Debt Relief Orders (DRO) - Information & help thread

wba31

kerry2285 wrote: »

Hello!

Not been on here since my DRO was accepted. Its been 2 months now and all the debts bar one have left me alone.

What is it with LLOYDS TSB?????

They are charging huge amounts of interest and missed payments - hope to god it doesnt get revoked (cant thik why it would tho!) Plus im getting up to 8 phone calls a day on my mobile!!! Ive told them im within a DRO gave them the number and also told them to stop calling and only write to me but they have just ignored my request. Tbh its really really getting me down and I just cannot see any end to it.

Any help would be much appreciated, anyone had similer experiance with Lloyds while under the 12 months DRO??

Kerry x

Scarlet got it right, your best bet is to ring the DRO Unit and report it. Also try photocopying your DRO approval and sending it to them.

They are allowed to add interest and charges on for the 12 months of the order, just in case your DRO is ever revoked, however if you get to the end of the moratorium period then everything is then written off

kerry2285

wba31 wrote: »

Scarlet got it right, your best bet is to ring the DRO Unit and report it. Also try photocopying your DRO approval and sending it to them.

They are allowed to add interest and charges on for the 12 months of the order, just in case your DRO is ever revoked, however if you get to the end of the moratorium period then everything is then written off

Thanks everyone. Still had calls over the bank holiday! I know they can still charge interest - it just seems to be lloyds that are taking the p**s and adding on alot (£10 a day!!)

I will get the order copied and sent it recorded delivery to them. I have said I only want to be contacted through the post but thats not worked either.

Thanks again for everyones help much appreciated and I hope your all enjoying the bank holiday!

scarlet55

kerry2285 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Still had calls over the bank holiday! I know they can still charge interest - it just seems to be lloyds that are taking the p**s and adding on alot (£10 a day!!)

I will get the order copied and sent it recorded delivery to them. I have said I only want to be contacted through the post but thats not worked either.

Thanks again for everyones help much appreciated and I hope your all enjoying the bank holiday!

hi kerry, im sure theres a template letter some-where on here that u can send regarding phonecalls......cant remember where it is off hand...maybe wba will put the link up...:)

Smart_Mart

Feeling a bit pleased with myself today after finally sorting out the poor organisation of my paperwork. I've normally got the kids at weekends and I feel bad about clogging up the front room with letters from debtors etc but with an empty house, I cleared my desk of c**p.

Basically I filed all my DRO-relevant paperwork in a file, filed all the rest of the letters away and tidied up the rest of the stuff. Really cathartic moment clearing it all out really. Anyway found out that the total owed is £11,450 (although I don't think some of that can be counted). With a disposable income of less than £30 a month, it's sadly not getting paid off anytime soon.

What frightened me a little was how much I owe to priority debts such as Housing Benefit and Council tax ( a total of £2,300) plus another £3,000 to the CSA although that is in dispute at present. Another £1,800 to the Water board and more than £1,300 to loan companies makes me feel really ashamed.:( There's no hard luck story with me, I just had always been rubbish with money.

Can I confirm two things? Having gone through most of this thread, I am still confused about certain things being covered by any subsequent DRO. I believe that CSA arrears are not covered but they still have to be included in the DRO submission figure. What about...

Housing Benefit overpayment
Council Tax arrears
Water rates
Budgeting loan from DWP
National Insurance contributions to HMRC ( I'm self employed)

Thanks in advance for your help.

scarlet55

Smart_Mart wrote: »

Feeling a bit pleased with myself today after finally sorting out the poor organisation of my paperwork. I've normally got the kids at weekends and I feel bad about clogging up the front room with letters from debtors etc but with an empty house, I cleared my desk of c**p.

Basically I filed all my DRO-relevant paperwork in a file, filed all the rest of the letters away and tidied up the rest of the stuff. Really cathartic moment clearing it all out really. Anyway found out that the total owed is £11,450 (although I don't think some of that can be counted). With a disposable income of less than £30 a month, it's sadly not getting paid off anytime soon.

What frightened me a little was how much I owe to priority debts such as Housing Benefit and Council tax ( a total of £2,300) plus another £3,000 to the CSA although that is in dispute at present. Another £1,800 to the Water board and more than £1,300 to loan companies makes me feel really ashamed.:( There's no hard luck story with me, I just had always been rubbish with money.

Can I confirm two things? Having gone through most of this thread, I am still confused about certain things being covered by any subsequent DRO. I believe that CSA arrears are not covered but they still have to be included in the DRO submission figure. What about...

