DMP Mutual Support Thread - Part 7

Hopelessly_Hopeful

lil_tinks wrote: »

Hi All,
I just wanted to thank everyone who has posted on this board.
I have spoken to Payplan today and have decided to set up a DMP after struggling for the last 6 months. I owe just under £10, 000 to 5 creditors and due to being quite seriously ill since last August have had to give up full time work. Sadly i have a currently incurable immune defficiency which has meant i have fought meningitis twice, septacaemia, pneumonia and kidney problems in the last 12 months. Struggling to pay debts out of ESA has only added to the stress so i'm hoping i can now pay my debt off a lot more comfortably.
I shall keep visiting the board with updates on my progress and hope i can in turn provide some support to others in the same boat.

Blondie xx

Good luck with your start up


HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

dmb wrote: »

Lloyds .......(insert suitable swear word here!) TSB have added over £200 in interest to my account this month.:mad::mad::mad:

Banks - dontcha just love 'em!

Rant over -

Ouch

Get complaining! Good luck

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

ek786 wrote: »

Hello everybody,

I have had my first statement since started Dmp. Never missed a payment before, feeling very ashamed. This thread has been a life saver.

Santander charged 12.00 for late payment and 12.00 for going over credit limit.

I called at 8.00 on the dot ( I think it helps in you call early ) and explained that with payplan 1st payment due 1 march 2001.

They waived both fees and were very nice. I was very humble and kept thanking them.

I also called up barclay card and they agreed to hold my account for 14 days- hopefuly on late payment fee.

Unless my creditors freeze the interest I cant see a way out....

Way to go, well done. May the good fortune last

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

jasperconran wrote: »

update time methinks. well our dmp only started in January and everything has been really quiet?! cant quite believe it! however, we have now got a fly in the ointment:( me and OH have got a debt with HSBC which is an overdraft currently standing at £2,500:eek: which we didnt bother adding on our plan as my parents very kindly offered to pay it for us.


CCCS want us to have a review of our plan already because of this overdraft as my poor parents wont be able to pay it off for another 2 months and CCCS have said that this is not acceptable:mad: why?? why cant it wait, I dont understand.

So I got a letter from CCCS on Saturday which I was not best pleased about as it stated that we have got credit illegally (which is crap cos we have had an overdraft for like over 10 years) and they were gonna cancel our DMP:eek:. have emailed them and like I said, they want to do a review, like, now. So ive got to ring them later on today (sigh), just when things were looking up! Oh well, thats enough moaning from me for now lol.

hope everyone else is doing ok!

Oh dear. Presumably the challenge for CCCS is that it may look like a) new borrowing or/and b) preferential treatment to one creditor.

I'd set the case out, explain not new borrowing etc. Your best plan may be to consider adding od to DMP and keeping parents reserve for emergency fund.

Good luck

HHx

Twit_Head

dmb wrote: »

Lloyds .......(insert suitable swear word here!) TSB have added over £200 in interest to my account this month.:mad::mad::mad:

Banks - dontcha just love 'em!

Rant over -

Ooh, ooh, ouch :exclamati
That apears to be an excessive amount. Why so much? Have you a massive loan, overdraft or what with them?
Know from previous posts they can be difficult to deal with, but those charges seem untenable.
I would write/phone to Lloyds and also report to your DMP provider for help and support.
Complain loudly and reiterate you are on DMP because of financial difficulties.
Hope you get a sensible resolution to this-yes you owe them money, but not your soul!

'Twitty'

dmb_2

Twit_Head wrote: »

Ooh, ooh, ouch :exclamati
That apears to be an excessive amount. Why so much? Have you a massive loan, overdraft or what with them?
Know from previous posts they can be difficult to deal with, but those charges seem untenable.
I would write/phone to Lloyds and also report to your DMP provider for help and support.
Complain loudly and reiterate you are on DMP because of financial difficulties.
Hope you get a sensible resolution to this-yes you owe them money, but not your soul!

