Debt Arrangement Scheme - Scotland

pure_dead_dopey

Right Jilly you need to calm down and think it all through. Your debt to income ratio isn't that high. really! You are not a hopeless case, you just need to get something sorted out, even if its just for your peace of mind. Don't enter into any arrangements with individual creditors until it is all sorted, if you decide to go with CCCS, fill in the debt remedy on their website, they'll approve your budget and send you out forms to sign and then you send them all of your latest statements and a couple of wage slips. They set up the DMP or DAS and give you some letters to send with your next token payment, whole thing takes about 6 weeks. Your must not send anymore than £1 tokens, its a waste of money until you are organised and you WILL need an emergency fund. With regards to your SOA, your housekeeping is a bit high for one person and you need to try to get a lower deal on phones and internet, other than that it looks OK. CCCS/Payplan incorporate everything into your budget, so you would have money for clothes and haircuts. They do have some pull with the creditors, and it is easier to get your payments accepted if you are seen to have sought advice from a debt charity. I have dealt with both Barclays and MBNA and they were fine but the more you offer the more they'll ask for, its simply how they operate. Just take your time, you don't need to get this sorted tomorrow, you need to get it sorted to suit what you need. You are in a bit of a panic at the moment, but you don't need to be, don't speak to crediotrs until you have a solution and if that takes 6 weeks, that's OK. And of course its OK to use online banking, no signatures involved there!!! get a good night's sleep and it'll all look better in the morning, really

Jilly38

Hiya

Here I am again!

I will try to keep calm! I just think I should have stuck with payplan now. They had sent an initial letter to my creditors but then when I read about DAS went to CAB. CAB said I could only engage with one person and as I wanted to see about going down DAS the route and as the registered money advisor was with CAB I cancelled with payplan. Now I feel CAB have left me hanging and didn't explain that I wouldn't see the advisor for some time.

All creditors so far have been okay when speaking with them but just say they need a SOA. I will try to contact CCCS on Monday but I am working and I see they don't open on a Saturday. I did complete an online debt remedy and thought that I had actioned for the paper work to come but so far it hasn't appeared. I'll check this out again.

Can I just check - did you say you are on a DMP with CCCS? If I am not being too nosy can I also ask if you are on a DMP what made you choose this over the DAS. I just don't want to jump to a DMP yet as I would like to know more about DAS first. Until I see the CAB advisor I feel I don't know what to do. Well I probably seem like a raving loony!! Honestly I'm not!:rotfl:

Thanks again for your advice. I am off to chill out and watch the tv tonight......bliss!

Jilly

pure_dead_dopey

Hi Jilly

I don't think you are a loony just in a bit of a scary situation, we've all been there. I was in a DMP but am no longer as I am pursueing UE and you can't do both at the same time. I was in a DMP, because, like you I was desparate to get it sorted as quickly as possible. I didn't find out about DAS until after the DMP was set up and running. I decided to just research and research and came to the conclusion that DAS would be very good if my creditors did not stop interest on the DMP, as it was they all more or less did (22 remember). I did some more research spoke to a few people and decided UE was the way to go, so that is what I am doing just now. UE is NOT an easy option but my DH and I owed huge amounts and it is good for us. The financial services industry have had more than their fair share out of us over the years, trust me. If you've done an online debt remedy it can sometimes take around a week until the stuff comes through, they are unfortunately very busy. I still you should speak to them and mention DAS before you make a decision. I did a quick work out and it looks as if a DMP would last around 5 years if they all stopped interest, this isn't bad at all and things will happen (wage rises etc) so it could well be sooner.

Have a good weekend and try not to worry, a wee glass of wine would go down well.
Let me know how you get on

galei

hello jilly
CAB are only there to offer advice and will not do very much to help you,i used PAYPLAN and they had my dmp set up in days ,they phoned me so i had no huge call costs they took all my details then sent it to me to sign and got the interest halted on everything, i have a review every year and get no bother from anyone as long as my dd goes out every month

Jilly38

Hi Folks

Here I am again. Well today I have bit the bullet! I have decided to opt for a DMP with Payplan and to look at DAS if the DMP fails. Fingers and toes crossed though that it is plain sailing!!! or as smooth as it can be........

I telephoned CCCS this morning and asked if I could speak to the Scottish Office. I was going to have to submit all my details etc again then book an appt to speak with someone else following that. As time is pressing on and I feel I am in limbo since the begining of the month after cancelling my Payplan account to go with CAB (have yet to hear from them again) I decided after reading some more DMP experiences to go with this in the first instance. I telephoned Payplan again and as a letter had gone out to my creditors for balances etc I have re-activated my plan and send them a payment later this week. They had heard back from my creditors p[reviously with balances and were just waiting for one which I phoned and got them today.

