Lost all spirit and really depressed over this debt :(

beth3735

I was doing really well, Have been going for 3 years now with the CCCS, But from day 1 Lloyds have made my life paying off debts impossible.

My credit card with them started 3 yrs ago at £4,500 and after paying them £1,523.24 off the card it now stands at £4,142.65

They have always added charges and interest even with me pleading with them to stop.

Anyways my overdraft started at £200 believe it or not, now I have never ever spent a penny on this since the CCCS and it now stands at £460.58
They have sent me a letter to say I have broke the payment plan, which I never. So they will now start charging me again. :mad:

Seriously I dont know what to do, I really want rid of Lloyds at least. I could get the money off my parents to pay the OD off but no where near to pay the CC off, SO I do wonder sometimes If i paid the OD could the CC claim that money and put me back into my OD again? even if I cancelled the account?

beth3735

Plus over the 3 yrs I have also paid £170 off the OD too

dancingfairy

LLoyds do seem to have a bad reputation on here - you are not alone in struggling with them. I would consider checking their website/literature that no doubt says something along the lines of -if you get in difficulty we will help you and will work closely with the debt charities.
Write a complaint letter to them quoting whatever they happen to claim about how helpful they are and explain how they are really not helping you and you are doing your best to pay it back and that you have been on it for 3 years now and you really need a break - it's not like you've just decided on a whim not to pay them is it - if you are doing you best you need their help - ask for all your charges back (would probably list them and total it so they don't have an excuse to mess around more ) and say you want a response in 28 days (or whatever).
If they don't respond or send you some standard rubbish or you are not happy then complain to the Financial Ombudsman.
You could also maybe try and make a full and final settlement to them based on what you have paid them for 3 years ie original debt was 4,500 pounds , you've paid 1,500 pounds so from there suggest a full and final settlement? Or you could seek advise from CCCS and see if it is better to stop paying them so they pass the account on to a DCA who may be easier to deal with and stop charges etc?
I appreciate that the banks have to make money for their shareholders and that people can't shirk their repsonsibilities but people make mistakes and if they are seeking help from one of the charities and are doing their best then why can't the banks see they are not even helping themselves as you can't repay all their charges. Grrr.
Anyway I hope you can get it sorted - maybe have a look and see if anyone has any better ideas or has had success with Lloyds.
df

beth3735

thanks for the reply I ended up getting really aggitated with her as I couldnt understand her, plus she kept asking me why my account had been past onto collections, did I work and what could I pay today!! I kept saying nothing, so she said without a payment today she cant put me back on a payment plan.

I was so stupid to get in this situation, I will definatly have a look on their website to see what they offer for people in need and will write a letter. Im not sure how I will get details of charges for the 3 years, but I will try my hardest to try and get them shifted.

Thanks for popping on x

dancingfairy

Good thing you didn't say anything or pay anything. Probably best to communicate only in writing -have you sent them the I only want you to write to me letter? if they don't listen you can report them for harrassment if they are causing you problems.
With regards to the whole you failed your payment plan thing - there could be several reasons for that -maybe CCCS paid your payment a bit late, or maybe Lloyds are being sneaky? I don't know but I have heard some people say that a payment was accepted for a debt and then returned to their bank account later as a seperate transaction (not sure which company it was though) - presumably so they can then claim you have failed to keep to the terms of your payment plan , or maybe their computer is just telling them that - who knows? and the whole you must make a payment today so we can get you back on the payment plan - Hmmm sounds suspicious to me - a bit like those special offer companies where you only get a discount if you sign up on the spot to something or other.
df

uptomyeyeballs

Does this really make Lloyds any better than a loan shark? It seems their interests are to keep the customer in debt at all costs. This is surely wrong.

dancingfairy

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

Does this really make Lloyds any better than a loan shark? It seems their interests are to keep the customer in debt at all costs. This is surely wrong.

Their policy doesn't make sense to me. But it's either their policy or their systems are so big and unwieldy that they can't help people. Their aim is to make money and keep their shareholders happy which is not necessarily the same as helping people out.
Oh and Beth I think most people would feel rubbish after speaking to them on the phone - they are after all trying to push to get the money off you as best they can.
df

beth3735

thank you for your help, Sorry I had to pop out.

I said to my husband that that lady on the phone has really got me down now, He said to try and not let it get to me as I have known for 3 yrs what Lloyds are like and they are just trying again.

CCCS confirmed all payments were paid on time this and last month, They said they cant see why they are saying that I failed my DMP with Lloyds.

If only I had the £4,500 to pay overdraft off and credit card.

I said to hubby the way I feel now, If I didnt have my 3 young children plus a mortgage I would sod Lloyds off, Pay all my good creditors and Lloyds can be last in line. But i have too much to risk and dont want my children knowing about any of my debts either, which will become difficult soon as eldest is already 6

beth3735

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

Does this really make Lloyds any better than a loan shark? It seems their interests are to keep the customer in debt at all costs. This is surely wrong.

This is so true, I told the lady who I couldnt understand on the phone to just sell my debt that they wont help me with to some DCA and they would definatly be 100% easier to deal with.

beth3735

just got so wound up again that I called Lloyds back,
They said that I broke the DMP in March and Aug, It has taken them till Oct to tell me.
They told me to call CCCS as they didnt get no payments in March and Aug, The CCCS man has just given me the cheque numbers that shows it was paid on the 25th of each month
So I now have to call back Lloyds again, I feel like crying. Why cant things just be straight forward. To be honest Im not sure what I will be saying to Lloyds as no matter what I do say they never shut up to let me make myself clear!

dancingfairy

To be honest I wouldn't even bother to phone them - you've already found that they don't listen and dispute what you are saying so why bother? can you go into a branch and speak to someone? or better still write a letter to them - they are most likely trying it on and trying to get more money from you.
You know what they're like so don't let them get to you.
Also I'm baffled by the whole - not letting your kids know you are in debt? why? they need to learn that they can't have Nike trainers, top of the range bicycles and go to Disneyland Paris etc - you'll be teaching them the value of money - that you have to budget for things and save up for things. And if they do find out that you are in debt then maybe you can explain to them that you went about things the wrong way and borrowed money and now you wished you'd saved up.
df