let, s get these cowboys sorted out.
I was mis sold this dream of benn on top page in my area and at the top of Google that does not seem too be the case I am very very upset with the services that I pay a lot of money for
These people are well oiled crooks, who know exactly how to make you say something they can record and then tell you you have agreed to a long expensive contract, which you cannot break.
I was driving and was on a hands free , i was trying to get them off the phone so was like yeah ok yeah can you call me back later , when was told all these greats domain names were mine, it did sound good, so i agree to give them my card details, which they were not going to used until i was happy with everything. When i had time i googled them for reviews and found that they are not whet they say they are , far from it, but cleaver con people. I asked that they do not contact me again. However they still ran my card for £990 over two months, but again not taking large amounts which are noticeable when being taken from you account, really well thought out scam the bank fraud team explained.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE CROOKS
Arthur Monaghan
T/A Premier Decor
87 Silverstream Road
Belfast
Antrim
BT14 8GD
In response to your letter dated 2nd February 2023 regarding my so called acc arrears please post me out the Contract i signed with your company in full so i can get my solicitor to read over it.
yours sincerely
Arthur Monaghan