Struggling with debt? Ask a debt advisor a question

suziq5001

Thanks for your message Pavan and for the link which has clarified a few points for me.

cashbee

Hi,
Please bear with me I am a new user, so apologies if I have posted in the wrong place.

My partner and I currently have a variety of debts one of which is on a credit card at 10.9%, the amount on there is quite large and attracting huge interest. We applied for a 0% balance transfer but were refused and advised to take out an alternative credit card at a higher interest rate, so obviously we haven't. I thought it would be a good idea to talk to our bank who we have a personal loan with and a 0% balance transfer card to see if they can help increase our limits on either. But I'm now worried that because we were refused a different card the other day that they won't be able to do anything. Should we be checking our credit file prior to seeing the bank or will this cause more problems?

We have a loan due to finish in Dec 2012 another due to finish in April 2013. And two credit cards one at 0% until Feb 2013 the other is accruing interest at 10.9%.

Any advice welcome, not sure where to go other than the bank?

Thanks in advance.:eek:

Sybaris

After several years overseas, I'm returning to the UK with CC debt with my overseas CC company.

Basically, I came back to the UK last January and spent a year with my head in the sand assuming the amount owed would grow and that I'd be in a position to pay it off. I had a 10,000 limit so it never occured to me that the bank would pass the matter to a collection agency.

During my time in the UK, letters were posted to my address abroad informing me that my bank account was to be closed because it was slightly overdrawn and that my CC debt would be passed to a debt collecting company. That was last September, but I didn't receive any of the bank's letters as I was in London.

I've recently returned to my overseas address, opened letters and read about the closure of my account and the debt agency. I feel like an idiot. And I'm too afraid to call the collection agency to find out what I currently owe as the figure they gave me was dated Nov 2011. Plus, I'm worried that if they know I have returned that they might send people to intimidate me.

I owe the equivalent to £6,000.

I don't want to leave for London with CC debts; I don't want the huge black mark next to my name.

I am unemployed currently, but own a property without a mortgage in the UK (no tenants yet).

I need advice on the best option to take, e.g am I able to use my property to secure a small loan or can I apply for an interest free UK CC to pay off my overseas CC and then be able to deal with the debt in the UK?

I've not been in debt like this ever so the best course of action is not obvious to me but I'm getting extremely stressed and it's only been four days since I opened the letter from the debt collection agency.

Please can someone help and/or advise me?

I am not going to ask friends/family for help so please don't list that as a quick fix. I would really appreciate some sound advice on how to pay off the debt overseas and then work hard to pay off the loan used to pay the debt abroad.

I look forward to hearing from someone.

fermi

CCCS_Pavan wrote: »

Hi again,

I’m sorry for any confusion; I misread the post and thought that she had paid because it was a joint debt (in which case the 6 years would have started again). Fermi has also kindly clarified this for you.

If he still admits liability, we can advise him further.

Kind regards,
Pavan

Even if he admits liability now, it would still be statute barred.

The Limitation Act 1980 specifically states that:

"... a right of action, once barred by this Act, shall not be revived by any subsequent acknowledgment or payment."

fresh-start-needed

Hi I have found myself in trouble with debts (cc's, o.d, catalogues). My debts total 6000. Would I be allowed to get a debt relief order based on my wage, child benefit and tax credits? My husband and I oay half of everything each.

Would I be allowed a debt relief order whilst living in a mortgaged property (the mortgage is in his name only but I have lived here for 14 years). There is no equity in the property so selling up to pay things off isn't an option. Would I be allowed to declare myself bankrupt in the situation?

Thanks for your advice

9780ninjalt

Completed the Debt Remedy Tool on the CCCS site and they advised a DMP which we accepted. Received the E-mail pack today in which it says to send the agreements for our debts and proof of income and the booklet will tell us what is acceptable. But there's no booklet. Will they be sending it in the post or should it have been attached? Can somebody tell me what to send? Will a P60 do or will they require payslips. OH gets paid weekly, so how many will they need. TBH we don't keep them as he gets paid the same everyweek so it could take a while to get together.

Thanks

StepChange_Pavan

cashbee wrote: »

Hi,
Please bear with me I am a new user, so apologies if I have posted in the wrong place.

My partner and I currently have a variety of debts one of which is on a credit card at 10.9%, the amount on there is quite large and attracting huge interest. We applied for a 0% balance transfer but were refused and advised to take out an alternative credit card at a higher interest rate, so obviously we haven't. I thought it would be a good idea to talk to our bank who we have a personal loan with and a 0% balance transfer card to see if they can help increase our limits on either. But I'm now worried that because we were refused a different card the other day that they won't be able to do anything. Should we be checking our credit file prior to seeing the bank or will this cause more problems?

