Doing forms alone?

Simpsona

Hi all,
Hubby and I are definitely going down the BR route as no other way out. We have had advice over the phone from the CCCS and SSTAC but what I would now like to know is do I need their assistance to actually take us through the process or would it be simple enough for us just to go ahead and do it alone?

Is there any 'mistakes' that we could make by doing it ourselves? Did most of you guys who have filed for BR take advice with forms?
Have learned so much from being on here that I feel we just about have most information we need on the process?
We stopped paying most creditors approx 3 months back (apart from a token £1 to each) needless to say we are getting nasty letters every day and telephone never stops! It's all just so draining and I just wanna get ball rolling asap really.

startagain_2

Simpsona wrote: »

Hi all,
Hubby and I are definitely going down the BR route as no other way out. We have had advice over the phone from the CCCS and SSTAC but what I would now like to know is do I need their assistance to actually take us through the process or would it be simple enough for us just to go ahead and do it alone?

Is there any 'mistakes' that we could make by doing it ourselves? Did most of you guys who have filed for BR take advice with forms?
Have learned so much from being on here that I feel we just about have most information we need on the process?
We stopped paying most creditors approx 3 months back (apart from a token £1 to each) needless to say we are getting nasty letters every day and telephone never stops! It's all just so draining and I just wanna get ball rolling asap really.

Hello Simpsona and welcome....

When you got advice from the CCCS did they advise BR? If they did, you should have been given a reference number and a tel no for their specialist BR team. Armed with that info and the people on here to help every time you hit a sticky bit you should find that doing the forms on your own will not be a problem. The worst bit is the time it takes and getting all the info together to start with.
Are you doing the forms online? I did and found it relatively easy to do a bit, save it and then go back at a later time to do a bit more.
You will be fine, honestly

SA

Simpsona

Thanks Startagain, probs will do them online, did our planning app online when we started business (boo hoo) and was easy doing a bit at a time like you say. The CCCS gave us a ref and told us to offer £1 per month but didnt really say that BR was our next step? However clearly cant go on paying £1 to them all forever (some are even send cheque back for £1 as I'm paying by standing order and they are rejecting) Cant see another way out other than BR, we have no disposable income at all infact our outgoings outway our income with out the debts! Debts are well over £100k (business debts and personal) They passed us onto SSTAC for free legal advice ran by Legal Aid but I may give CCCS a call back for specific BR advice.

startagain_2

Good idea - the other thing you could try is the Debt quiz thingy on the CCCS website. If you fill that in and at the end it suggests BR as an option you can process that through to a reference number.
I know what it is like to have all your money going towards servicing debts - living can so easily become existing.
I only got steered towards BR in early Dec and became BR on 12th Jan - quick work, but never regretted it.
Best wishes
SA

Simpsona

Well this is it, we have 3 children and the oldest hads Aspergers Syndrome and worries about everything! I know all the stress we are going through is having a huge effect on them. Its drove us to drink and even making the decision to go BR has made us take a deap breath and relax a bit. My new years resolution is to put Family first above all else and spend some quality time with the kids.

startagain_2

Simpsona wrote: »

Well this is it, we have 3 children and the oldest hads Aspergers Syndrome and worries about everything! I know all the stress we are going through is having a huge effect on them. Its drove us to drink and even making the decision to go BR has made us take a deap breath and relax a bit. My new years resolution is to put Family first above all else and spend some quality time with the kids.

Absolutely right .... health and sanity comes before money worries. It would be so nice if we could all wave a magic wand and find a way of paying off our debts but for some of us this is impossible.
I actually was considering a DMP but when I found out it would be for 13 years and I am 52 yrs old I thought - no way! My employement is looking far from secure and it just wouldn't be viable.
A lot of us here are looking at making 2009 our turning point......
Good Luck

SA

ATWHITZEND

If you have trouble filling out the forms, the CAB should be able to help you with it. As for the constant calls from your creditors, get in touch with your telephone provider. They will give you a number to enter. Then you enter the numbers you want to block. I think you can block up to ten numbers, and this service was free for the first month. After that you will have to check the price. It wont be forever, just until your BR date. Keep your chin up. I know it's hard.

patsypat911

Like SA I also completed my forms online, it took me weeks to fill them in but only because I did a bit at a time and came back to fill more in when my head had cleared from the fog!! I checked them thoroughly before I submitted them and printed them off. Good luck!