Self Employed DRO

135

Comments

  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    Hi everyone.

    Just an update and a bit of advice if possible.

    When I initially rang Business Debtline at the start of December, and after my discussion with the advisor there and then, I was told that there was a backlog for DROs, and that it would be completed around the end of January. I was given the opportunity to use another charity (although Stepchange had told me I have to go through Business Debtline due to being self employed). 6 weeks didn't seem too bad, though, so I said it would be fine.

    The forms were sent out and I received them a few days later. I had to wait two weeks for my credit report, and as soon as that was available, I sent the whole lot off to Business Debtline, and they received them on Tuesday 19th December. I received a letter saying that they had been received and it would now take 8 weeks. I queried this, and was told it was 6 weeks.

    Yesterday, I had an email asking me to complete a survey about their service. I emailed them (as I've not had any service yet!) to check that they hadn't sent out my draft application and barcode, as I'd not received anything and couldn't understand why I would get the survey.

    I've just had a reply to my email and has been told that I won't hear from them for another 5 or 6 weeks! So that will be 10 or 11 weeks (if it even happens then), after they received my application. That is ridiculous. I have emailed them and told them that I need to get this sorted. My application is so straightforward and easy. They have everything they need. I would do the draft application myself and they could check it, if that was an option. All the information I have sent them (5 weeks ago) will be out of date. Surely the backlog is not that big.

    I sent out the letters I was told to send, informing my creditors that it would be the end of January, now they're just going to think that I've lied about doing the DRO.

    Are all the agencies taking around 12 weeks to sort out the DROs? It's nuts, especially when I was told it would be completed by the end of January. I'm so upset about this.
  • Hi Twubble

    Why do you feel you need it sorted so quickly? If your debts are near £20K that's the only reason for a quick DRO and these applications will be prioritised. Any legal action of CCJs would go into your DRO, pay your creditors a token payment a month until it goes through. These are free debt advice agencies and so have much higher workloads than the fee-chargers, I know that doesn't help but I feel you are worrying unnecessarily.

    I know you feel upset however it is what it is and they can only work through their workload at their rate making sure the DRO is not rejected, as it's 6 years before you can apply again.
  • snowwhyte
    snowwhyte Posts: 63
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    When you submitted your DRO application what did you use as evidence of income? I am doing my form now and it says bank statements aren't proof of income but there are no examples of income proof for self-employed people. I realise I'll probably be spending half an hour on hold with BDL on Monday to get an answer but maybe i can find the answer myself.
  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    I work for a US agency, so I am paid weekly via Paypal. I produced the Paypal printout plus the emails the agency sent me stating amounts paid. Mine was simple. If I had an online shop, I would have printed out the information from there. Not sure how else you could do it without providing masses of invoices, etc.
  • snowwhyte
    snowwhyte Posts: 63
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    I am the same as you. I get paid through Paypal for work done online. I will probably still have to phone BDL to check but hopefully my Paypal statement and payment emails will be ok then. I don't want my application sent back if i miss anything. They received your application and it's waiting to be processed but do they make sure they have all the documents they need when they receive the application or when they process it?
  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    I emailed them to check, and was told that I have sent in all the information they require ... but they'll let me know if the intermediary will contact me. They said the same the next time I emailed them around 6 weeks ago. So I am still half expecting them to ask for more or updated information. I'll put it on here if they do.
  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    Just been in touch with Business Debtline via email. A letter is on its way to me, and I have been booked for a telephone appointment next Wednesday. I'm just glad I've been assigned to an intermediary. Fingers crossed it won't be much longer after that. That will be 12 weeks and 1 day after they received my application, just for the reference for anyone else looking at timings.
  • snowwhyte
    snowwhyte Posts: 63
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    I'm glad to hear things are finally moving forward for you. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer.
  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    The letter has arrived. I've not been asked for any further or updated information. The letter just gave me the time and date for the telephone appointment and the bar coded letter to make my payment. I had expected that to come with a draft application, as I've seen other people say on here, but it's just a very brief letter. I'm now unsure whether it's just to run through the application on the phone (it says to allow up to an hour for the call) and then it will be sent, or whether the draft will be sent after the phone conversation. I have not been asked to check on the latest amounts of the dates, but I'll do that so I'm prepared. Fingers are firmly crossed that he can hit the button to send the application there and then.
  • Twubble
    Twubble Posts: 80 Forumite
    Just had my phone appointment. It lasted just over half an hour and was very straightforward, literally just running through what a DRO is, how it will affect me, and then ran through the information I had given them. He's drawing up the application, sending me a copy to go through and sign, then the application will be going in, so hoping for a DRO approval by the end of next week. I paid on Monday, so just the final stage now.

    Did have a bit of a hitch, though. I bought a private number plate about 10 years ago. It only cost a few hundred pounds, as they're not really my thing. As I had the money spare and it was perfect for me, I bagged it. He said that the OR could see that as an asset, so he advised me to get a valuation for the plate (which I've just requested) in case it comes up. It's only of value to me as I have a strange name, so it wouldn't be any good for anyone else, so I doubt I could sell it, but we'll have to see what the valuation comes up with. It shouldn't push me over my asset limit, so I'm not really worried about it ... much!
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