Self managed DMP help

InDeepDebt

Hi

My wife and I are currently trying to sort out our finances. Having initially started dealing with the CCCS, we found that they were just so slow at getting stuff sorted and we had to contact most of our creditors ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I'm not slagging off the CCCS, it's just that we found that as we'd had to deal with the majority of our creditors anyhow, we kept on doing so.

Anyhow, we initially spoke to Barclaycard and were put onto token payments for two months (£5 for each of the two cards). We were told to ring back today if we couldn't pay the arrears by today - this I have just done (rang back). The total debt on my two Barclaycards is £5,500. The total debt to all our creditors is £68,700. We have a total of £290 spare a month for all our creditors. This gives us a grand total of just over £23 for Barclaycard.

Now when I just rang now, I explained that I couldn't pay the arrears. The bloke on the end of the phone asked if I could pay £60 as a regular monthly payment - I can't. He then said that I MUST go through either the CCCS or the Citizen's advice to make the payments and they must put forward a payment plan. That is the only way that they will accept less than £60 between the two cards.

Now we did have similar off the Halifax last month where they demanded that we used a third party such as the CCCS. However, when I rang them back a week later to advise that I hadn't done it, they said that so long as I filled in a budget sheet off the website from the NationalDebtLine.co.uk, I'd be OK. Did this for both my wife and I and they've been true to their word - well, at least for the next six months.

So, my question is, has anyone actually dealt with Barclaycard and sorted out their own Debt Management Plan? Is it worth me ringing them back at another time to see if I get someone who will interpret their rules slightly differently (as was the case with Halifax)?

Many thanks in advance

Jim

niccatw

Hi Jim

I'm afraid I can't offer any concrete advice as I haven't had to deal with Barclaycaard. Just wanted to say, from what I've read on the forum, they are notoriously difficult.

I'd be inclined to keep making your £5 payments and keep them informed of what you are doing and why in writing if they are proving difficult on the phone.

Well done on tackling your debt and managing your own DMP. Good luck with it. We're all here to support you

InDeepDebt

Many thanks for the reply and encouragement.

I think that I'll do as you say and drop them a letter. Will also make the payment that I can afford - i.e. £23 instead of the current £5 times 2. I'll include my statement of affairs in the form of the personal budget sheet from the National Debt Line website.

I'll also ring them again next week and hopefully they'll be more keen to listen; we live in hope. :rotfl:

Cheers

Jim

niccatw

Good stuff! I hope they do listen! Keep hold of that positivity; it'll see you through Good luck

panicsetin

Hi,

Barclaycard were the reason that I stopped managing my own DMP and went to the CCCS. They would not accept my offer when it came directly from me - but accepted immediately once the CCCS were involved.

Hope that helps,
PSI

tinks112

Barclaycard accepted my offer of £10.00 a month to pay off my cc. I am now going through CCCS as alot of my other creditors refused there offers. I wrote to barclaycard, with a letter explaining my situation, a list of all my creditors i owe money to, how much i can afford to pay each one, and how much each debt was, and then i done a budget sheet. it took them about 5 weeks to get back to me but i was shocked that they actually accepted the offer.

DGJsaver

It depends on how much you owe them obviously as to what they will accept.....as tinks situation could be massivly different from InDeepDebts....