Can it really be this easy??

Trishypoo

Hi, Just had to join and post, sorry if I go on, but no sleep (again) I just cant seem to get my head straight! I am 38 with hubby and 2 kids. I have worked since I was 15, been with hubby for 20 years next week and been in debt for the last 18 years! I have always paid my way, never claimed benefit til now, struggled but always managed to make the payments somehow. My partner had had a stroke a few years ago so he had stayed home as a house husband and i worked in an accounts job as well as local cleaning jobs. Everything looked ok, we struggled but got through. The kids were young and didnt know any different. We even managed our one and only holiday thanks to the Sun tokens for a week in sunny Devon. Last year was the turning point tho. Was quite poorly at the starting of the year, (i nearly didnt make it) I was due to start a new job on the day after i was hospitalised on a temp to perm position so that was lost. on the day i came out of hospital i phoned my bank in hysterics asking them to freeze the account as a salary wouldnt be going in on time and what had happened. They said not to worry, everything would be fine, to keep them informed of changes etc. within the week they had paid and or rejected all the standing orders/ direct debits, removed my overdraft and applied charges for the dd's they had returned. I had come out of hospital with £38 credit and within a month owed £2600. And then the fun started. My hubby now works but in quite a low salary as he has retrained. We have had to move as my daughter was being bullied and had made herself really ill, when we arrived at the new home (mutual exchange we finally felt positive again, we would get new jobs, schools etc - the new start we needed. This was in September. Christmas I had to make my kids xmas presents, a neighbour gave us a tree as we had not brought our old one with us and couldnt justify getting one. No job still, registered with local agencies but no joy, still waiting to get my kids into school, so the headache of the education minefield is also going on and we cant pay the bills. The final straw was spending £19 in iceland for a weeks shopping. I was given the number of direct debt line and i had a phone meeting with them yesterday. I was expecting the shame, tutting etc but that didn't happen. When he went through our figures it shows we have a disposable income of £30 a month for bills. Our debt is £36200!! needless to say, he could not help with a payment plan but has recommended that we apply for bancruspy or wait until april and apply for the Debt Relief Order. It seems so easy, I cant quite accept it. Is it really ok??? I have spent the last 24 hours going through every website i can find. I found yours and was hooked! but i really need to have some questions answered. 1) Should we apply for BC?, is it really that easy? 2) We rent so have only got the things in the house, can they take everything? i'm just so scared that the kids bits will be taken, laptop for example that my daughter bought with birthday/xmas money last year? What exactly can they take?? 3) Joke is, I had a call last night from the agency offering me a local temp roll short term, would i be in more trouble if i took it now? i would need to pay a neighbour to have the kids..... I'm so so sorry for waffling, but I didn't know who else to talk to. Any suggestions would really be appreciated.......

BlueIsTheColour

Hiya, well done for posting, thats a good first step, there are loads of people on here who will be along soon am sure to offer help advice. I just wanted to say that I havent heard of the company that you mentioned speaking to and suspect there may charges involved in using them so would recommend that you speak to the debt charities that are listed in the sticky at the top of this thread, as they will give great advice and wont charge you a penny for it, and have no agenda apart from to help you. Am also not certain that a Debt Relief Order is right in your circumstances, as I thought they were only for people with debts of less than £15k, but I could be wrong, there is a thread here about them started by the debt doctor, if you type it into the search am sure it will come up.

You've come to the right place, people will help, but one thing I will say is that no decision is easy and the more advice you get the better

maxmycardagain

youve suffered enough girl, go for it

you dont say if debts are sole or joint, that could be important if you need to find TWO lots of fees.

Trishypoo

Direct Debt Line was recommended to me by the housing !!!. They pay some of the running costs so it is free to the people they recommend. I saw that there was a 15k limit on the Debt Relief Order so i phoned them back. They said that they 'may turn a blind eye' but i dont think that it would happen tho so if anything it would need to be a BC. Also the time would worry me if we had to wait til april. Scared of any more letters through before then. The debts are mixed, 3k joint, 14k mine and 20k hubbys name. So yes it would be 2 lots of fees. Been looking round for anything we had missed to go onto e-bay lol. no luck so far! Felt so good after the call yesterday but today feel crap! scared to get my hopes up of seeing an end to it and find out that we couldnt apply.

lisamummytoarchieplusbump

hello trishypoo and welcome.

i bet that felt good writing this post.

right lets get the info out the way first.

please speak to the debt charities. you will not be charged any money for info or help

blue is right the debt relief order that should be coming in, is for debts up to 15k so would not help you.
but sounds like BR is the best option for you with little surplus but im not qualified to offer the advice you should really speak to a debt charity this is only my opinion.

the hardest part of br is realising you have a debt problem and coming to terms with it. you have already done that so thats out the way.

as for household objects unless you have a picasso hanging up or anything really worth a great deal of money then normal household items are yours to keep you do not have to list them.

everyone on here will help and support you through every step of the way so if you do have any question just ask. but in the mean time have a read through some posts there are alot of new people in the same postition as you are so you are not alone

lisa

maxmycardagain

register online at the insolvency service website and start completing your forms (safe and unseen till 100% completed and submit button is hit, ring loacl county court for a date

then ring CCCS or national debtline or CAB for a briefing

then sort the £1000 for two fees..

completemess

Awwww hun you really have had a lot to deal with haven't you. I think bankruptcy will give you the fresh start you need. Keep coming on this forum - there are so many knowledgeable people on here that will help you with any queries/worries xx