Really need help!!! Debts turning into court summons!

southernscouser

Hi Pandora.

I just wanted to say that your priorities are, rent, council tax, gas/water/electric. Rent obviously coz you need a roof over your head, council tax (don't mean to scare you) but you can end up in prison if you don't pay this. It won't happen in your case as you are showing a willingness to pay it but it is a priority. The utilities for obvious reasons.

The rest can wait. Sod 'em. What are they gonna do? They can't make you pay if you haven't got it, simple as that.

Just stay on top of the ones I mentioned though.

Pandora_2

Morning all - job interview in a couple of hours :j

Really hope I get it! Will make life so much easier

Gonna make a signature thing later so I can keep up with my savings and debts. Will start (another) daily spending diary - and actually keep up with it this time!

And this afternoon am going to Mummy's to get some free food - homemade bagels, elderflower cordial and whatever else she's decided to make Just need her chickens to start laying and then I will get free eggs as well :rotfl:

Oh and will definately see about the crisis loan and see what I can negotiate with my other benefits.

Will keep you all updated and thanks so much everyone :T

lynzpower

All the very best for your interview will be keeping them crossed for you here by my PC

GO GET EM :j

jobbingmusician

GOOD LUCK for your interview.

This looks really sort-outable - it all hinges on HB and it WILL resolve - just hang on in there!

We're all behind you

Floss

Hi Pandora,

United Utilities (water bill) have a scheme whereby if you declare that you are in financial difficulties, they may accept you onto their hardship scheme. This means that as long as you stick to the agreed payments (weekly or 4 weekly by card at post office is easiest if on benefits), every 13 weeks they will match your payment, to bring down your debt. SO, the guys who gave you the big bill in the first place, will reduce their debt by 50% in total!

I will PM you their debt department phone number - and its a real number, with real people on the end. I'm on the scheme & its fab!

beverleyhills

Sorry to hear of your plight. Are you on a water meter? Does the water bill includes back payments?

Iso

Pandora, sorry to hear of these problems. Have you thought about declaring yourself bankrupt? It seems you don't have any assets and if you went bankrupt you'd get rid of the debts. As a bankrupt you are allowed to live so I think you'd be able to receive your benefits etc to cover your living expenses. You'd be out of bankruptcy in a year and debt free.

Another alternative is to enter into an IVA. That way you appoint an advisor who adds up all your debts, adds up any assets, works out how much you have "left over" from your income - and you are entitled to carry on living inthe "style to which you were accustomed" (assuming you don't drive a Ferrari and live in a palace! - he then calculates the "left-over" and works out how much you should offer to the creditors and over how long a period. Anyhow it can mean that on an IVA you pay your creditors as little as 5p in the £. You need 75% of the creditors (cash owed not individuals) to agree to an IVA and it can be arranged to run for up to (I think) 5 years.

If you enter an IVA it means the creditors are likely to get something - if you go bankrupt they are likely to get nothing. The pros and cons really depend on your circumstances. Suggest you go on the web and look up bankruptcy web sites, you'll find loads. Give them a ring -they'll be happy to discuss the best solution for you.

Best of luck.

Pandora_2

Hi all
Job interview went REALLY well - the woman even took me to a cafe afterwards and bought me a cup of tea!! Says she will let me know this afternoon but I'm pretty positive I've got it!! :j

I'm not on a water meter as my plumbing is a bit dodgy but is still good enough for my letting agency to not NEED to fix it :rolleyes: So the drips etc would end up costing me a fortune. Am waiting for my application form for the Trust Fund and gonna ring up bout that scheme where they match your payments - only problem is I can't do that until I have money to make payments! Had actually heard about this before but they told me they wouldn't accept me on it as I wasn't able to pay the minimum they were requesting for this scheme. Fingers crossed I will get this job and then I will be able to do it.

Got my application form to get free prescriptions and a big pile of receipts to claim the money back as well

Will keep posting updates of how I'm doing - this board seems to be magic!! As soon as I start posting, things seem to be starting to go better for me!!! Magic!!! :T

Off to sort out this spending diary, signature, application forms and meal plans!! Ooh and tons of phone calls - free now thanks to Talk Talk :rotfl:

savingpennies

I noticed that your bf is paying for a college course and that is part of your monthly ougoings. If his course is at a local FE college and he is on incapacity benefit then he needs to check it out as many courses are free for those on benefits. He might also want to ask about adult learning grants or the college may have a hardship fund.

Pandora_2

The course he is doing is a distance learning course so not sure if there's anything we can do about it. Will definately look into a grant or reduction in fees though. Thanks :T