Ask a CCCS counsellor a question

xhosa9

Thanks for this. I am similar problems with M&S money calling me at work and leaving numerous messages with our receptionist who is getting annoyed by this as I shouldn't accept personal calls at work. I have never given them my work number so can't work out where they have got the number from. They have my direct line and the main office number. I have told them verbally 3 times that they need to write to me but they have then got very aggresive and I have had to end up putting the phone down on them. I will be sending a letter as below to them by recorded delivery tomorrow and I have just e-mailed them a copy as well. Is there anything that I can do?

Any help gratefully recieved!

CCCS_Amanda wrote: »

Hi there,

Did you get the following letter from us?

To whom it may concern


Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to ask that you no longer contact me by telephone as your calls are causing me considerable stress due to the frequency, and that they are being made at inappropriate times. Please remove my telephone number from your database and send all future communication in writing to my home address.

I have provided the most recent copy of my income and expenditure to make you aware of my current financial situation. I will continue to make my payment of x on the x of every month and will keep you informed of any changes in my circumstances as I am keen to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

I understand that following this request if you continue to call I can contact the Office of Fair Trading to make a formal complaint.

Please confirm in writing that your records have been amended.

Yours sincerely

If you did then you have reason to contact the office of fair trading and make a complaint.

If you did not send this letter then you could forward a copy of this one to them, maybe sending it recorded delivery. If they persist in contacting you at work etc. then you can make a complaint.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,
Amanda

sjuk27

Hi, hopefully some one will be able to advise me on this. I moved in to my apartment 12months ago and get mail every other day for the previous tenant. I was just putting it back in the post box with and RTS message on it but the letters keep on coming. Today I decided to open them and was shocked that there were 2 arrears notices for £3k loans from different companies. I rang both of them and advised that the person had not lived in my apartment for over 12months and one of them asked if I had received anything from a company called Connaught which I can only assume is a debt consolidator of some sorts. Now I am worried as the 2 loans on there own amount to £6k of debt registered to my property and I am concerned that there may be more. I have alway had a good credit rating but recently I have had inccidents where credit card companies have reduced my credit limit considerably saying it was down to "responsible lending" even though I always pay my bill in full and on time each month. Could this persons debts have anything to do with this and if so how do I rectify the problem? On a recent credit check my credit rating has gone from excellent to fair, although I have never defaulted on any payments or racked up large amounts of debt. I am really worried that this other person is affecting my credit status and it may prevent me from getting a mortgage or credit in the future.

Please can some one give me some advice on what to do?

Thanks

lmclean100

CCCS_Sue wrote: »

Hi Imclean100 and thank you for your message

I would recommend that you send them a copy of your budget showing your income and expenditure so that they can see how much you realistically have left after paying all your priority bills and a list of all other creditors to show them who else you owe money to, but you do not have to send them copies of your bank statements.
Your budget will back up what you can afford.
If you need any assistance putting your budget together, you can ring for an appointment to speak to one of our debt counsellors.

Regards
Sue

Thanks Sue, I've already done that, I did the debt remedy on CCCS web site and used that.

L

CCCS_Sarah

Northstar68 wrote: »

So sorry again........I suddenly went cold and felt all the blood draining from my head and down my body.......we have an overdraft with Abbey, an Abbey loan and Abbey credit card all of which we are hoping they will accept our DMP payments which are being set up at the moment. They have been receiving token payments until now.
The direct debits we usually have coming out of that account are also being moved to a different bank so within a week there will be nothing left there to take from us as my pay/child benefit/tax credits have also been moved.

I suddenly now remembered that my 2 daughters have an account each, a children's account with the Abbey. Is their money safe or should I take that out and move elsewhere too?

And if I move it would I need to take them to the branch with me? The accounts are in their names but my name is there as the trustee I think its called.
My littlest daughter also has her child trust fund money in there, that £250 that every child was given. Should I move this too, can it be moved even?

Just really want to know if their money is safe.....or not because of the mess their mum and dad are in! It adds up to about £1200.

Many thanks

Hello,

Thank you for your email.

You would need to double check with the bank as it would depend on the type account that your children have.

Sarah

Triggles

Regarding children's accounts - what about the child trust fund accounts? My DS has a CTF through Abbey (the one the government funds for £250), and although it has my name on it as his parent, I was under the impression that it is not my account, it is strictly his. So that means Abbey could not access it to pay our debts, right? Isn't it as a trust fund protected from this?

CCCS_Sarah

finshe wrote: »

Hi, i have done my SOA and have added the costs in my business as i'm a sole trader, is this aloud and do you think the creditors will want those taken of my SOA. Thanks in advance.

