Debt Relief Orders (DRO) - Information & help thread

fatbelly

Bankruptcy is a self-application,

But it's best to check you're doing the right thing. National Debtline are well placed to advise.

allthingshappy

Hi, I have applied for a DRO with stepchange. I am just waiting for the final paperwork and the payment info to arrive. My concern is they haven’t asked about my marital status when I’ve read they do take that into account? So I live with a partner who owns the home we live in, I have no financial link to the home and don’t pay the utilities. I currently only receive benefits so I pay for the food bill leaving nothing left (we have two children). Up until now he has paid my credit card payments (but they are solely my debts) but he no longer can do this, hence why I have applied for a DRO (I match all the criteria). Should I inform them of the household set up, will they want to know his income and outgoings, will they question how I’ve been paying my cards up until now or as they have not asked assume they don’t need to know? 

I’m so scared of it getting declined as I have no way out of the debt I’m in now. 

fatbelly

Just answer the questions you are asked. With only benefit income you shouldn't have a problem.

allthingshappy

fatbelly said:

Just answer the questions you are asked. With only benefit income you shouldn't have a problem.

Thank you. I have so many questions racing through my stress head….

If I paid all my credit card payments but once I paid a bit more into one than the other, does that count as being preferable? It was only say if a family member gave me money and I put it towards my biggest debt but I still made sure I paid the minimum on my other cards. It wasn’t intentionally preferable, I was just trying to reduce my debt and made sense to put it towards the highest interest card.

How common is it to have a dro delcined? I don’t feel like stepchange have asked for much evidence apart from my benefits as income and my word of what I spend, and my word that I own no assets (which I don’t!). It basically seems a bit too good to be true and the wait is making me so anxious! 

fatbelly

Good. There was a time when stepchange asked for too much detail. This is your application, not theirs, and if you are making false declaration, it's your look-out.

That's not a preference.

Very few applications are turned down - only if the basic criteria are not met

allthingshappy

fatbelly said:

Good. There was a time when stepchange asked for too much detail. This is your application, not theirs, and if you are making false declaration, it's your look-out.

That's not a preference.

Very few applications are turned down - only if the basic criteria are not met

Good to know thank you! You have eased my mind. 

Do you know the turn around times of these things at the moment? I sent all my paperwork to them on the 19th, I then spoke to them to add on my phone debt and they said they will complete the paperwork which I am now waiting for. Hoping will come through this week! A family member has said they can pay the £90 for me so I can do that straight away when I get the paperwork. Then I read you can check the insolvency register to see if it’s been approved rather than wait longer for a letter from them? 

fatbelly

I don't know what the timescales are at stepchange. Once the application is submitted it gets approved within 2 gays and appears on the register

sourcrates

fatbelly said:

I don't know what the timescales are at stepchange. Once the application is submitted it gets approved within 2 gays and appears on the register

Interesting new criteria there fb.

allthingshappy

fatbelly said:

I don't know what the timescales are at stepchange. Once the application is submitted it gets approved within 2 gays and appears on the register

My application was submitted Thursday morning and I still haven’t heard anything. I know it can be up to 10 days but even StepChange said I would probably hear on Monday, typical me I’m the one it’s not done within 48 hours, it’s an agonising wait! Is it likely they are just busy and it often does take longer or will it be because maybe they need some more information from me? 

fatbelly

There's has been a  glitch at the DRO Unit but I think it's fixed now.

It's only Tuesday. Have you checked the insolvency register?

https://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/eiir/