Ask a CCCS counsellor a question

CCCS_Amanda

paulinemcc wrote: »

CCCS_ Sarah, can you help i am currently on a dmp and in my second month however i am concerned as some of my creditors are still charging interest on loans, Northern Rock especially. This means that i am going to be paying them until i die (Im only 31 LOL) !!!.
i was adivised to write to them asking them to stop interest due to financial hardship, or i would contact the financial ombudsman or oft. However i am not comfortable doing this and would like a template, i came on this website looking for one after one of your collegues advised me i would get one here. however i cannot find this.
Please help me.
Thanks v much

Hi Paulinemcc,

Thank you for your post.

If you give our Client Support team a call they will be able to send a letter to the creditor in question and ask them if they would give consideration to stopping interest and charges.

The number for client support should be on your monthly statement.

Regards,
Amanda

CCCS_Amanda

Goodtimesahead wrote: »

Can someone confirm if its correct that CRA's cannot by law hold information on file if the credit agreement was opened before 1994?

A friend of mine has an entry showing from a high street bank for a credit card that was opened in 1987, his credit history has gone down hill during the credit slump and this file shows various late payments & a default ,surely if the above is correct he can ask the CRA's to remove this data from their records regardless of the history showing?

Hi goodtimesahead,

Thank you for your post.

If your friend has missed payments to his credit card in the last 6 years then they should show on his file regardless of when he signed the agreement.

A credit file will show the last 6 years history on a debt.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Amanda

CCCS_Sue

seh567 wrote: »

Hi have been on Jobseekers for a short while. Have a review with CCCS counsellor on 17th July regarding £15k credit card/loan/overdraft debt. Have been paying £1 token monthly payments whilst waiting for review at their suggestion.

I have now been very lucky in securing a job which starts a few days after my CCCS review. My problem is that I will be part paid on salary and commision so I don't really know how much I will be earning. I am hoping that my review will result in a DMP and without commission my Income/Expenses shows there will be a small balance available for this. However would this be acceptable to CCCS because it would not be a true reflection on my potential earnings but impossible at the moment to confirm by how much. I notice that I need to supply proof of earni
ngs which I won't have straight away as I will be paid monthly.[/

QUOTE]

Hi seh567 and thank you for your message

When we look at income,we always take amounts that are guaranteed.
Any commission that is not guaranteed may be looked at as an average over a period of time.
I would recommend that you explain your situation to your counsellor when you have your review and she will advise the best way to work it out based on your circumstances

Regards
CCCS_Sue

CCCS_Amanda

bigjohnuk wrote: »

Hi there,

I have now got to the stage where I need help with my debts. I was once a single person who enjoyed a good style of life with a good job. Today I dont earn as much as I did and I am now Married with four children, (two are mine)

I was going to go to the CCCS and arrange for a reduction in my payments in order to try and pay my debts off. However my wife, who is far better with money than me, does not want me to do this as it would damage her credit rating for the future.

Is there a way that I can myself agree with the credit card companies as to how much I can afford to pay back and some how stop the intrest charges?

I did try and open a 0% balance credit card to transfer my balances, but this did not work as they would not approve me although my credit rating is good. May be the amount I was asking was to high?

I need some advice and I do not know what to do. What I do know is that I need to get my debt down.

Hi there bigjohnuk,

Thank you for your post.

If you want to reduce payments to your creditors then you will need to supply them with a copy of your income and expenditure and offer them a more reasonable payment that is based on your budget. There is no way to make a creditor agree to your offer of payment and there is no way to make them stop charging you interest if they do not want to.

If the debts are just in your name then the missed payments, defaults, etc would only be recorded on your credit history. I have attached a link that will give you information on credit histories and the information that they hold.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/credit_explained_leaflet_2005.pdf

Our service is confidential and if you are struggling to make payments to your creditors then you could have a chat with a debt counsellor. They will be able to give you more information on reducing payments, your credit history, and the collection process. You can contact our helpline on 0800 138 1111, alternately you can use our online debt advice facility called Debt Remedy.