We have a loan due to finish in Dec 2012 another due to finish in April 2013. And two credit cards one at 0% until Feb 2013 the other is accruing interest at 10.9%.

Any advice welcome, not sure where to go other than the bank?

Thanks in advance.:eek:

Hi cashbee and thanks for your post.

Checking your credit file doesn’t affect your credit score so there’s nothing to stop you from doing this. In fact it’s a good idea to regularly check your credit files. You may also find this article useful as it gives you ways of improving your file: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/credit-rating-credit-score.

It’s worth contacting the bank to see if they can help you, because from what you’ve mentioned you’ll be in a position to pay more towards your debts once your loan finishes in December.

If you’re really struggling and your bank can’t help, we can look at your situation in more detail to see what options you have.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Pavan

StepChange_Pavan

Sybaris wrote: »

After several years overseas, I'm returning to the UK with CC debt with my overseas CC company.

Basically, I came back to the UK last January and spent a year with my head in the sand assuming the amount owed would grow and that I'd be in a position to pay it off. I had a 10,000 limit so it never occured to me that the bank would pass the matter to a collection agency.

During my time in the UK, letters were posted to my address abroad informing me that my bank account was to be closed because it was slightly overdrawn and that my CC debt would be passed to a debt collecting company. That was last September, but I didn't receive any of the bank's letters as I was in London.

I've recently returned to my overseas address, opened letters and read about the closure of my account and the debt agency. I feel like an idiot. And I'm too afraid to call the collection agency to find out what I currently owe as the figure they gave me was dated Nov 2011. Plus, I'm worried that if they know I have returned that they might send people to intimidate me.

I owe the equivalent to £6,000.

I don't want to leave for London with CC debts; I don't want the huge black mark next to my name.

I am unemployed currently, but own a property without a mortgage in the UK (no tenants yet).

I need advice on the best option to take, e.g am I able to use my property to secure a small loan or can I apply for an interest free UK CC to pay off my overseas CC and then be able to deal with the debt in the UK?

I've not been in debt like this ever so the best course of action is not obvious to me but I'm getting extremely stressed and it's only been four days since I opened the letter from the debt collection agency.

Please can someone help and/or advise me?

I am not going to ask friends/family for help so please don't list that as a quick fix. I would really appreciate some sound advice on how to pay off the debt overseas and then work hard to pay off the loan used to pay the debt abroad.

I look forward to hearing from someone.

Hi Sybaris and thanks for your post.

We’re not able to give advice on what may happen if you can’t repay the debt as UK debt laws will be different.

It could be worth speaking to a bank over here about lending you money, although you would need to be in a position to repay it to prevent your situation from getting worse. Also, if you are unemployed, you may find it difficult to get access to credit.

We don’t advise on access to credit (we advise on repaying UK debts), but you may find others that are able to help if you post on another thread.

Kind regards,
Pavan

beatinertia

I have received what I suspected was a suspicious automated phone message from Buchannon Clark and Wells asking me to call them back with a unique ref number.
I googled them and discovered that they are a debt collection agency.
I am not aware of any debts ie have had no letters from any company asking me for money that I have not paid.
I suspect it relates to the following and would REALLY appreciate your advice.
When I moved into my flat six and a half years ago I phoned the gas company, scottish power, to say that I had moved in and to give them readings. They insisted that there was only one gas supply to the property when infact there were two. No gas bill came for my flat. Occasionally a letter from British Gas came for the previous tenant with a bill for nothing ie no gas used. I thought one day it would catch up with me and it has. I wish now of course I had perservered with proving that there were indeed two supplies but I didnt. Recently a bill for £485 came for the previous tenant for gas used from sep 11 to jan 12. I paid it in full and then set about switching companies.
So I suspect Buchannon Clark and Wells are after me now for the gas bills that I have not been receiving.
I am a single parent on income support with a disabled child and have no assets or savings.
I dont know whether to phone them to find out what the debt is and who its owed to... british gas or scottish power. r to wait until I hear from the gas company.
Any advice would be very gratefully received.

mark2004uk

mark2004uk wrote: »

I was in the 4th year of an IVA and I split from partner and moved house, I informed my IVA people about this and I asked to skip one payment.

They did nothing at all to contact me at my mew address, and when I made a payment to my IVA it was sent back saying account not found.

Today I had a letter from one of the creditors that was in my IVA, so it looks like they failed my IVA without contacting me.

What happens to all the cash I have paid into the IVA ?

Can I just go for a Debt Relief order now instead?

I know they cost £90 and you can do them yourself. I literally am now at the end and I can't take no more at all.

I am so mad that i paid IVA for like 4 years and where is the cash?

Did any one respond to my question ??