DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 6)

mozzyc

That's how i usually get hold of them, via Justabank. But since i've had a new case manager for the past 6 months, he's always saying he's didn't get it. And i can even see that i've sent it.

2spicy

mozzyc wrote: »

That's how i usually get hold of them, via Justabank. But since i've had a new case manager for the past 6 months, he's always saying he's didn't get it. And i can even see that i've sent it.

sounds like bull to me ... complain !!!! our corrispondence get though no problems

mozzyc

I know, I'm definitely going to say something to them.

I've really been toying around with the idea of going to CCCS. But i don't know how that works when you've already started a plan.

JillyOJolly

mozzyc wrote: »

Thanks JillyOJolly.

I've taken out the part of extra charges, and simply asked for the interest to be frozen or at least reduced to help us pay off the debt.

When you mention about claiming back charges through the correct channels, how do I go about doing that?

Hi,

Have a look through this site for reclaiming charges. It is an excellent step by step guide. write off for your statements, you may have to pay £10 for these. When you get them you can use the calculator on this site to input the dates for the charges, the amount then it can add interest for you. Print that sheet then add it to the template letter to send off saying the charges need to be refunded. Firstly I got offered £500, duly taken off the balance, then I wrote back saying not acceptable and got back over 3k. It took from November to 17th January 07 to get it sorted, but it was worth the wait. I then updated payplan with the new balance.

If you need the statement date to reflect when they get your money through payplan ask them to change it so you dont get late payments as well.

Hope this helps.

JOJ

mozzyc

Thanks JillyOJolly.

That's great advice. Going to start all of that this weekend. Then after that see where we can get with PPI and credit card charges. Worth a try hey to get some of the balance lowered.

Thanks!

JillyOJolly

Helen42 wrote: »

HI Just thought i should let you all know have posted a couple of times on here and now have written to all creditors asking if they would be happy to deal with me instead of Payplan. I am amazed at what i have discovered and feel very stupid.

1. Payplan do not keep upto date with any company, I have discovered that they make payments until they think you are debt clear then write to everyone again for balances.

2. If I let payplan carry on with all of this they would be getting us into a lot more debt as I have discovered that HSBC (old bank account overdraft) is charging more interest than payplan is allowing them in payments, HFC Bank appear to be doing the same, it took me weeks to come to an arrangement with GE money as they said they had not heard from payplan in the nearly 2 years we have been with them, so with GE money not only did i get the interest frozen myself but I also got a lot of it back.

3. I am tired of payplan lying to me. They never ever ring back, and it seems now the only time they contact me is when they want to be a broker for me on car or house or pet insurance.

4. BAck to GE money payplan sent GE money an email apology saying that they had been at fault and had not sent the documents they say they had sent. When I confronted Payplan with this they told me GE money were lying and that they would look into it - again never rang me back.

There are many other things I am unhappy with but I have now in a few short weeks

Got the obudsman involved with hsbc as they agree hsbc caused the overdraft in the first place and have upheld my complaint.

Got PPI Back from egg (who I have to say acted brilliantly)

Got interest stopped with GE money and got money back

Got further interest and charge freezes with just about all creditors now

Had replies from all but two creditors who are happy for us to pay them direct and keep the arrangment going.

If I had not found the strength to do this our debt which we hoped to be paid in full in 5 years would have gone on for approximately double that because payplan do not keep a regular check on balance interest freezes etc.

BEWARE.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you. Payplan were great. Every time I requested a call or emailed my case officer I had a reply or call within 24 hours. Also, I used to ask for copies of verbatum conversations with creditors and/or written communication so I knew exactly whether what i was asking for or being told was true (a control thing on my part). Yes payplan can negotiate interest freezes or reduction but it is at the discretion of the creditor and nothing to do with payplan. Creditors are not obliged to reduce interest or even freeze it, it is how they make their money, the money you owe is exactly what you have taken from them except for interest.

I cannot say I have ever been lied to or ignored, it maybe that you did not have a good relationship with your case officer. I personally negotiated any reduction in interest, although not a lot, but i dont see this as a fault with payplan but the mood of the creditor on the day.

You are the one who receives your statements from creditors, if you think your estimated balance on justabank (which does not calculate interest if charged naturally because every client is different) is incorrect or out of sync then it is up to you to update them.

I would hate to think any new DMPers are put off seeking help from companies like payplan or cccs i think this is a one-off scenario.

Good luck with doing this on your own. Its tough whichever way you do it, but you will all get there in the end.



JOJ

ianmak

I think I can see both sides of the argument.

I've always been open with my creditors, and responded to their calls and letters. I don't know if that's helped them to accept payments? I still see them as doing me a favour in a way, as it is their money I owe after all! However, I also partly blame them (and myself!) for getting me into this mess!

As for PayPlan, I appreciate their selling practices are interesting, but I just say no to them. E-Mail/website responses come back in a couple of days, if it's urgent then I phone them. I don't think they're ideal, but they're free and they've taken the hassle of dealing with ten odd creditors away from me.

Any moans from creditors about not having a SoA or Financial statement, and I get PP to resend them.

I'm sure this will all change, but for the time being, with communication from all sides, it seems to be working. For now.

scouselad1974

I have been with CCCS for 2 months but still deal with things myself when I have to, making one monthly payment to CCCS is the main advantage for me as I have many creditors. CCCS did not manage to get interest and charges frozen on some of my debts, so I wrote to those creditors and asked them to reconsider, luckily they did. I also check my statement balances every month and update my DMP online with CCCS. I wouldn't feel comfortable letting anybody take 100% control of my finances, so it works out fine for me.
I also like the backing of CCCS, for example one of my creditors wouldn't accept my DMP when I tried to arrange it myself but they accepted it straight away when I used CCCS even though they offered them 3 times less than I did :rolleyes:

As Ian says when a creditor treats me fairly I will do my best to pay them back as soon as possible, but when they go totally out of their way to cause you as much grief as possible it does sort of make you think ***k em

mcrfan

Does anyone have a good letter to send asking for a creditor to considering freezing interest?

Natwest are adding £8 a month on to my overdraft and my payment to them is £11 so I will be getting nowhere fast on that one!
They have accepted the DMP payment but on the phone would not budge on the interest.

Also does anyone have an account with Look Again catalogue? I am having a mare with them and would be good to hear from someone else. Their monthly statement is 13 pages long, despite receiving payments from CCCS since April they are not acknowledging the DMP and demanding payment and because of the super complicated way they break down the account into separate accounts for different buy now pay later offers, they are charging me a default fee of £12 on each account which so far is 3 accounts but I don't know if they are going to invent more as time goes on and different buy now pay laters kick in! AHHH!!!!!

mcrfan

Apple38 wrote: »

Hi Yellowpinky


Have you got your head around the situation yet? I still found myself stopping at the Estee lauder counter gazing longingly at the 'gift with purchase' and thinking I could afford a little splurge :eek:. I walked away, but just what has to happen before the penny drops?

Apple38

I think I may get banned from Boots for staring longingly at the Estee and Clinique counters...Collection 2000 for me now! (confession - I still buy a Clinique foundation but it is the best ever and lasts for ages!!)