Ask a CCCS counsellor a question

themaestro

Hi. I am currently on a monthly payment schedule with all my creditors that I arranged myself. It's about £120 per month distributed between all of them. This is all i have left after all outgoings. What i would like to know is if it's possible to arrange a payment break for a month so i have a little extra for christmas. Has anyone ever succeeded in this? It's been 6 months on these payment plans now and never missed one. Would these debt collectos be sympathetic to this request?

marriedworriedmum

Hi There,

we have recently embarked on a dmp with yourselves, have posted all our info back to you and the template letters and payments to creditors.

Today we recieved a letter from marks and spencers money basically saying that they cannot offer a reduced payment offer, they have reviewed our C/C statements from the past few weeks and noted 'various spending' such as a restaurant and hotel for my b'day ( this was before my hubby opened up to the mess we we're in) they said:

"you have 'mis-used the credit facility offered and require full minimum payment each month. failiure to make these payments will result in your account being passed onto a collections agent who will visit your hme or place at work"

I just wondered what the next step is? im worried sick, i knew this wasnt going to be easy but i wasnt expecting that! I just need pointing in the right direction please!
many thanks

Mich81

Just looking for a bit of advice really - I've a couple of credit cards and store cards, and a loan. I'm managing to make all the repayments at the moment, but as most of the companies have hiked up their interest rates then the minimum is only covering the interest so the debt isn't going down.

Would a DMP be suitable for me? Ideally I'd still make the minimum payments, but have the interest stopped if thats possible?

Edit to say - not too bothered about how it would affect credit score as that isn't great anyway!

CCCS_Matthew

the_cat wrote: »

Hi
I have just seen a post on the old style board and need to check something before I direct them to this board and possibly cccs.

When doing a SOA what allowance should be made for food for an adult and 2 daughters (don't know ages). Apparently this woman's bank have told her she is spending too much on food at £140 per month after she submitted her SOA details to them. That can't be right can it?

£140 for an adult and two dependents is very low. Based on experience £200 for food and housekeeping should be an absolute minimum.

Regards,
Matthew

CCCS_Matthew

workinonit wrote: »

Hi Sue,

thanks for your reply. I've just viewed my Equifax report and it has all my creditors on it. None of my debts have been sold on anywhere so I'm sure it's everything. Is it still worth signing up for the others? Don't want to give myself more things to remember to cancel before they start charging than I have too!

thanks
Ross

Hi Ross.

If you're confident your Equifax report shows all the accounts you have, then you don't really need to get a copy of your file elsewhere.

Regards,
Matthew.

CCCS_Matthew

themaestro wrote: »

Hi. I am currently on a monthly payment schedule with all my creditors that I arranged myself. It's about £120 per month distributed between all of them. This is all i have left after all outgoings. What i would like to know is if it's possible to arrange a payment break for a month so i have a little extra for christmas. Has anyone ever succeeded in this? It's been 6 months on these payment plans now and never missed one. Would these debt collectos be sympathetic to this request?

Hi there.

You could certainly try asking them to see whether or not they would entertain the idea. Ultimately if they don't want to accept your request you don't have to pay them for a month as the agreement you have isn't legally binding.

However if they're not happy and you don't pay, you would need to bear in mind that it could disrupt the current agreements you have with them which might be best avoided if they have accepted your arrangements without too much hassle so far.

Matthew.

CCCS_Matthew

marriedworriedmum wrote: »

Hi There,

we have recently embarked on a dmp with yourselves, have posted all our info back to you and the template letters and payments to creditors.

Today we recieved a letter from marks and spencers money basically saying that they cannot offer a reduced payment offer, they have reviewed our C/C statements from the past few weeks and noted 'various spending' such as a restaurant and hotel for my b'day ( this was before my hubby opened up to the mess we we're in) they said:

"you have 'mis-used the credit facility offered and require full minimum payment each month. failiure to make these payments will result in your account being passed onto a collections agent who will visit your hme or place at work"

I just wondered what the next step is? im worried sick, i knew this wasnt going to be easy but i wasnt expecting that! I just need pointing in the right direction please!
many thanks

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch.

You often find that not all creditors are as willing to accept the proposal than others. The issue that M&S probably have is that they may think that you will continue to use the credit card.

If you haven't already done so, cut up the card and send it back to M&S which shows your intent of not using the card any longer. Even if they're not happy with the offer through the DMP we'll still send the money regardless. If a DMP has been offered, your obviously not in a position to maintain the full payment.

They may default your account and pass the debt to a collection agency, but this very rarely results in a home visit. Legally they cannot send anyone to your work. If they do send someone to your house, they have no power to take goods. See here:
https://www.cccs.co.uk/InfoCentre/EnglandandWales/Creditoraction/Debtcollectionagencies.aspx

Try not to panic, this kind of thing is normal when it comes to setting up a DMP. The first couple of months are normally difficult, but things start to settle down once your creditors get their monthly payment.

Regards,
Matthew.

CCCS_Matthew

Mich81 wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice really - I've a couple of credit cards and store cards, and a loan. I'm managing to make all the repayments at the moment, but as most of the companies have hiked up their interest rates then the minimum is only covering the interest so the debt isn't going down.

Would a DMP be suitable for me? Ideally I'd still make the minimum payments, but have the interest stopped if thats possible?

Edit to say - not too bothered about how it would affect credit score as that isn't great anyway!

Hi there.

A DMP isn't really an option if you're able to maintain your monthly payments. Unfortunately when you have the money to meet your payments your creditors won't consider stopping interest.

It might be worth using our Debt Remedy to draw up a budget to see exactly what you do have available to pay your debts with at the end of the month. If you're not budgeting for some of the things we would suggest you should do, you may not have as much as you think. If this is the case a DMP then maybe a viable option. Should this be the case Debt Remedy will suggest a DMP once you've followed the process through.

Click here to go directly to Debt Remedy.

Regards,
Matthew.

detadnuni

I'm brand new so please forgive any poor protocol, but I've been reading some of the messages about CCA & I have spent 3 months on the CCA/ Debt dealing subject as am seriously (50K) in trouble am still 110% living the nightmare, but am paying reduced to most now short term and extremely briefly I have three creditors (out of eleven), in particular one said basically the "original"debt was pre 1985 so we don't have to provide it end of story & here's a solicitors letter for the balance, one other has ignored requests for three months and still does and another has just replied with - we don't have an original but here's a "current one" and "my advisors" have just told me - infact all three are ok? and I have to accept it or take them to court - although I was earlier told "not to be fobbed off with a generic copy it has to be blah! blah! blah! so when I read people saying no CCA = unenforceable I am more and more confused? can you please clarify exactly what is acceptable as a current copy is not a "true" or in any way example of the "original" - but I'm now told it doesn't really matter really???? I am very confused when I see messagaes quoting what I've heared before about "unenforceable without a "true copy of the original agreement" can you please clarify the thanx

blurayaddict

hi i wonder if you could help me with this query i have,when first setting up my DMP with cccs just before december i was told i was too late to start my first payment in dec so jan 1st would be my start date,so when i got the welcome pack i sent the notication of dmp plan to each of my creditors as starting in jan,but cccs have made mistake by sending my creditors also letters saying i am starting in december,,i have had letters back from some of my creditors saying they have accepted my DMP with yourselfs and most have frozen interest,,,but with them not getting payment in december now will they play hard ball now ,you see i just don't want to rock the boat so to speak with them considering they have frozen interest and expecting december payment----thanks for your help