Can I just ask once my payment goes to Payplan I take it they put forward my offers and then it is a case of waiting to hear? I have today received some letters from creditors all asking for a SOA and enclosing their form to be completed and sent back. I take it I just ignore these and let Payplan send my SOA from their end? Also I notice some are requesting "financial evidence" - do you have to give bank statements or payslips to the creditors for them to agree to the plan? My last three payslips have my income on before the decrease in hours so do not have uptodate ones as this is about to kick in.

Well here goes...............I hope I do not get a barrage of calls, or even worse visits from any nasty DC's meantime! I take it I just sit tight now and wait for the outcome?!!!:eek: All is crossed!!

Jilly

pure_dead_dopey

well done Jilly, you've started to be proactive and got yourself sorted out with Payplan. Don't do anything, I think Payplan will send you a template letter to send to your creditors, don't send SOA and definitely don't send payslips to them,(creditors I mean) its none of their business. I have never dealt with Payplan but if you post on the Paddlers, they'll set you right as there are a couple of Payplaners on there.

that's you up and running, next challenge is to live on your new budget. Don't worry about nasty phonecalls, I have never had a nasty phonecall, incompetant and thick, reading from a stupid script but no nastiness.

well done and keep posting

Jilly38

Thanks PDD. I think I do feel a little better now! :j I am just relieved to feel as if I am moving in the right direction. I couldn't seem to get far finding out about DAS but I think I'll just sit tight with the DMP and then when I hear from CAB go and see what the nitty gritty is with DAS and if I need it can always re-route down that road.

Well I hope I can get things sorted out. Payplan haven't asked for my bank statements either. Do you know if they require this info? I am sure CCCS would have wanted them. They do seem to have moved quite quickly in getting the info regarding outstanding amounts - so far so good. I do have equity in my house and that is my only worry. Also I have yet to let the other half know I am going down this road......terrible I know but I am just not sure how he will take it.

Well I'll keep you updated! No doubt there will still be pit falls ahead?! Thanks for your support. It has really helped and kept me sane! :rotfl:

Regards
Jilly

Miss_Poohs

Hi Jilly - so sorry to have ran out on you, we've had a death in the family so its a fraught time right now.

I haven't had the chance tp read through all the post again, but I'm glad you're getting sorted out.

I just want to remind you that a DAS is a DMP with added benefits ie all interest and charges MUST stop for the life of the DAS, so long as you keep to your arrangement creditors are prevented from taking any further action against you.

Personally I'd rather have the added benefits of the DAS - have you spoken to your councils wellfare rights dept they usually have a DAS advisor who will set your DAS for free.

Find what's available in your area here http://www.moneyscotland.gov.uk/das/MoneyScotland/Money_Advisers/DAS_Approved_Money_Advisers

Jilly38

Hi All

So sorry to hear about your family bereavement Miss Poohs. I hope you and your family are okay. Such a sad and terrible time, I know.
Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I am in a real dilema today as after having no contact from CAB/Money Advisor I received a call today. Also today, I made a payment to Payplan. They are sending out my offer of payments to my creditors today also. I think my plan was nearly set up previously but I pulled out so we are a step or two ahead since I got back to them saying I now want to proceed.

The money advisor wants to meet me on Tuesday. He is unaware that I have proceeded again with Payplan! He said that after looking at my paper work he doesn't think there would be any problems proceeding with a DAS. Only thing is that he said I must include my over draft and open a basic bank account. I had wanted to leave my over draft out of it as my mortgage is with Santander too and in two years time will require to renew my mortage deal (I didn't include my overdraft in my DMP as I have some over time money coming and will pay this towards it shortly. I know you shouldn't favour one over the other but I run my account well and it is only recently I took the over draft). As my credit rating will be trashed I thought it likely we would be staying with the same mortage company as my options will be limited and this is if they will still give us one. I have no mortage arrears. He said he didn't think it would be possible not to include it. I do like the idea of DAS as obviously the interest will be stopped and my house safe but then would I get the interest frozen via the DMP (who knows?!) and if I keep to payments would further action be taken?????????????

Well what do I do now?!! My payment is in transit to Payplan......and now I have the meeting on Tuesday at CAB. I don't want to rush in and cancel the DMP again in case I go to the meeting and don't think DAS is right for me but then again what if it is? Payplan might have made my offers of payments to creditors, then if I opt for a DAS then they will be offered a slightly reduced payment as the over draft will be included and will Payplan have distributed payments by the time I can make a decision. I also don't want to muck Payplan about either as they have been helpful too......oh what a dizzy blonde I am!!!!:)

Can anyone also tell me how do you know what bank will be safe to go to, to open a basic account? How do you know who is connected to who? If you have a store card and their bank is the same one you open an account with can they offset this way?

Well once again, any advice greatly received......so far you have all kept me sane. I only wish I had woken up to my situation quicker and realised there is help out there.

Jilly



Well I bet you are all reading this thinking what a mix up!! It is really hard to know what is the best route to take.