DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 6)

scouselad1974

Evening all, I hope everyone is well today.
I thought I would update you all on how my DMP with CCCS is going :rolleyes:

I came home to another post box full of mail including a couple of refusal letters from CCCS.

CCCS reccomend that I do nothing now as the original creditors will no doubt pass my accounts on to a DCA, do you reccomend I take their advice or should I send the creditors the please reconsider letter, this worked with another of my creditors. What would be the best option in your opinion ?

I have also sent the harrasment letter to another creditor who is telephoning me constantly and totally ignoring CCCS and myself.

Another creditor has accepted my offer and also reduced interest on my account, although for every £5.00 I pay back £3.50 will be eat up in interest :mad: Do you think I should send the please reconsider letter as they can only say NO ?

It's never ending

ianmak

emmiloam wrote: »

Hi all

Thought I'd better let you know that I've changed my username - I was previously emsmiff.

Ian - can you change my name on your "numbers" list.

thanks
Em

Sorted.

supersleuth

Hi everyone,

Sorry to post and run but I'm just burning hmm I mean cooking lol dinner !!

I've had no post for a few days now - kind of miss it, suppose I'd better start chasing things up on Monday.

Looks as though I have got the new job I went for, subject to CRB check. have never been in any trouble ever so I'm sure it'll be ok........ as long as one of you lovelies can tell me that my credit report is not looked into too far for it ????

Answers on a postcard please ?

Happy Friday
SS

dlb

supersleuth wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Sorry to post and run but I'm just burning hmm I mean cooking lol dinner !!

I've had no post for a few days now - kind of miss it, suppose I'd better start chasing things up on Monday.

Looks as though I have got the new job I went for, subject to CRB check. have never been in any trouble ever so I'm sure it'll be ok........ as long as one of you lovelies can tell me that my credit report is not looked into too far for it ????

Answers on a postcard please ?

Happy Friday
SS

I have had a crb check for being a school govenor and my husband has had full crb and enhanced desclosers done as me runs a kids footy team, we were on the dmp at the times these were done and we didnt have any problems at all. Hope this puts your mind at rest...i belive only bankrupcy shows up.

Apple38

Hello everyone

After lurking for a long while and reading all the good advice on here, I took the plunge and set up a DMP via CCCS. Multiple LBM's over the last few years, but I always found a way to stick my head back in the sand. I've been 'just managing' for a looooong time. I remember taking a second job in the early 90's because I was worried about owing M&S £500! It's now around £32,000. I'm trying not to think about all the money I've wasted on interest over the years.

After the terror of posting all the token payments to creditors, I felt a huge sense of relief. Offer letters have apparently been sent out and I had a very quick reply from M&S agreeing to freeze interest for a year and a positive sounding reply from Mint.

Then the phone calls started.

I had a message from Nationwide and wanting to face up to things, I called them back. The operator I spoke to couldn't have been nicer, very calm and business like. I explained about the DMP and he was fine. I received another letter this week, which I have replied to updating them on where things were with CCCS and yet more phone messages yesterday, so reassured by last week’s call, I phoned back.

Things could not have been more different. The woman was so rude and off hand, I went to pieces. I probably gave her far too much information. She was determined to get the payment CCCS had decided I could afford out of me there and then. I am in arrears by two weeks for one payment after 3 .5 years of perfect payments, so they must know I'm not avoiding things. She spoke to me like dirt and I was shaking when I came off the phone. She practically hung up on me when she realised I wasn't going to give her a card payment.

Did I make a mistake going for the DMP before I had arrears? She gave me the impression that she thought I was just sick of paying (admittedly I was so shaken I didn't give a good account of myself).

Barclaycard are ringing me every five minutes (almost not an exaggeration), but whereas I was psyching myself up to face them, I'm kidding myself that I'll answer the next one or the next one.

Is it a good idea to talk to them or should I just wait for them to give up and talk to CCCS? I can’t believe I crumbled at the first difficult phone call.

Apologies for long post and thanks.

ianmak

Welcome Apple38! You did brilliant for not paying them extra, and just be proud that you made her hang up! I've always spoken to my creditors as I thought it best to be honest. I also didn't want to upset them further by ignoring their calls. I've only lost my rag once.

Like you I didn't have any arrears and some creditors found that hard to take. Just remember it is just a job to them (I hope), and expect them to be drinking their Horlicks when they get home... They have lots of tricks up their sleeve to put you off, make you feel guilty, give them more money, but just stay strong and ignore that.