'Twitty'

Thanks will definitely complain. The more I think about it the more outrageous it seems

mikon

dmb wrote: »

Thanks will definitely complain. The more I think about it the more outrageous it seems

DMB

I had a similar problem some months back with CITI they were applying interest charges in excess of £400 each month. I wrote to them but they refused to stop interest. I wrote to them again quoting the lending guidance and informing them that as they subscribed to this they should assist me as I am in financial difficulties and the the guidance states this. I also informed them that I was referring them to the OFT for breaching the lending guidance. They responded and apologised and stop the interest and agreed to my DMP.

Here is the main paragraphs from the letter which you could use.


Under guidance issued by the Lending Standards Board, lenders will consider reducing or freezing interest and charges. Lenders will also accept token payments where appropriate.

Section 157 of the Lending Code November 2009 states that “where a not-for-profit debt advice agency has formally notified a subscriber that the customer is in serious discussion with them on a draft debt repayment plan then the subscriber should suspend collections activity related to the customer’s current account, credit card and/or unsecured personal loan while these discussions continue, provided that they are concluded within 30 days.”

I am taking responsibility for my debts, and keeping in regular contact with my creditors and aiming to pay what I can to my creditors.

Recently the Ministry of Justice has been working with the British Bankers' Association (BBA) and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS). Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said “firms should consider reducing or stopping interest and charges when a customer provides evidences that they are in financial difficulties.”

I am asking you to look at my financial difficulties sympathetically and positively and follow the above guidance and revoke the interest and charges made to my account and freeze all future interest and charges /or any other charges accruing on the above account.

Adding interest and charges is just compounding my debts, and extending the period over which I can pay off my debts. It also contravenes the above guidance issued by the Lending Standards Board.

I hope this help and remember do not sign any letters digitally sign the letter. Good Luck DMB

Mikon

SHELLSHOCK

Hi,

Just thought I'd catch up with you all. Haven't been on for a week because our laptop died :mad: Just what we need at the moment! Trying to find a cheapish one on ebay.

We have got our confirmation through from CCCS to say they will take our first instalment in 1 March so thats good. Got a few letters, Santander seem to be ignoring the fact that I wrote to them but have had a letter from LloydsTSB to acknowledge my difficulties. Of course they are still going to charge me interest and fees??? Thats helpful, thanks guys!!

The biggest problem at the moment is Barclays Partner Finance. I wrote to them with the token payment and they bombarded my husbands monile with at least 10 calls a day. I then wrote to them to ask them to take all numbers off their list and to communicate with the CCCS and us in writing. They are still calling all the time and texting! They haven't acknowleged any of the letters, what do I do now?

Any advice will be gratefully received!

I just want to get started and am looking forward to working around our new budget and new spending ways. Both my husband and I have completely changed our mindset and just want to deal in cash now. We are going to withdraw our weekly budget every Friday and then not use our debit cards again until the following Friday.

I am feeling very impatient but know that tomorrow I could be feeling completely different (its a rollercoaster!)

suze72

SHELLSHOCK wrote: »

The biggest problem at the moment is Barclays Partner Finance. I wrote to them with the token payment and they bombarded my husbands monile with at least 10 calls a day. I then wrote to them to ask them to take all numbers off their list and to communicate with the CCCS and us in writing. They are still calling all the time and texting! They haven't acknowleged any of the letters, what do I do now?

Hi Shellshock

Sorry to hear about your poorly laptop , I have one of those too so am borrowing one at the mo.

Re Barclays, have you actually answered the phone when they have rung yet? I found with a couple of my creditors that once I had spoken to them they seemed more satisfied with the situation and left me alone. Might be worth a try.

Suze.x.

dlb

6 years ago when i started out on my journey this is the way i handed the phone calls.

Phone rings........ Hello......let the creditor say their piece......i then said the following each and every time they rang talking over the top of them if need be...

Thanks for ringing, it isnt me but my debt managment company you need to speak too...their phone number is and my referance number is...i am now going to hang up good bye!

They kept ringing back and i did the same thing over and over.....they all got fed up within a few weeks....and started contating payplan instead.

I had it wrote on a piece of paper at side of phone, and after the first time you do it you dont feel bad, you are stating the facts..if they choose to listen or not is upto them.