Debt Advice needed - the lesser of two evils

Debts06

Edward first good luck I'm sure you can get through this the only Thing I would say is that you could not tell them and go on like everything is ok even though you no it isn't and live your life day to day thinking is this the day they find out!!! or take control of your life sit them down and talk to them
tell them your options don't get me wrong I'm sure they are not going to be happy but I'm sure there stupid (no offence ment) it won't take them long to work things out while your not working so be strong and clear when you talk to them maybe they might have some good advice for you they may of been in debt themselfs you never know til you talk to them good luck mate all the best

Edwardo72

Thanls for everyones advice so far. Debt06 thanks fot the wishes, I will need them.

One thing that has happened today is that, well, before I called CCCS last week, I called another company - who had me on the phone for about 30 mins and they're number was quite expensive - it's showed up on the bill and pop has gone mad. Have offered to pay, so that'll be the end of it. However... I was on the CCCS for about 50 minutes... so the the horrible thought has just hit me that that is going to cost as well. Does anyone have an idea of how much it costs to call the CCCS per minute?

Thanks.

katsu

Looking here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2077631 it looks like their no is a freephone one?

Butti

I couldn't find a definitive answer either but this is off a review of their service.

Since CCCS is a charity, the callers - or clients - pay nothing for its services. The organisation earns money to pay its running costs through the fees it collects from banks, building societies and other lenders.

B

katsu

I went on the CCCS website and it says their no is freephone so you should be OK.

Did your dad ask who you called and why? When things are calmer might it help you open the door to tell them you are dealing with your debts?

Deep_In_Debt

Hi Edward

You've done the right thing by coming on here and contacting CCCS.

Generally creditors will accept the reduced payments but it takes a bit of time. The creditors like to jump up and down for a while and threaten as much as they can. Just ignore them, ride the storm and carry on paying what you can afford. I've been with CCCS since Jan 2008 and not had a call from a creditor since October 2008. I get letters which just get filed in the shredding pile!

CCCS are a freephone number as far as I am aware and as other poster has said, avoid the fee paying companies as they are making money out of you and the money you are paying them could be used to clearing your debts.

Edwardo72

Hi Deep In Debt,
Thanks for your advice. Looking at it, having not yet agreed to anything I hasn't had the time to study the CCCS proposal, well you know, I am cautious, anticpiaitng the deluge of letters coming from the who I owe the money too. For some reason, I think they'll be unsympathetic to my cause, and if they are, well, I'll be lost. I suppose that, I am just trying to anticpate every scenario that my apop up, so I am ready for it. I assume that, once the CCCS have negotatited with the creditors, the letters will stop for a while, or till I am back on my feet again?

cherry545

Hi Edward, have you considered a Debt Relief Order:

It is aimed at debtors who owe up to £15,000 of unsecured debt, who do not own property or have assets of £300 or less and who have a disposable income after all essential costs of £50 or less.
Once granted, the debtor will not be required to make any other repayments toward their debts during the time the order is in place and, assuming their circumstances do not change during this time, their debts will be written-off when the Debt Relief Order comes to an end after 12 months.
Here are the qualifying criteria that an applicant must meet before a Debt Relief Order can be applied for.
A debtor must…
• Be unable to pay their debts;
• Have unsecured debts of less than £15,000;
• Have assets of less than £300, excluding a car upto a value of less than £1,000;
• Have surplus income of less than £50 per month;
• Be domiciled in England or Wales, or for the last three years have been resident or carrying on business there.

I think you should try phoning around more debt advice places CAB etc and not to limit yourself to just CCCS (they are funded by credit card companies etc so they will advice a plan were the cc companies will get paid).

I think you will probably find on this site more info about Debt Relief Orders.

Deep_In_Debt

Letters will continue but I found that they were not as frequent or menacing, Usually the letters are just asking me to call them as I asked them to remove my phone numbers from their records. There is no point in calling them as my circumstances haven't changed and I don't wish to be bullied on the phone so I just chuck the letters!

Believe me, you will get stronger as time goes on. Just a bit scary at first as you don't know what to expect and it's the fear of the great unknown.

lisawood78

Hmmm, if you can get your phone number taken off companies records who you owe, then surely your mail is private and your parents will not know what they contain?
I hope you make the right decision for you