You would need to separate your business costs from your budget. I.e. when you put your income on your budget, this should be once business costs, tax and NI is deducted.

pavan_2

I have a big question, we have been on a DMP with payplan for 18 months now and it is failing miserably added to the fact I have just lost my job, my house is in negative equity and is getting repossessed next month. While the lady at payplan was lovely she didn't seem to be able to offer any advice she told me to fight for the house even though the mortgage payments are far to high, she seemed to be more concerned with getting there partner company to offer us cheaper insurance when I have allready got the cheapest possible on everything! We are in a minus surplus at the moment with the mortgage but if we rented and didn't have any debts we would be able to survive, should we go bankrupt?

CCCS_Sarah

Triggles wrote: »

Oh - we have a debt with Abbey and our DS2's CTF is with Abbey as well. They can't take that can they?? If so, please let me know and I'll do whatever I can to change it as soon as possible.

Also, all the bills are in DH's name, except for our overdraft which is on our joint account. I pretty much figured once we send them the "token payment" letter from DH, that they are going to contact me to come after me for the overdraft as I am listed on the account as well. Can I simply tell them that I will only be able to make small payments (I am a SAHM) each month, and how much of the balance am I responsible for? all of it? Or can they not come after me if DH is making payments (albeit small ones) on it. This is the only account that I am on. (And obviously why I am concerned over DS2's CTF, as although it is in his name, my name is on it as his parent)

Northstar68 wrote: »

Very similar to us Triggles, one of the counsellors will be here soon to help us Im sure. Very worrying isnt it. So much to think about.
Abbey have just told us they are withdrawing our overdraft on the 1st Dec so they are included as one of our creditors now which prompted me to open a new joint account elsewhere and shift the priority direct debits over, still working on that now. Then that got me thinking about my girls' accounts and the child trust fund with Abbey.
I am ready to hear the advice so can act on it asap.
Oh my days, we are going to feel a whole lot better when this gets sorted! Looking forward to the day when things calm down a bit!

xxx

Triggles wrote: »

Regarding children's accounts - what about the child trust fund accounts? My DS has a CTF through Abbey (the one the government funds for £250), and although it has my name on it as his parent, I was under the impression that it is not my account, it is strictly his. So that means Abbey could not access it to pay our debts, right? Isn't it as a trust fund protected from this?

Hello,

With regards children’s bank accounts, if the account is in the child’s name then a creditor can not touch this as the account is classed as a different capacity. As there are different types of accounts it would always better to check with your bank or if you are in any doubt move the account.

Children’s Trust Funds will also be classed as a different capacity.

I have attached a link for you to read through http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/40/40_setoff.htm

Hope this helps
Sarah

Jamesdeer001

Hi!

Having been to the CCCS website, their suggestion for me is a DMP. I have 28k of card or loan debt, of which I can pay £600 a month, so taking about 3.5 years assuming a freezing of interest. I also spoke to CCCS on the phone yesterday and having a councillor meeting set up for Nov 16th.
I think though, the DMP is the best course of action for me and what do get the ball moving asap, so can I go ahead and do this online now or should I wait for the councillor?
How long does the process normally take etc?
I'm in the process of changing my wages to go to a seperate basic bank account and have cancelled all DD's.
I have minimum payments which are due in the next couple of weeks but can't afford all of these or won't be able to live so what is the best thing to do? Make smaller payments to each? Should I phone up the banks and say what I'm doing? What do you say and am I likely to get interest frozen or fees not charged? I'm obviously trying to reduce any extras as much as possible. Which banks are normally the most helpful (I seem to be with most!)? So far, having asked for help from HSBC and Halifax, both have been as helpful as a hole in head, all saying there is nothing they can do and fobbing me off to a different department or reading out the terms and conditions. Which department is typically best to talk to?

I am quite young and hope never to be in the situation again and I'm quickly learning which banks I won't bank or deal with in the future!

Also, how severely does this affect your credit rating and for how long. My DMP would pay back all the debt in hopefully under 4 years.

Thanks in advance, and all or any advice on what I do from here would be really useful. I just want to the right thing as soon as possible!

CCCS_Sarah

spendthrift66 wrote: »

Dear CCCS counsellors

I have today been told that some of us will lose our jobs by the end of the year (Xmas not financial year).

My review is coming up ... should I let CCCS know now that this has happened?

Also, what will happen if the worst comes to pass and I'm one of the 'victims'. Assuming I would not get a job straight away and that without my salary our payment to CCCS would not be affordable ... do we get chucked off the plan?

Many thanks in advance
S

Hello,

I would mention it on your review. If the worst did happen, then we would recommend that you have a full benefits check and then another review of your account. During your review, we will look at all your options and if the budget does change your advice then your other options will be discussed. I would not be able to say if a DMP is would still be an option as I don’t know what your budget looks like.

Sarah