Welcome to the community

IMPORTANT: Tide Community is closing - we’re building something better!

Thank you for sharing your feedback, questions and ideas. We very much appreciate your contributions - and now it’s time for something new. To better support you, and to showcase your businesses, we’re developing a member directory.

5th February 2021: This forum is now ‘static’ so it's not possible to add a new topic or comment.
Summer 2021: The forum will close. Read more

richardv9
1
Aug '20

Hi there,

I am growing incrwasinly concerned at the number of businesses being turned down for BBL’s by real banks, due to being on Tide’s centrally submitted list.

It has been stated that the list was not an application, merely an “expression of interest”. It appears that this “expression of interest” has been centrally shared with the BBB.

To compound the issue, Tide appear not to be removing anyone from this central register, but only sending a generic copy and paste letter, that is so poor, it looks genuinely fake.

For example, the letter begins with the words:

"Hi,

I can confirm…"

It is not letter headed with any form of address nor contact details.

Most concerning is that this only comes to light at the very end of the BBL application process, a process that is taking many many weeks for businesses, due to delays in account openings.

Please spare the usual “free to apply elsewhere” rhetoric, as it is clear because of the above, that is not the case.

Dr. Prill appears mute to any concerns at all. Does not answer emails or messages on Linkedin.

It is bad enough Tide not being able to give BBL’S and the lying on social media that they are the only non bank lender. It is now worse that their actions are stopping businesses from accessing BBL’s elsewhere.

What is being done, bar the very very poor generic letters, to address this issue?

  • created

    Aug '20

  • last reply

    Nov '20
  • 9

    replies

  • 158

    views

  • 5

    users

  • 3

    likes

Obi_at_Tide
Aug '20

Thank you for reaching out about this @richardv9

I appreciate that some of our member shave faced this kind of complication and it was unexpected from our side as well. As an accredited lender we were obligated to provide information about how many registrations of interest we’ve received - and this is something we’ve done while stressing that these are not applications.

The letters we’ve prepared are on letterhead and signed by the responsible people on our team, but if you’ve received one that doesn’t reflect that format, the team will absolutely correct it as needed.

I can assure you that Dr. Prill is aware of this particular issue, and though he might not address this directly, he would ensure that it is brought to the right team so they can be properly handled.

Regards,
Obi

Marc1
Aug '20

Hi obi,
Are you saying that you told the BBB exactly how many people had shown interest, there names and company names and that you only had 50m to lend, and they still accredited you??

Obi_at_Tide
Aug '20

Hi @Marc1

Part of our obligations was to disclose the level of interest we’d received - this was largely to prevent duplicate applications and seeing BBLs provided to the same people multiple times, and not as part of our accreditation.

We only made our waiting list active after we had already been accredited.

Though we did cover all of the eligibility criteria, this was separate from the conditions under which we would have had to secure the funding to lend on the scale that we wanted to, unfortunately.

It’s been a blow to us as well, for this to be the outcome, but we’re doing everything we can to explore the alternatives with the Treasury.

Regards,
Obi

IanM1
Aug '20

Hi Obi, so are you saying there is still a slight chance BBL’s will become available via yourselves? It is disappointing that your ‘lenders’ don’t seem to have the appetite to fund these guaranteed loans and help SME’s get back on their feet and start to grow.

Obi_at_Tide
Aug '20

Hi there @IanM1

That’s right, we’re still waiting on a final decision from the Treasury in regard to whether we’ll be able to source our funds more directly.

There is a dedicated team that are in contact with them and I myself am not privy to how those discussions are going, so I can’t suggest what to expect, but once we’ve gotten a final decision on the matter, we’ll announce it right away.

Regards,
Obi

IanM1
Aug '20

OK thanks Obi- fingers crossed in that case as it will be a big help of course. Regards, Ian

richardv9
Obi_at_Tide
Aug '20

Thank tou for the update Obi.

What I can say is that the dedicated team cannot be doing much or anything bar a few e-mails with The Treasury.

The reason for knowing the above is the exact same reason we offered Tide help and support with any lobbying efforts that would be required.

Needless to say that Oliver Prill has totally ignored any offers of help with this. It is a shame, as the reality is so far beyond the rhetoric put out on social media and on here by Tide.

Obi_at_Tide
Aug '20

Certainly, there is only so much that my colleagues can do in this regard.

Ultimately, the final decision is not with us at this point, but I can assure you that if Oliver has received any offers of assistance, he would pass them along to the team as well.

Regards,
Obi

3 months later

closed Nov 13, '20

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.