Panicking about DMP

mcrfan

I have finally made a decision after much thought and I am going ahead with the DMP. I have done the debt remedy with CCCS and thought over my budget v carefully. I have spoken to them and they were v helpful. When I look at my budget I am really happy to have a budget that works and doesn't mean that I would be struggling every month. When I think about the money I will save next month when I make just my token payments and can save the rest makes me happy although also slightly guilty - I can't believe the maximum token payment you can send is £5 this is what CCCS told me! I was planning on sending £20!
So the plan is send out my letters with token payments at the end of this month for April and then DMP starts May. But I am panicking!

I'm worried about the snotty letters, phone calls, hassling that I might get in April and May - especially May as all my payments are due early May but CCCS make your payment on 25th! So at the start of May are they all going to come after me or will they accept that I am on a DMP and wait patiently? hmm. do I need to make another token payment at the start of May?

When they get my token payment for April are they going to come after me?£5!?!?!? Are they going to demand full payment?

What if I get CCJ/passed to a DCA/threatened?? As pleased as I am with my budget it makes my stomach churn when I think about how I have to cancel all my dds and pay £5 instead!!

When I asked CCCS what they thought of my budget they said it was reasonable and due to the timescale to clear my debt (5 years if charges frozen) they thought it should be accepted. What happens if it doesn't get accepted?? Does this happen?

Am interested to hear about other people's experiences on DMPS....do you find that creditors are slightly more cooperative as you have gone to a charity for help?

I made a reduced payment on my barclaycard this month. They called me demanding payment and when I cited financial difficulties they offered me a plan. Didn't completely understand it as it was an indian call centre chap and I couldn't tell what he was saying! But I think he said that if I made a minimum payment of their choosing they would charge 3% interest (as opposed to the 27.9% at the moment) but that seems too good to be true??
I can't take it anyway as CCCS said you can't have individual plans on a DMP...

Merlinexcalibur

What if I get CCJ/passed to a DCA/threatened?? As pleased as I am with my budget it makes my stomach churn when I think about how I have to cancel all my dds and pay £5 instead!!

Join the club is all I can say.

However, there is plenty more, much more between that stage and the 'what if's' As I see you've been registered here a time, then you have probably read what those other things are without me telling you. Though, the snotty letters and so on do ignore one crucial thing: everything else they miss out. They MAY take you to court, they MAY do this. They are simply that, threats. They may sacrifice those dearest to you to obtain their money. And so on. But do remember that no DCA has any more powers legally than you or I do.

As to phone calls. Just don't speak to them on the phone. Communicate in writing. You have no protection at all and cannot produce anything at a court stage. A court will want to see physical evidence for example. IF, I say IF, it gets that far. And having letters, correspondence will show what you have done to negotiate. Phone calls are not proveable I am afraid and that's why plenty give the advice of writing.

they thought it should be accepted. What happens if it doesn't get accepted?? Does this happen?

I could lie at this point and say 'sure, course they'll accept it'. However, it is not in the best interests of creditors to do so and whatever figure you quote them they will carry on. What THEY want you to pay, not what you can actually afford. Pretty certain CCCS will have covered all that with you anyway from the start.

In fact, it can takes months before you beat the doors down on them accepting anything. The one thing CCCS did tell me a year ago was to keep on at them in writing where possible until they DO. They have to accept a payment, whether it's a pound. Or so I am led to believe. However, you should note that if they are accepting your payments the creditor is also accepting your offer. Because they are still taking the money.

As long as you are paying something they cannot then say you are not. But, as you will know from reading MSE, there are other steps that can be taken to circumvent things eg like the CCA request.

they thought it should be accepted.

Yes, but hang on, how do THEY know for defnite it 'should be accepted?'

But I think he said that if I made a minimum payment of their choosing they would charge 3% interest (as opposed to the 27.9% at the moment) but that seems too good to be true??

Do remember these people aren't trained in anything, particularly not consumer law. So I'd really be careful about trusting what you have been told on the phone. I really would. And, again, it's what YOU can afford to pay. I know exactly how Barclaycard operates having dealt with them this last year. They will want nothing less than £25 and are instructed not to go any less. They will also have you believing all sorts on the phone.

50broke

Join the DMP MUTUAL SUPPORT THREAD, THERE ARE LOADS OF US IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. mine is still being set up and i'm in same situation, but join in discussion and we will all help....

mcrfan

Thanks for your comments, I guess I am in the club.

Merlinexcalibur wrote: »

Join the club is all I can say.

However, there is plenty more, much more between that stage and the 'what if's' As I see you've been registered here a time, then you have probably read what those other things are without me telling you. Though, the snotty letters and so on do ignore one crucial thing: everything else they miss out. They MAY take you to court, they MAY do this. They are simply that, threats. They may sacrifice those dearest to you to obtain their money. And so on. But do remember that no DCA has any more powers legally than you or I do.

I know they are just threats but it is still intimidating! I know it's a civil matter so if it does go to court it's county not criminal but it's still offputting. I am trying to reason that even if it goes that far and you end up with a CCJ - it's not the end of the world....

As to phone calls. Just don't speak to them on the phone. Communicate in writing. You have no protection at all and cannot produce anything at a court stage. A court will want to see physical evidence for example. IF, I say IF, it gets that far. And having letters, correspondence will show what you have done to negotiate. Phone calls are not proveable I am afraid and that's why plenty give the advice of writing.

Yes I am v wary of what is said over phone like you say. The Barclaycard thing was just bizarre as I could barely understand what he was saying- how ridiculous of them to have the indian call centre dealing with payment negotiations!! I think I read on here that if you request they only contact you by letter they have to abide by that? But will they?!
I will be screening my calls and switching my mobile to go straight to voicemail for April and May anyway, but I don't want them to then bombard my landline.

