At Hertsavers, we are always willing to help our members where we can. A big thank you to one of our members who has shared her experience and some love for Tracey, from our customer services team. Please note that for authenticity, we have made minimal edits to the text.
“2013
I left my town of Bradford fleeing DV with my young 7-month son. I landed at Hertford council and asked for help. I didn’t want to go in a woman refuge as I didn’t want my baby there so my only option was to rent privately as I had not been in the area long enough and family ties were not strong enough.
I had no money nothing. So the Council told me about the rent deposit scheme. Said all I needed to do was to find housing at the right cost. And they would pay it for me. The first month’s rent was a bond equivalent to the rent and the administration fee for the estate agent. Brilliant.
It was hard to find a landlord who would accept DAD but I found a nice flat perfect and a great estate agent and the council did the rest.
Fast forward maybe a year and I got a call from Tracey. I didn’t know that the rent deposit scheme was a loan all along so I owed loads. Tracey helped me come up with a solution and I managed to pay it off at 6 payments a month. £5 and £10 installments. Sent up standing order.
….well fast forward another year or so and it was paid off and I had loads saved up. I was able to take my child away on holiday to Spain. It was amazing.
Got with a boyfriend who I know now, was a financial abuser and always wanted money off me so he took it slowly – promising to pay back but never did. Anyway was a week before Christmas, my son was turning 3 and I had given him all the money saved for Christmas and was stuck. Desperate I called the credit union for a loan. Tracey answered and honestly help me so much She went above and beyond to get me the loan fast. I was living in a caravan site at the time and through a fax machine in the campsite office she got me the loan after tears and loads of paperwork. Christmas was saved.
And since then, I have always got the loan twice a year. Every December and roughly between May and July so I can always have a Christmas and a sunny holiday in year. My son is now 10 and so far Tracey has always been on the phone where I have had queries and my son has had his holidays.
I have another baby boy now and credit union is a life saver at times. Tracey is amazing. Because as a struggling single mum at the time, I just wanted the best for my child and with the care and patience of Tracey, I was able to give him the best. It is a child benefit loan after all and so now my children will always benefit from it. Thanks to Tracey. I have also told a fair few single mums who are struggling about my experience of receiving a child benefit loan and how I managed to get it to work for me twice a year that they now do exactly the same.
Thanks so much Tracey in my darkest times… back at the caravan park 2015, you saved my life and my little boys Christmas. We will forever be truly grateful. By the way I left that boyfriend there… and came back home to go on to live my best life. Always with credit union holidays to keep my kids happy. Thank you again Tracey . xxx”