It all comes down to preference as to whether or not to communicate by phone, and I know CCCS and PayPlan discourage it for the reasons you mentioned, but if you're strong enough, then answer your phone. If not, ignore it.

If you don't want them to contact you, then you should be able to write to them to ask for communication in writing only.

Good luck!

Apple38

ianmak wrote: »

It all comes down to preference as to whether or not to communicate by phone, and I know CCCS and PayPlan discourage it for the reasons you mentioned, but if you're strong enough, then answer your phone. If not, ignore it.

Thanks Ianmak! I have emailed Barclaycard, but I will pluck up the courage to talk to them tomorrow. I'm sure they can't be any worse than the Nationwide woman today. You're right, it's not personal. Although the way she sneered at me over the amount I owed on cards, as if it was the first time she'd heard of such a thing, made it sound pretty personal!

Whatever abuse I get, I know starting the DMP was the right thing to do. I may not have had any arrears, but with something like two thirds of my pay going on minimum payments it was only a matter of time. I wince when I think how stupid I've been over the last few years, but better late than never I suppose.

Thanks again
Apple
P.S. May I take a number?

at_my_wittsend

Apple38,

Hi and well done for taking the first steps. I deal with my creditors by phone. I make a note of the date and time and who I am speaking with - I only call them if they send a letter and I feel the matter needs discussing. I don't want to be accussed of not co-operating in case one takes me to Court. I also write and complain too. One tip, if you are making calls from your mobile to creditors withold number first. Also look through your mobile and see how you can block withheld numbers or if you have a list you can create where you put all the people you will accept calls from....my phone didnt ring off the hook once I did this. I feel I will call them and write to them when the need arises.
Well done for not giving payment to them. NEVER give them a payment over the phone, my advice would be if it gets too much merely hang up and leave the phone off the hook or unplug it for a bit. They will apply pressure but dont fold, its only words. Any letters you send write complaint at the top in big bold writing so they can see, believe me they respond to this much quicker and they appear not get lost, also send them recorded delivery. It does get easier and once things settle down and they will it will be fine but be warned you will get this every six months or if you are lucky and get a year of acceptance, every year but once you get to a year you will be a pro in dealing with them. I actually quite like annoying Lloyds :-) I feel its my right as they harassed me lots until I took measures with phones. Also tell them to remove your numbers from their databases they have to do this. Just keep on at them your on a DMP etc and annoy them. You are not alone and never will be. I think you will find lots of help, advice and more importantly support on here. Good luck. Its only money, you have your health etc to worry about, far more important. x

Apple38

at_my_wittsend wrote: »

I deal with my creditors by phone. I make a note of the date and time and who I am speaking with - I only call them if they send a letter and I feel the matter needs discussing.

Thanks Wittsend, lots of good tips in your post which I shall use, particularly the one about keeping a record of phone calls and marking letters 'complaint'. Reading through the posts, Lloyds seem to wind everyone up, so I hope you get a bit of your own back.

Apple

capcom99

I rang Payplan today and was scared stiff due to me actually facing up to my problems.Nearly all my salary per month was going on credit card repayments.

I was tired of shuffling and was getting in the red at my bank every month and new that if I didn't do something everything would collapse.

I have never miseed a payment on my cards and 4 of them have low interest for the life of the blances with one being interest free for 18months and the other just coming into high rates after interest after the promotional time has just run out.

Payplan where supportive on the phone and didn't even wince when I gave them all my Credit card balances and account numbers.

They advised me to get another Bank account straight away as the two banks I was with,HSBC and Natwest had huge overdrafts. I drove into the city centre and tried for a Nationwide account.Having had a saving account with them since I was a kid i thought it a good bet...I sat in the office going through an application and right at the end of inputing my details on the computer it declined me a DEBIT card account and they guy looked at me as If i was holding something back.:rolleyes:

They offered me a Cash card account I said no thanks and promptly left)

The drive home was depressing and I was panicking wondering wether I would get another bank account in order for my salary to be safe. I logged on looked at Martins recommendations and went for a Halifax account online...( I got it):j

So all I need to do know is credit the account with £100 and they will send me my debit card etc....

Now I have a few questions for you DMP experts.

When should I cancel the DD for my Credit cards with my bank I am leaving?

They are all due the minimum payments on or around the 26th of this month.Should I just log into HSBC and cancel all the DD payments?

When do I send the token letters out to the Creditors? After the payments have been due a few days? How do I pay by cheque? From which bank HSBC? What shall I write in the letter? I don;t really want to use my new Halifax Debit card...

Please help me as I am unsure what to do at this early stage.