.10 Nov 2012 17:29
Helphire has indicated that a number of insurers are keen to reach settlements with the firm over the use of "dishonest" Autofocus evidence as the company reaches a deal with RSA and Direct Line Group on access to information on the rate surveyor
As first reported by Post in June, the credit hirer was granted a High Court order to access information on Autofocus to ascertain how many of its own cases had been affected by Autofocus' "doctored" evidence.
RSA and DLG initially objected to the application but the court granted Helphire access with stipulations such as paying an outside body to access the information on its behalf.
Helphire said in a statement accompanying its results for the three months to 30 September 2012 that the company had been engaged with solicitors acting for the Autofocus liquidators and DLG and RSA to agree the process to extract the information required by the group.
This will enable Helphire to determine the appropriate level of damages suffered as a result of the unreliable evidence offered by Autofocus and then to seek recovery of those losses from defendant insurers.
Helphire stated that this exercise is close to completion and the approved intermediaries should soon be able to commence the process to extract and provide the firm with the permitted information.
"Once started it will take some time to conclude the process. And therefore it is still too early to quantify the value or timing of any possible settlements that may be obtained," the statement continued.
"Where possible, it remains the group's intention to make good its losses through negotiated settlements. A number of insurers have indicated that they would wish to enter into dialogue with the group in this respect."
Helphire posted a fall in net debt of £4.6m to £106.2m for the three-month period ended 30 September 2012. Debtor days at 30 September 2012 were reduced to 156 days (30 June 2012: 165 days) and compare with 180 days at 30 September 2011.
The company said that financial performance had continued to improve and that it recorded a trading profit against a "significant trading loss during the corresponding period last year".
Helphire noted that early indications are that this trend had continued in October, but added: "The coming winter months have a significant weighting in respect of the group's trading so, whilst the early indications have been encouraging, there is still much to deliver."