Lightattheend's diary - could be my life history!!

Lightattheend

Well having read so many other's diaries I felt it would help me at least if I wrote down my story, if for no other reason than it helps to focus my mind on whats happened. I apologise in advance for the length but I do tend to talk alot! :rotfl:

In June 2002 I moved North after a divorce and became debt free following the sale of my house 'down South'. I had one son. In October 2007 I separated from my partner (met up North). I had another child by then, a daughter. I put the house on the market soon after as, despite a very well paid job, I didn't want to continue living in the house bought by myself and my ex. During the relationship we had managed to build up a lot of debt, some jointly (mortgage and 25K loan) and also individually (though mine where for household things, including the conservatory shortfall). In January 2008 I was made redundant. I continued to pay the mortgage for a couple of months but then stopped and myself and my ex partner made minimal payments (I struggled to qualify for any benefits as I was getting maintenance for both children). I was lucky to have had payment protection on my credit card and managed to get over 6K paid off that during my time out of work, so there was some benefit! :rotfl:

I struggled to find a job in my field, though could have managed if I was prepared to commute at least an hour each way every day or move back down south. As a single parent again with kids settled, neither of these was an option so I applied for many varied different jobs. I was eventually taken to court by the mortgage lender (Northern Rock) who applied for repossession. I was lucky, the judge refused their 28 day request and granted me 3 months. In January I had registered for council housing so went to the council offices, repossession order in hand, to get my priority status raised. My case worker went off sick so my case got lost in the files somewhere, despite me chasing it! I got my local MP involved and sent emails to the head of housing. During this time I managed to get a job, by walking into a local Pharmacy who had a job advert and meeting the manager and, after a brief chat while my children were keeping themselves amused in the shop, got offered the job!! By this time I had also contacted the CCCS and although not managed a formal DMP (due to house situation) had set up an informal payment plan with my creditors which they mostly seemed to accept. I again pushed the housing situation towards the end of the year and finally got my Priority Extra status 'back dated'! A few weeks later, having just viewed a private rental disaster, I got offered one of the council house's I'd bid on. The council house is lovely but has no central heating and roof insulation is below current standards so costs a fortune to keep warm. Luckily my brother quickly decorated for me, though I could only afford magnolia and white paint and arranged for the carpet fitters who do his houses to come and do mine - pretty good value as was only £630 for a large 3 bed semi-detached house! The garden is also a mess, the council will fix the fence but maintenance of the garden is my responsibility, quite rightly, but it will take a mini-digger and a skip to get it even close to being ready for the basics like grass! Any way, I handed the house back voluntarily and there is a sale going through. The advertised price (which I'm sure they're not getting) was £112,500 - way below the £145K mortgage. This leaves me with a total of around 70K in debts. My ex and his new fiancee (who I get on well with) are considering BR and I have now decided I am definetly going for BR. I have tried contacting the CCCS but they are only open for me (as I'm already a client) during the time I'm at work or dealing with child care. So today I sent them an email, explaining exactly why I need to speak to them and that I will try to call them as soon as I get a chance. I actually have a little time off so that could be as early as Tuesday.

Next steps are to find out exactly whats involved with the process, already working on the SOA, and to start saving - may just cancel all payments to creditors next month which gives me £400 straight away.

One thing that I have found is that everyone I've spoken to, here and face-to-face, about BR hasn't been judgemental and in fact my work colleagues are amazed I seem so cheerful! Think its cos it affects me in other ways, I won't go to bed until I'm shattered as otherwise I lie there with things buzzing around in my mind! Whats been great about finding this forum is that I no longer feel so alone - there are so many of us, and others with worse situations than mine, who have been there, done it and bought the t-shirt!! So I'll end by saying a big thank you to you all - you really have been the saviours of my sanity over the last couple of weeks.:T

Valli

Well done on your positive attitude - and good luck!

nervousmother

Welcome to the diary club. They are a great way of keeping you sane ;-)
Good luck on your future, do a bit at a time on the house you will soon get it sorted.
BR teaches some valuable lessons, about what is important in life. wish you all the best x

ecoelle

Well done to you. You have taken improtant steps and sound aas though you have made some good choices already. I'm glad you have found support here and with friends and colleagues. At the end of the day it's your decision and noone should judge you for the decisions you make regarding you finances. Good luck with your phonecalls next week and keep updating!

dreamcatcher73

Good luck for the future Light and yes you will find some invaluable advice and support on this forum, I couldn't have gone through it all without it

Merry_Gentry

Sounds like you're doing fantastically well mate. Check out https://www.entitledto.com to make sure you are getting all of the benefits you are entitled to. Child maintenance is no longer counted towards many of your benefits, so you might be surprised.

Have you tried calling National Debtline or CCCS if you can't get hold of the CAB? Once you have made the decision to go BR just stop paying everyone (except for your rent and utilities of course) which will help you no end in saving the fees.

And welcome!

Lightattheend

Thanks everyone, we'll all get there together!!

Lightattheend

Update 14th April
Well finally managed to get through to the correct department of the CCCS (third number lucky) and guess what, I now have a new client number to replace the old one! Managed to make an appointment for the 1st May as that was the earliest they could do so guess its going to drag on a bit as not sure thats even with a Bankruptcy advisor! The advisor on the phone did suggest I would probably be told to wait until I get the letter from the mortgage lender detailing the deficit. Not sure I want to wait at least another couple of months as I already know what I need to do, now I've realised I am going to file for BR I want it over and done with as soon as possible so I can get on with my life.

I've also spoken to the estate agent and, although he couldn't tell me the sale price, he did say the offer had been confirmed in the last couple of days and that Northern Rock like things completed in 4 weeks so possibly end of May. He mentioned it would be in the paper next Friday (forgot to ask which one!) which will let me know the final sale value I think. Knowing NR it will probably take them at least another month to send me any letter detailing the deficit - got the Chattels letter after the house went under offer and had already been emptied!

I'm now in a strange mood as I had hoped it would be dealt with soon but feel like I'm back in Limbo again!

Lightattheend

Well, made another decision today - wow, really getting the hang of this!! I'm going to prepare all my paperwork for the CCCS interview on the 1st May as if I was preparing to go to court for a BR hearing! Going to prepare my SOA, get all my paperwork together and complete my BR form. Going to ring the court as well to see what kind of timeline I'd be looking at for a slot to come up in court (thanks for the suggestion) and depending on that answer may or may not book something (if its a 2 month wait I will if its only 2 weeks I probably won't). I've decided I'm not going to wait for the Northern Rock to get themselves sorted, going to do this on my terms not theirs!!

Thanks to everyone who's been posting on other threads today, learnt so much and realised how lucky I am - I've got two wonderful children, a roof over our heads and a job I enjoy most of the time. Money is something that I have dealt with badly in the past but I will continue to manage it better (as I have done for the last year) and will no longer mess things up (well not much).

Thanks again folks and big hugs to everyone.

dalip

yahhhhy positive thoughts can i have some.lol:rotfl:. Well done you for taking control.Dx

Lightattheend

Dalip, I'll lend you my darling 3 year old daughter - she's a gigglepot and always makes me smile, especially when she says 'I love you Mummy'!