Debt Relief Orders (DRO) - Information & help thread

fatbelly

Beki88 wrote: »

Thank you so much :beer:
Now begins the job of tracking down who now has what debt fun fun!

Oh a quick question do I have to tell them (either CCCS or the official receiver) that we will be applying for DLA or do we just wait once we get an answer from DLA? Thank you

You don't have to tell anyone that you're applying for DLA.

Off-topic, DLA is a difficult benefit to get on to - the application form ties you in knots and most claimants are initially turned down, then have to appeal. It's a good idea to get help from someone who is used to completing the form and who can help you if you need to appeal.

Beki88

fatbelly wrote: »

You don't have to tell anyone that you're applying for DLA.

Off-topic, DLA is a difficult benefit to get on to - the application form ties you in knots and most claimants are initially turned down, then have to appeal. It's a good idea to get help from someone who is used to completing the form and who can help you if you need to appeal.

Ok thats great thanks
We are waiting on someone from our local welfare/benefits office to ring us back to help out with the form. She has been assessed by 2 different occupational therapists in relation to getting a bungalow and both were shocked she isnt already in receipt of it!
Thanks for the advice, this is why I like MSE :T

Silkyskillz

Hi All - apologies if this Q has been asked already.

I ma setting up a DRO but not all of my debts are included on my Experian report.

I told the chap at the CAB this but he said it didnt matter, as the OR only uses Experian to check you fall within the 15k threshold

Can anyone confirm whether all of the debts owed will fall within the DRO, or only the debts registered with Experian?

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers

fatbelly

Silkyskillz wrote: »

Hi All - apologies if this Q has been asked already.

I ma setting up a DRO but not all of my debts are included on my Experian report.

I told the chap at the CAB this but he said it didnt matter, as the OR only uses Experian to check you fall within the 15k threshold

Can anyone confirm whether all of the debts owed will fall within the DRO, or only the debts registered with Experian?

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers

Hi

All your debts must be included on the application. There will be lots that might not appear on Experian - council tax, water, rent arrears, local companies, old debts, most electricity/gas arrears, social fund loans, benefit overpayments...

Beki88

fatbelly wrote: »

Hi

All your debts must be included on the application. There will be lots that might not appear on Experian - council tax, water, rent arrears, local companies, old debts, most electricity/gas arrears...

A question about the water as I didn't know you could include that, my mum has arrears from her 10-11 bill and she has also received her 11-12 bill which is to be paid in fortnightly instalments, would her 11-12 bill be classes as a debt/arrears or only the part of the old bill? Thanks

fatbelly

Beki88 wrote: »

A question about the water as I didn't know you could include that, my mum has arrears from her 09-10 bill and she has also received her 10-11 bill which is to be paid in fortnightly instalments, would her 10-11 bill be classes as a debt/arrears or only the part of the old bill? Thanks

She should list the whole amount (inclding 11/12, which is what you meant I think), but see my earlier post - the water company may be able to restart billing from the date of the dro.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=42987720&postcount=2785

Beki88

fatbelly wrote: »

She should list the whole amount (inclding 11/12, which is what you meant I think), but see my earlier post - the water company may be able to restart billing from the date of the dro.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=42987720&postcount=2785

Yeah that is what I meant, totally forgot what year we are in
Thanks

abandthecat

hi everyone,
ive just discovered this forum and have been having a good read to see if i can find any answers to my questions. anyway, here goes. i have been considering going down the DRO route after a few bad financial decisions in the past and im not sure if i would be okay to do so for a few reasons. firstly my debts are around 7k so i know that i pass on that side, but do they take your partners income into account? the debts are soley my own (and one with an old ex boyfriend) and i dont want my partner now to have any involvement in my financial issues. he pays his way and more , I wouldnt feel right piling my problems onto him. secondly, up until recently i had a car on hp finance. my partner recently took over the finance and we now have a different car in his name (we traded both of our cars in as we needed 1 bigger family car). will this have a detrimental effect on me going through DRO? Also, when filling out a budget sheet which i got sent through the post by National Debtline, i didnt include my partners income as wasnt sure if i should, and only included the figures that i pay (eg. our rent is 425 but put down 200 as thats what i pay, is that right?? i did the same for utility bills and household bills). after my workings it came out that i had approx 30 pounds a month after all my outgoings. i have been paying the minimum amount on my credit cards and not defaulted on this, all bar one (the one i share with my ex boyfriend which he had previously been paying but now not and this is the largest debt of approx £4000 and the interest is £15 per day alone :-s ) im totally baffled at the moment and feeling sick at the thought but i know i need to sort this. any help and advice would be hugely appreciated, the man at National Debtline was helpful but made things so confusing there was so many questions flying round my head i was struggling to take it all in! thanks for reading.

mazzatee

Hi

The DRO will be based on your income only and you should show on the budget what bills you pay for from your income.

Re the HP car, I presume the loan was repaid when the car was traded in. If not then it will need to be included in your DRO.

As you have already spoken to NDL I would recommend you go back to them to see if they can process your application. If they cannot then contact other organisations such as CAB or CCCS.

Best of luck

wba31

abandthecat wrote: »

hi everyone,
ive just discovered this forum and have been having a good read to see if i can find any answers to my questions. anyway, here goes. i have been considering going down the DRO route after a few bad financial decisions in the past and im not sure if i would be okay to do so for a few reasons. firstly my debts are around 7k so i know that i pass on that side, but do they take your partners income into account? the debts are soley my own (and one with an old ex boyfriend) and i dont want my partner now to have any involvement in my financial issues. he pays his way and more , I wouldnt feel right piling my problems onto him. secondly, up until recently i had a car on hp finance. my partner recently took over the finance and we now have a different car in his name (we traded both of our cars in as we needed 1 bigger family car). will this have a detrimental effect on me going through DRO? Also, when filling out a budget sheet which i got sent through the post by National Debtline, i didnt include my partners income as wasnt sure if i should, and only included the figures that i pay (eg. our rent is 425 but put down 200 as thats what i pay, is that right?? i did the same for utility bills and household bills). after my workings it came out that i had approx 30 pounds a month after all my outgoings. i have been paying the minimum amount on my credit cards and not defaulted on this, all bar one (the one i share with my ex boyfriend which he had previously been paying but now not and this is the largest debt of approx £4000 and the interest is £15 per day alone :-s ) im totally baffled at the moment and feeling sick at the thought but i know i need to sort this. any help and advice would be hugely appreciated, the man at National Debtline was helpful but made things so confusing there was so many questions flying round my head i was struggling to take it all in! thanks for reading.

With regards to income, most charities that help you will firstly check your budget is not top heavy in your favour (so if you earn £1000 a month, partner earns £2000 but you split all 50/50) just to check it is fair, if it is split kinda fairly, give/take a little bit it should be fine. When it comes to completing a DRO form they should only use your income and expenditure. If they did declare your partner's too it will not affect them.

With your car, you used to have 2 cars, one on hp in your name? these cars were traded in and now you have one car on hp in your partners name? if this is right then it should be fine. the car on hp in your name, unless you cleared the finance, was never yours due to the HP. If there is any debt left over from your HP you must include that in your DRO also

From the looks of it you should be ok, if i have misread anything please correct me and myself or someone else will put me straight