I could lie at this point and say 'sure, course they'll accept it'. However, it is not in the best interests of creditors to do so and whatever figure you quote them they will carry on. What THEY want you to pay, not what you can actually afford. Pretty certain CCCS will have covered all that with you anyway from the start.

Not really - they have just advised that in the first couple of months you can get hassled but then once the plan is running it should settle down. Are you saying that some of them may not accept this and will keep asking for more money for months on end?

In fact, it can takes months before you beat the doors down on them accepting anything. The one thing CCCS did tell me a year ago was to keep on at them in writing where possible until they DO. They have to accept a payment, whether it's a pound. Or so I am led to believe. However, you should note that if they are accepting your payments the creditor is also accepting your offer. Because they are still taking the money.

As long as you are paying something they cannot then say you are not. But, as you will know from reading MSE, there are other steps that can be taken to circumvent things eg like the CCA request.

I've not really looked into the CCA stuff, I've seen it mentioned alot on here but don't really know much about it.

Yes, but hang on, how do THEY know for defnite it 'should be accepted?'

I mean CCCS said it should be accepted as in it is likely to be accepted, they obv didn't give any guarantees. Wrong word should I mean likely.

Do remember these people aren't trained in anything, particularly not consumer law. So I'd really be careful about trusting what you have been told on the phone. I really would. And, again, it's what YOU can afford to pay. I know exactly how Barclaycard operates having dealt with them this last year. They will want nothing less than £25 and are instructed not to go any less. They will also have you believing all sorts on the phone.

The payment quoted was £85 which is half my current minimum payment. I can afford this but obviously I am going into the DMP as I have lots of other debts so I can't agree to this plan. They are going to call me back at the end of the month to begin this plan so I will have my letter sent over to them by then. Should I ignore the call? Dare I answer and try to explain to the call centre that I am going on a DMP with CCCS - will they even understand me?!

Are CCCS advisors trained in consumer law? If things do get legal are they qualified to give you advice??

Numpty_Monkey

If your creditors call just tell them you are on a DMP with CCCS and give them your Customer ref number,

JES_F1

Hello!

I felt just like you when I started on my DMP with the CCCS - a mixture of relief knowing you're dealing with things but the fear of fending off creditors and all the "what if ...".

I started on my DMP just over a year ago. The first couple of months were rather grim because of all the letters and phone calls, and still feeling vulnerable. However, I then decided I had to stand up for myself and fight back! I refused to go through security questions if they phoned - this really frustrates them - and insisted they wrote to me. For a couple of persistent creditors, I wrote requesting they stop harassment calls - there's a template around for this.

Despite the frightening wording of many letters, I soon realised that if I read them properly, they're less scarey as they use "may", "could", "possibly" regarding any action that might be taken - and almost all are automatically generated by computer. In response to every letter, I sent them my own standard letter, reminding them of my DMP, giving them my CCCS reference, the CCCS telephone number for use by creditors, and that the CCCS only pays on the 25th of the month.

It DOES settle down! The letters and calls DO stop!

Some of my creditors instantly accepted it, others took a while, some refused then accepted. Some accept for three, six or 12 months at a time. The important thing is that they still get the CCCS payment.

I did find that just mentioning the CCCS was enough to keep creditors at bay as they're used to dealing with them. Many actually recommend the CCCS.

The CCCS has been brilliant - as has all the great advice and support on here.

Sorry this is a bit long!

GOOD LUCK AND VERY BEST WISHES!

mcrfan

Thank you, that is what I wanted to read someting positive!
Fingers crossed all goes well and the next couple of months aren't too horrific!

Deep_In_Debt

Yep as others have said. I'm over a year into my dmp and everything is going well. First few months were a bit naff with constant harrassment but I dealt with it mainly by not answering the phone. They got bored with trying to ring me and wrote to me instead. Fine by me as I got bored with the them ringing me so it worked well! All quiet on the phone call and letter front now so you just need to ride the storm for a couple of months

Creditors will try and bully you - just give them your CCCS no. and hang up.

mcrfan

I'm not sure I can cope it has started already! I made reduced payments on 2 things this month and one is Next Directory. They have sent me a statement saying about not making the min payment but they have called and left me a voicemail today. What should I do?
I've nearly finished my CCCS forms hopefully sending them off tomorrow and will be sending my token payments at the end of this month for April with the plan starting in May.
Should I call Next back and say that I am setting up with CCCS or is it too soon to tell them? Should I ignore the calls?

I'm not sure I can cope with this for the next couple of months, I'm already upset and I've just had one call and 2 snotty statements!

JES_F1

Hello again!

Don't call them back - and if you do pick up the phone, tell them you're starting a CCCS DMP and give them your CCCS reference number.

They will try and bully you into making a payment - don't make anything beyond your token payments or DMP amounts (or whatever you've agreed to do with the CCCS).

I know from experience that this is much easier said than done - I came off the phone in tears several times.

When you send your CCCS paperwork to creditors, you could include a letter telling them that you want everything put in writing and all phone numbers removed from your records.

It does get easier - honest! The calls and letters do stop.

Best wishes - and keep posting. I find the help and support on here great.

mcrfan

Thanks Jes.

I will try to dodge their calls.
I am feeling very down about things at the moment so I know that they are going to upset me. I keep telling myself I need to be thick skinned but it's just not going to happen.

I am going to try and include a letter asking for correspondence by letter only, I'm guessing they may ignore this but worth a try!!