Ask a CCCS counsellor a question

activist3

Hi,
I completed CCCS Debt Remedy last night and it suggested DMP. Have selected that and filled in details and it says pack will be sent out Is there anything i need to try and get together that you will need when this pack comes out. Also shouldi cancel dd's and offer token payments now or wait until i havemade payment to you?

activist3

Also i would like to know if i can exempt/susepnd to creditors from my DMP when i set it up as they have not provided me with proper CCA's?

CCCS_Alan

Sofa-surfer wrote: »

Hiya,
I've posted this in a thread in debt free wannabe so sorry if I'm repeating myself (and you!)

I have just been landed with a large council tax bill that is now with a DCA. They are demanding £50 a month which I am struggling to pay, but realise this is a priority. My brother has offered to pay this debt as it is a priority, but I don't think he can afford the full amount in one go. Can I make an offer of a full & final settlement since this is a priority debt?

Also, I currently have payment plans in place with my non-priority creditors to try to sort out my debts. If my brother pays off my one priority debt, will it affect my payment arrangements with the non-priority creditors (apart from giving me more money to pay each month!)

All advice greatly appreciated!

Hi Sofa-Surfer
.
Council Tax bills are a priority, and for arrears they are normally collected through bailiff companies which could come across similar to a DCA. Normally a DCA is instructed to collect the debt if you have moved council borough.
You can try offering F&F but this is unlikely to be accepted as they will normally only accept full payment or agreed instalments per month. If he can make a lump sum payment on your behalf it will reduce your balance owed, and take less time to clear the remaining balance.

If you have a greater surplus each month to offer to your creditors it is going to take less time to clear your debts. But what you may want to consider doing is paying your brother back each month once you have cleared all the priority arrears, using the with the extra money available. Then once he has been paid pay more towards you creditors to clear your remaining debts quicker.

Regards

CCCS_Alan

Iwannabefree_2

Hi, we've been in a DMP since November last year with CCCS and everything was going OK except for the Natwest. After disputing that they'd received any information about it and then passing onto Triton and SHakespeare Putsman the latter have rejected the amount offered through our DMP (never missed a payment). Had a letter from CCCS today to say it 's likely to be passed to a debt collection agency. Could you let me know what they are likely to do and what powers they have to collect the debt? Thanks

CCCS_Alan

buddy31 wrote: »

Hi
My husband & I are in the process of trying to sort out a DMP with C.C.C.S. I am unable to work as I am in receipt of Disability Living Allowance. Does my D.L.A have to be included in our income as I am not guaranteed to be entitled to this for 11 years (which is how long our DMP will be for) Also this is a none taxable benefit. I am only guaranteed D.L.A for the next couple of years.
Thanks

Hi Buddy31

What we can normally do is include it in the income, then make sure your extra costs that the DLA is used for are covered in your budget expenditure, as this benefit is awarded for exactly that reason. Your counsellor would go through this on your appointment and discuss it further.

Regards

CCCS_Alan

CCCS_Alan

activist3 wrote: »

Hi,
I completed CCCS Debt Remedy last night and it suggested DMP. Have selected that and filled in details and it says pack will be sent out Is there anything i need to try and get together that you will need when this pack comes out. Also shouldi cancel dd's and offer token payments now or wait until i havemade payment to you?

Also i would like to know if i can exempt/susepnd to creditors from my DMP when i set it up as they have not provided me with proper CCA's?

Hi Activist3

For the DMP you will need to provide proof of income and recent statements from the creditors regards balances, reference numbers and payment addresses. This is so we know where your money should be sent to each month. If you send information in and anything is missing our processing team would contact you and let you know what you need to find out.

You would still need to make token payments each month of what ever amount you can afford to the creditors until your plan is set up and running. And then to make sure you do not pay twice, cancel any direct payments to you creditors so the only payments they receive are from your DMP.

A DMP would have to encompass all your creditors into the plan that you owe money to.

Regards

CCCS_Alan

CCCS_Alan

Iwannabefree wrote: »

Hi, we've been in a DMP since November last year with CCCS and everything was going OK except for the Natwest. After disputing that they'd received any information about it and then passing onto Triton and SHakespeare Putsman the latter have rejected the amount offered through our DMP (never missed a payment). Had a letter from CCCS today to say it 's likely to be passed to a debt collection agency. Could you let me know what they are likely to do and what powers they have to collect the debt? Thanks

Hi Iwannabefree

If the debt does get passed on to another company while you are on the plan, you need to let us know as soon as possible the details. We would then send out an offer letter and you r details to them and make your payments to them each month.

If a debt is passed to a collection agency, they have no more power than the original creditor. They cannot send bailiffs or make people aware of your situation such as employees. They will normally send letters and make calls to try and convince you to pay more each month. If this is the case advise them you are on a DMP and the payments that are been made each month are all you can afford and stick to that. After a few months of regular payments they usually calm down.

A creditor may eventually consider going go for a CCJ if they think that they can get more money from you. But a court will not make you pay what you cant afford. So if you were to offer the same amount you were paying each month on a DMP it would be accepted, and as long as it was paid each month as agreed it would be ok. If you do get any paperwork that you are unsure about just give us a call and we can discuss it with you.

Regards

CCCS_Alan

Iwannabefree_2

CCCS_Alan wrote: »

Hi Iwannabefree

If the debt does get passed on to another company while you are on the plan, you need to let us know as soon as possible the details. We would then send out an offer letter and you r details to them and make your payments to them each month.

If a debt is passed to a collection agency, they have no more power than the original creditor. They cannot send bailiffs or make people aware of your situation such as employees. They will normally send letters and make calls to try and convince you to pay more each month. If this is the case advise them you are on a DMP and the payments that are been made each month are all you can afford and stick to that. After a few months of regular payments they usually calm down.

A creditor may eventually consider going go for a CCJ if they think that they can get more money from you. But a court will not make you pay what you cant afford. So if you were to offer the same amount you were paying each month on a DMP it would be accepted, and as long as it was paid each month as agreed it would be ok. If you do get any paperwork that you are unsure about just give us a call and we can discuss it with you.

Regards

CCCS_Alan

Thanks for the information. If we do receive letters etc then we'll just keep writing and informing them of our DMP details. From what I've read it also seems best to send recorded delivery! Thanks again

lemontart

I have been told that if you make 2 offers of repayment and both get declined that the people you owe money too have to legally except the 3rd repayment plan you offer . Is this correct

CCCS_Alan

lemontart wrote: »

I have been told that if you make 2 offers of repayment and both get declined that the people you owe money too have to legally except the 3rd repayment plan you offer . Is this correct

Hi Lemontart

Unfortunately that is not correct. What you have to look at though is that creditors cannot make you pay what you do not have, so only ever pay what you can afford and stick to the payment amount.

Regards

CCCS_Alan