Regards,
Amanda

CCCS_Amanda

Worried_Mum wrote: »

Hi
I have a son who is being chased by his bank over un unpaid bank loan. He has been working on a self employed basis but has got into difficulty when his commercial landlord started taking his earnings off him after doubling his rent and threatening him. That is now subject to police action, He currently cannot open a new bank account due to to his poor credit rating and is currently not working at all so not earning. He needs a bank account to move into new lodgings. He is currently sleeping on sofas and Im not sure what his best course of action is. He is a bit in denial but knows he needs to do something so I have emailed him info on debt counselling etc. he seems to be caught in a vicius circle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi worried mum,

Thank you for your post.

Your son should be able to open a basic bank account at any bank that he does not owe any money to. A basic account does not have the same credit requirement and anyone should be able to open one. I have attached a link that will give you some information on basic bank accounts.

http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/pdfs/bank_accounts.pdf

If your son is struggling to pay his debts then he should start talking to his creditors and advising them about his change in circumstances. If your son has no money available for his debts because he is not working then he will be unable to make payments to his creditors. His creditors may not understand but there is not a lot that he can do about that.

If he would like some help and advice he could contact our helpline on 0800 138 1111. The helpline is open between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Amanda

oftenpuzzled

Please help firstly sorry if this is a repeat of my first request my laptop seems to be doing its own thing.I received a letter from link financial saying my address has been highlighted as a new address for their customer.After doing some research I now think that MBNA have sold on a credit card debt from my old address which I left 2yrs ago after a not nice marriage breakdown.The thing is I had no idea MBNA had done this so how can I be a customer of link.I did try ringing them but the queues on the phone are horrendous and must be costing a fortune.Should I wait for another letter as on here I read that link send out letters to people with the same name hoping someone will pay up,but my name I fear isnt that common please help ,I live on my own in a part ownership house and get working tax credit so there isnt much money at the end of the month and I am really worried

CCCS_Sue

treblex33 wrote: »

Hi,
I would appreciate your opinion on the following.

I requested CCA fro my creditor who replied by sending a copy of T&S for years 2000 (account was opened in 2000) and a copy of their current T&C.
However, none of these T&C relate to me as there is no information about me at all. those could be anyone's T&C.

Following failure to supply the correct docs I then sent 12+2 letter to advice that the account was on dispute.
I have now received a reply, pls see the following link (could not attach photos here)
http://photobucket.com/treblex33

It appears they do not have the relevant docs and are trying to talk their way out of the obligation to supply the docs. Am I correct?

thanks,
treblex33

Hi treblex 33 and thank you for your message

Looking at this reply,if this is all you have received since you sent your request,it would seem that they have not provided a copy of your original agreement so have not fulfilled their legal obligation.

Regards
CCCS

Weekend_warrior

CCCS_Sue wrote: »

Hi weekend warrior and thank you for your message

I would recommend you check your terms and conditions to see if there is anything regarding overpayments there. Otherwise, I do not think there is a lot you can do in this case.

I do not think the bank would say it was their policy not to refund overpayments if this was not true.

Regards
CCCS

Hi CCCS Sue,

Thanks for the reply, but back in 2002 I had an overpayment then and the Bank refunded it with no fuss whatsoever, So I don't see what the problem is between then and now.
I also checked with the DHSS about the likelyhood of them asking the bank for the mortgage payments back and I was told that this was very unlikely.
Even in a severe fraud case they would pursue me for any money and not the bank, The DHSS also said the bank advisor was talking rubbish.

W.W.

PAULneedsHELP_2

Hi, we,ve been paying into a DMP for approx 18 months £90 pr month with debtfreeme they charge me £25 pr month to do this. It would seem with £27000 of debt it would take 25 years to clear his. We dont own our own home and have a car worth £2000. We dont know wether to carry on with the DMP or go for the IVA or even bankruptcy. Thanks Paul

costaerer

just a quick question...

is it better to offer full and final to settlement offers to dca, or is it better to offer to the creditor themselves.

i have offered f&f to 5 cc companies, 3 are direct to creditors and 2 to dca.

the dca always want the payments then they will send paperwork,obviously i insisted they sent me paper work and then i would pay. but actual creditors will send paperwork then will take payment.

these are the figures we have settled on, do you think these are ok?


Barclaycard: 650 DEBT, barclaycard direct offered 320
Vanquis: 650 DEBT, Collect Direct DCA have offered 338
Lloyds TSB: 630, Lloyds TSB DCA(think its still Lloyds) offered 415
Capital One: 360, DCA have offered 267
Halifax supposedly dont do F&F??!!

any help would be appreciated!!