chewits - the debtquake monster is coming

kissjenn

Hi all,

Having read some of your amazing diaries I'd like to share my own story and challenges. All positive contributions warmly welcomed.

I've a 15 ds, OH, 3 cats, 1 husky and a grandad (my dad aged 82).

Currently we're in control of our debt which is a mortgage for £130k and 1 cc I pay off monthly. However our circumstances have been changing I can feel the earth moving (not that way infortunately :rotfl:) as the Debtquake Monster approached.

• Made redundant end Jan - not a twinkling of another job.
• OH had stroke 13 months ago and not worked since.
• OH now almost completely blind due to glaucoma and probably will never work again.
• Grandad fell down his stairs last year, bad fracture and wants to move in.
• Extension needed for Grandad to move in and everyone else not to move out!!
• 1st Architect uber pants and fired - now threatening court.
• 2nd Architect (mate) has house at building warrant stage.
• Major money required soon - feel the ground quaking?

What I've done so far

• CV at agencies, professional qualifications shiny and up to date, phone regularly.
• Gone officially self employed from 06/04/09.
• Applied for WTC and CTC as self employed and starting up small company (can do in parallel with contract if market picks up).
• Appealed against OH's DLA claim , lower rate for both but he can't leave house unaccompanied so £149 per month :mad:
• Doing OU course with OH to help build up his confidence and see if he can professionally adapt to tools - he's a computer programmer.

But I have days when I can't be bothered and it all seems too much to cope with. So I want to set myself goals that I can share and discuss and perhaps you'll be kind enough to kick my backside when I slide.

Long first post...apologies but I look forward to any thoughts or ideas you may have.

Specific goals to follow when I've worked them out! Although first one is submitting TMA03 by Friday

Kissjenn

gettingbetter

hi kissjenn

good luck and i am sure we will all give you the help and support (kick) you need

kas xx

debtfreefuture

Good luck - you sound very positive and I'm sure you will be fine.:D

[Deleted User]

Hiya,

Welcome to the boards, they are a friendly and helpful lot here.

Tea
x

hypno06

Purpletea65 wrote: »

Hiya,

Welcome to the boards, they are a friendly and helpful lot here.

Tea
x

Notice she doesn't mention that we are mostly insane.........:rolleyes:

Welcome to diaryland!

kissjenn

Thank you all so much. I look forward to the stompings!


Today's major task is to get my essay out of the way and get OH to dictate the end of his. He had surgery yesterday so isn't seeing anything today and having left it to the last minute - both of us - needs to be done and in. I am proud of him for doing it, we discussed deferring at the weekend but he's gone for it. As long as he doesn't score higher than me peace will be assured (I am a tad :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:competitive!)

Started using a menu plan at beginning of the week. Small Boy - 5'10" and built like a s**t house - loves it. Appeals to his need for complete structure. So chilli tonight, soup I made yesterday for lunch. Almost a NSD day but Small Boy has a maths tutor who comes fortnightly and that's tonight. Good thing is only spend is on something important and not a takeaway

As many have said before, see me on here and feel free to kick me off until Plato is boxed, concluded and shipped.

kissjenn

:j:j Essay done...and some marks back which were good so up to date (for a week or two). Sitting down now to work on next one - always say this and always lose interest until deadline looms :eek::eek:

Tomorrow is definately an ebay and chase up jobs day. No news is bad news at the moment - if they want me they'll phone. Keep telling myself that lots of peeps in this position but still so hard when there's nothing out there.

Stuck to no spend except fees (which is almost NSD honest).

Waiting to hear about WTC and CTC credit. After long conversation two weeks ago - I've applied, they'll turn me down and then I have to appeal, then they'll give it to me, then I have to have it amended...their system, their process, think I can see some ways of streamlining that one!

Still little steps...

kissjenn

Rant of the evening - contacted the gym to cancel our memberships. Never use especially since OH had stroke last year and now has eye surgeries. Told by lady we now have a Bannatyne's contract not a Living Well (which is what we signed up to). Seems we agreed to the new contract and all the associated terms and conditions when we had our pics taken for the new pass cards.

Have pointed out that getting someone to sign a contract which changes all t&cs under pretext of giving them a new card is fraud. She says, even although she didnt work there then, that we would have been told all this and after all we signed it. So giving a blind man a bit of paper to sign to get a new card and "accidentally" changing the t&cs on the same document is an acceptable way to do business?

Anyway, I've asked for a copy of what we signed and registered that we want out. Happy(ish) to pay a contractual month to get out but 3 is taking the proverbial. :mad::mad::mad:

There is a break clause if I can prove OH unable to use facilities, all I need is a letter from our GP setting out that he is unable to use the club currently and for a period of not less than two months following the date of this letter - they quoted me what it had to say. So that'll be a good use of the GPs time, disabled badge, DLA award, sight of him with one stick unable to move without an escort - no:eek: Not enough proof for head office. Then its only the month we agreed to in the first place.

Times must be tough when Mr Bannatyne pulls stunts like this! If anyone is reading this - any similar difficulties?

savingholmes

Hi Jenn you sound really motivated despite the difficulties. Hope you manage to get more work soon - I too am unemployed currently so know how much it can get you down. Good luck with the gym too!

Have you pared back everything else that you can? Is it worth posting a statement of affairs to see where else you could cut back? I've saved a fortune since I did eg house insurance down by 75% etc

kissjenn

Hi,

I need to check the insurances...horrible feeling I don't know who has them and I'm usually more on the ball than that so great prompt - thanks.

Our fuel bills were astronomic but they're totally up to date and companies owe us, so tomorrow I'm going to chase them for refunds and lower DDs.

OH needs lights on everywhere to get even a hint of objects so elec will continue to burn...the thought of him and a candle makes my blood run cold! I've turned off the heating today so that'll be another saving. Everything else is ok at the moment.

Work is well - missing? I'll just keep plugging, in some ways its good we're all unemployed together because then it's not just my fault (very very selfish attitude - sorry ) but in other ways its awful because it means there's nothing there for any of us :eek::eek::eek:

One job I went for I could have done standing on my head (big head I know which allows for much standing on room). It was to cover a lady on maternity and look after her team. They hired someone who'd built trading floor systems because "they're often hard to find and we got them at a cheap rate". That's like buying a steamroller when you need an iron cos its cheap and you may tarmac a road one day - pity help your shirts in the meantime - they would be super flat though.

kissjenn

Okay - need to get on top of rent arrears due to me. Council is way behind with housing benefit claims so one tenant 3 months in arrears - I can't afford this. Been to see local councillor wh didnt know how system worked and ended up in three way debate with HB Team, Homelessness Team and us. Nobody wants to know until we threaten to evict and I don't want to evict people. I'm maybe being really dumb but I think a system which gives people their full housing benefit, whether or not they want it direct, and then scratch their heads when it goes on other bills to those who scream louder and send threatening letters is designed by people who've never spent a day in the real world.

I was really scared about posting being a landlord because lots of people on this site seem to regard us a spawn of rachman but we're not. We charge market rents (not inflated to LHA allowances) provide proper leases insure the building do safety checks etc etc. My debts are increasing because people are choosing to spend the housing benefit (once the council spend weeks agreeing it) on other things. I have never charged debtor interest up until now, or admin charges for the days we spend trying to contact people to sort things out. But I need to provide for my family too and I'm not a faceless large company, I'm a working mum.

MSE Dilemma

Do we start charging for the costs we incur when tenants default and try to stop our income falling further (as allowed in the leases)

or

Do we allow tenants to keep using our money as a free overdraft without our knowledge or consent?

I'd love to hear some opinions...