DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 6)

Triggles

These companies are just odd. Halifax keeps sending us letters inviting us to apply for a loan. And Santander just keeps adding £24 each month to our debt, £12 for being over limit (which is mainly due to the fees they keep adding!), and £12 for making late payment (we're paying before the due date, just not the amount they want us to pay). *sigh* How do they expect this to ever be resolved if they keep adding fees?? And how can they justify 2 fees every month?

Twit_Head

the_tooth_fairy wrote: »

Hey Twitty!! Just saw you online - hows everything going now?

ttfx

Hello TF!
Good days, bad days but getting stronger. Going out more, meeting new people but still have this big empty ache in my heart. Came round to see me last week-was lovely to talk to him again but my emotions still see-sawing all over the place!
Only trouble is all this extra socialising is playing merry hell with my budget and there is going to be a lot more month than money
Thanks so much 'for the asking' - you take care.

'Twitty'

cocopop101

I've been following this thread for a couple of weeks now and seen as though I'm going to be around for quite a while, could I have a number please?

I have started a DMP with Payplan already and my first payment went to my creditors last month. :j While I'm still panicked and nervous about the whole process, I'm nowhere near as stressed or ill as I have been over the last couple of months. Losing over 2 stone in weight, sleepless nights and not coping at work - all sure signs that it was time for a change and so had my LBM in September.

Learning to budget has been the hardest thing for me. I was so used to using the credit card and not even thinking about it but how fantastic it has been this month to have a bank account that's in credit (albeit small ) and to not have the money run out the very same day the wages went in!

Considering I've only made one payment so far, I think it's going well. I have 5 creditors who've accepted the plan so far (Egg (one of my largest creditors), Halifax x 2 (my old current account and a credit card), 1 x Santander, JD Williams) but one rejection from MBNA. All others pending so fingers crossed they go in my favour too.

It's a long road ahead and no one knows my current situation so hiding things from family and friends is proving difficult but other than that I feel I'm in a much better place now.

Reading this thread over the last couple of weeks has been extremely supportive and has answered a lot of my niggling doubts about the plan. My experience so far with Payplan is extremely positive and I'm sure going into the DMP will be the best thing I've done this year. Only 10 years to go. :eek:

iwillgetoutofdebt

Does MBNA accept anyone's DMP? It's just that every thread that I've read, they appear to be obstructive, and my FiL (who is an insolvency practitioner) told me that MBNA (and the DCA they use) are about the worst when it comes to piling on the pressure. I have to say that I am very apprehensive of the next few months, as they are one of my creditors - along with Cap 1, who also seem to get nasty quite quickly.

Northstar68

Hi Cocopop and welcome!:hello:
Very well done for getting things sorted and taking action. We are about to start our DMP on the 1st Jan so very much looking forward to some of our balances coming down!

As for MBNA, sadly our experience hasn't been good. They are very ruthless as are their so called debt collection companies and solicitors.
They refused our £3 a month token payments for OH's credit card and straight away issued blue and white court papers to get a charging order on the house. I wish I could have lost weight with all the worry but instead, I pile it on (
ANyway, the judge ruled in our favour but they then appealed against the decision and we are back in court early Feb 2010 for a redetermination. Dreading it, depends on the judge I suppose.

I also have an MBNA credit card and they are now chasing me for that money too, they didnt accept my £2 token payments and havent heard about accepting our DMP payments yet.....I suspect they are waiting to see what happens at court in Feb and then they will see what they can do to me.
All in all......they are very harsh and when we used to talk to them on the phone it was like talking to a robot, the rudeness too was unbelievable.
Maybe it is just us, maybe it depends on individual circumstances? But we really had a rough time 6 mnths ago due to loss of jobs and they really didnt care, took OH to court straight away for non payment.
Sigh......

Just stick to doing the right thing, we can't do anymore than we are doing unless we win the lottery!

hayston

Hi.
I have a DMP with CCCS
Most creditors have accepted and things are much easier.

Grattans, have not. They have now defaulted my account and have said they are unable to accept my monthly offer.

Does anyone have any advice or exp of them?

Thanks

ianmak

To be honest, MBNA (but through Abbey) weren't too bad with me. They passed onto RMA for a bit, who weren't very nice, then I spoke to someone at MBNA who was brilliant, and as soon as he heard I was on a DMP, I think they stopped interest, and defaulted me (I think - I forget...).

As I've said before at the beginning, all they know is that they haven't received their money, and they think you're getting out of paying them. I think sometimes when they know you're on a DMP, it makes a difference. Also if you're not answering the phone (I know they don't recommend answering, but...) it's just another reason for them to think you're avoiding them...

Triggles

ianmak - we're not answering the phone anymore, but mainly because when DH DID speak to the person on the phone and tried to explain that we had been in contact by post, and that another payment with another letter giving an update had just been sent out, the person on the phone just kept saying "that's not good enough - we need to discuss this by phone, so you have to speak to us" to which DH simply said "actually, no I don't need to speak to you by phone, but we are happy to communicate by post" and disconnected. If they were remotely polite and reasonable on the phone, that would be one thing, but DH has talked to a couple different people and they refused to listen to what DH was saying, so he simply gave up. I know they are just doing their job, but surely when he's never missed a payment before and never even been late as it was on direct debit, combined with the fact that he corresponded with them at the time of the very first payment he couldn't make keeping them informed - it's not like he has been ignoring them.

MurrayMint

iwillgetoutofdebt wrote: »

Does MBNA accept anyone's DMP? It's just that every thread that I've read, they appear to be obstructive, and my FiL (who is an insolvency practitioner) told me that MBNA (and the DCA they use) are about the worst when it comes to piling on the pressure. I have to say that I am very apprehensive of the next few months, as they are one of my creditors - along with Cap 1, who also seem to get nasty quite quickly.

Hi,

For us MBNA have been the best of all our (10 :eek:) creditors. Within 2 months of starting our DMP with the CCCS they had put us on their emergency level plan and stopped interest and fees. They haven't sent threatening or harrassing letters and have always been helpful on the phone. When our payments increased they restructured us onto their 10 year plan, which means no more fees/interest so long as we stuck to that payment level. But we had to drop again due to redundancy. They again put us on the emergency plan for 6 months and we're now negotiating a very good % short settlement with them (thanks Dad!). Like I already said, they've been the best.

I know this sounds very !!!! kissey, but I swear I do not work for them . Just balancing the picture IFYKWIM

Don't know if it's relevant, but we hold 3 MBNA accounts, owing them nearly £20k, which is about 50% of our unsecured debt.

Completely_Confused_2

Hi there, I'm on a DMP with Payplan and my smallest debtor is my Natwest Credit Card at about £500.

I'd like to get this paid off when I've saved up to do so - can I do that or will I get told off?

Thanks, CC xx