Housing Benefit overpayment
Council Tax arrears
Water rates
Budgeting loan from DWP
National Insurance contributions to HMRC ( I'm self employed)

Thanks in advance for your help.

hi mart...firstly dont know about csa or national ins contributions....but HB..CT.WR and budgeting loan will all go in ur dro...good luck with it...:)

immoral_angeluk

Housing Benefit overpayment - Yes and any deductions from benefit should stop.
Council Tax arrears -Yes BUT if bailiffs have a valid levy on goods you will have to continue paying to prevent them seizing goods.
Water rates - yes but depending on your water board your whole curent year may be included, or they'll write off anything up to the date of your DRO.
Budgeting loan from DWP - Yes and any deductions from benefit should stop.
National Insurance contributions to HMRC ( I'm self employed) - Yes up to the date of your DRO. Bear in mind the affect on your future pension entitlement though, you may need to make up years in the future.

Smart_Mart

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

Housing Benefit overpayment - Yes and any deductions from benefit should stop.
Council Tax arrears -Yes BUT if bailiffs have a valid levy on goods you will have to continue paying to prevent them seizing goods.
Water rates - yes but depending on your water board your whole curent year may be included, or they'll write off anything up to the date of your DRO.
Budgeting loan from DWP - Yes and any deductions from benefit should stop.
National Insurance contributions to HMRC ( I'm self employed) - Yes up to the date of your DRO. Bear in mind the affect on your future pension entitlement though, you may need to make up years in the future.

Thanks, IA, greatly appreciated.:T

The council tax arrears are with two different councils, one for c.£700 and the other for c.£300. There is a levy on some golf clubs from the smaller debt, are you saying that I can include the amount but still have to pay it until the DRO is accepted or even to carry on afterwards?

One other question. Due to a lapse in communication from both sides, I owe £600 to British Gas for my electric supply and they've threatened to disconnect me. If I include it, I guess I'm going to have to find an alternative supplier quickly - will they make it awkward for me to switch?

wba31

Smart_Mart wrote: »

Thanks, IA, greatly appreciated.:T

The council tax arrears are with two different councils, one for c.£700 and the other for c.£300. There is a levy on some golf clubs from the smaller debt, are you saying that I can include the amount but still have to pay it until the DRO is accepted or even to carry on afterwards?

One other question. Due to a lapse in communication from both sides, I owe £600 to British Gas for my electric supply and they've threatened to disconnect me. If I include it, I guess I'm going to have to find an alternative supplier quickly - will they make it awkward for me to switch?

utility arrears can be included, and often they will let you carry on with them as long as you remain up to date. Why not compare prices for supply on Uswitch, maybe move to a cheaper company if there is one, and then British Gas can issue you a final bill that you may include in your DRO

immoral_angeluk

Smart_Mart wrote: »

Thanks, IA, greatly appreciated.:T

The council tax arrears are with two different councils, one for c.£700 and the other for c.£300. There is a levy on some golf clubs from the smaller debt, are you saying that I can include the amount but still have to pay it until the DRO is accepted or even to carry on afterwards?

One other question. Due to a lapse in communication from both sides, I owe £600 to British Gas for my electric supply and they've threatened to disconnect me. If I include it, I guess I'm going to have to find an alternative supplier quickly - will they make it awkward for me to switch?

British gas have been known to be particularly akward when it comes to DROs, so I would recommend switching then include the final bill in your DRO. You'll probably save money too.
As for the levy on the golf clubs, a DRO does not remove the right of the lender to release security on a debt if in default, in layman's terms your debt is secured on your golf clubs, so if you stop paying they may come back to seize them to sell to repay the debt. Whether you would be bothered by that is of course your choice!

Smart_Mart

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

British gas have been known to be particularly akward when it comes to DROs, so I would recommend switching then include the final bill in your DRO. You'll probably save money too.
As for the levy on the golf clubs, a DRO does not remove the right of the lender to release security on a debt if in default, in layman's terms your debt is secured on your golf clubs, so if you stop paying they may come back to seize them to sell to repay the debt. Whether you would be bothered by that is of course your choice!

Thanks again IA and WBA... :T

The golf clubs are worth £20-£30 maximum so they're welcome to them - the blooming things aren't my main set anyway, they are secreted elsewhere. I'm still bemused how they ended up on a levy anyway; thought they actually had to come in to list the stuff and he saw them from the front door and merely asked what make they were...:o

One final question. On the last letter from British Gas, it says "You should also note that any attempt to switch to another supplier if you have not paid all you owe will be blocked by us". Sounds like it's gone too far to switch, doesn't it?