DMP Mutual Support Thread - Part 7

debtfreewannabe321

Can I ask you all, how often you have reviews with the cccs/ payplan (or other company)...I feel like i seem to get a letter every 3 months and I get so nervous about calling them thinking they are suddenly going to day, I can't help you!!

Dfw x

Twit_Head

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Can I ask you all, how often you have reviews with the cccs/ payplan (or other company)...I feel like i seem to get a letter every 3 months and I get so nervous about calling them thinking they are suddenly going to day, I can't help you!!

Dfw x

The prescribed interval with CCCS is every 12 months, unless you notify them of a change in circumstance - increased costs or extra income etc.
But I think they may contact you earlier if your DMP is fairly new, just to make sure things are running smoothly for you, and you are coping OK.

Please don't be afraid of a review! Although it might seem like being back at school in the exam room (twitching and perspiring ), it really does work on your side! My DMP is about two and a half years in, but had about 4 reviews I think.

The debt charity companies are always there to help you and are non-judgemental in my experience. They are there to guide you with your budget and living costs, and advise NOT chastise. Just make sure you have all your figures, paperwork to hand for a review.

HTH a bit!

'Twitty'

Twit_Head

debtfree2010 wrote: »

Hi All,
Why is is the same creditor has different ways of dealing with people, even people who are financially linked

Drives me mad !!

I am really stuggleing at the moment to make ends meet at the end of the month, so i am going to do my expenditure again, as my household income has dropped and bills etc have gone up, so i will see if i need to reduce my payments.... at this point do you think its better to go with payplan or CCCS, as they might not accept the decrease in payments from me... waht do you think ?

Hi
Really sorry to hear you're struggling.
I think you've gone the other way round to most people - they start with a DMP company, then when they're more accomplished move to a self-managed DMP.
There is no shame in having to reduce your payments in the current financial climate! It may be worth your while to investigate one of the charity DMP companies. I am with CCCS and both the website and on the phone they have been endlessly helpful.
Perhaps give someone a ring? They would provide professional advice to structure your budget and maybe with either CCCS or Payplan behind you would give a bit more clout with your creditors hopefully.
http://www.cccs.co.uk/
http://www.payplan.com/
http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

Hope you get something sorted.

'Twitty'

Mamahope

Hi all,

Hope you can help...

Myself and my partner are contemplating a joint DMP. Since he moved in recently I'm £510 down on tax credits each month as a result, due to the household income increasing (though it isn't, as he spends 70% of his wages on debt repayments and the rest on car/bills). I have a two year old daughter too.


Between us we have £23k of credit card/loan debt and I pay my mum £421 a month for a loan she took out for me in her own name - the balance of this is around £16k.

I did the calculator thing on the CCCS website and the results show that a DMP is recommended and we could pay around £300 a month to credit/loan companies, with it all paid off within four years.

That sounds great, BUT, my monthly payments to my mum are classed as expenses... why would a credit card company be happy with getting, say, a reduced £60 a month from my partner all of a sudden (instead of £150) so his new girlfriend can pay £421 a month to her mum??

Is a DMP feasible, and if not, what the frig am I going to do about this debt to my mum... she can't afford to pay it... I can't get a job as we can't afford childcare, I'm training in a new profession but won't be up and running for at least a year...

HELP!

Thanks for any replies

teenieweenie

Hi there everyone

My OH and I have got ourselves into a bit of a pickle and have tried to sort out our £23000 ourselves with the help of national debtline, cashflow but after organising to freeze interest on most of our accounts we are having trouble with Santander, they consistently lose letters or ignore them and repeatedly phone us later in the evening, Im struggling to cope with it all and am not in the best of health (cancer), so we have decided to go down the DMP route via National debtline just to relieve the stress.

At the bottom of some of your posts you have your figures posted firstly how do you post them and secondly if we are using a DMP can we pay more off any chosen debt if we find ourselves with a lump sum or do the company choose who gets what and when.

Many thanks

Twit_Head

Mamahope wrote: »

Hi all,

Hope you can help...

Myself and my partner are contemplating a joint DMP. Since he moved in recently I'm £510 down on tax credits each month as a result, due to the household income increasing (though it isn't, as he spends 70% of his wages on debt repayments and the rest on car/bills). I have a two year old daughter too.


Between us we have £23k of credit card/loan debt and I pay my mum £421 a month for a loan she took out for me in her own name - the balance of this is around £16k.

I did the calculator thing on the CCCS website and the results show that a DMP is recommended and we could pay around £300 a month to credit/loan companies, with it all paid off within four years.

That sounds great, BUT, my monthly payments to my mum are classed as expenses... why would a credit card company be happy with getting, say, a reduced £60 a month from my partner all of a sudden (instead of £150) so his new girlfriend can pay £421 a month to her mum??

Is a DMP feasible, and if not, what the frig am I going to do about this debt to my mum... she can't afford to pay it... I can't get a job as we can't afford childcare, I'm training in a new profession but won't be up and running for at least a year...

HELP!

Thanks for any replies

Hello to you
If I'm understanding you correctly (forgive me if not ) you didn't include the debt to your Mum when you used the CCCS calculator?
If you're contemplating a DMP you need to list all your debts, in whatever form, to make a DMP and daily living workable for you. Unfortunately you can't favour one creditor above another - all must be treated equally. (Which to be honest can be a pain sometimes! )
Your financial doings sound quite complex at the moment, and no doubt you're swamped by all this stuff. Why not give CCCS a ring and talk it through with someone personally? They will guide you through a budget and help you identify your debts etc.etc.
You've come this far, so don't falter now. You'll get through this aggro now to a better future.

'Twitty'

Twit_Head

teenieweenie wrote: »

Hi there everyone

My OH and I have got ourselves into a bit of a pickle and have tried to sort out our £23000 ourselves with the help of national debtline, cashflow but after organising to freeze interest on most of our accounts we are having trouble with Santander, they consistently lose letters or ignore them and repeatedly phone us later in the evening, Im struggling to cope with it all and am not in the best of health (cancer), so we have decided to go down the DMP route via National debtline just to relieve the stress.

At the bottom of some of your posts you have your figures posted firstly how do you post them and secondly if we are using a DMP can we pay more off any chosen debt if we find ourselves with a lump sum or do the company choose who gets what and when.

Many thanks

And hello to you also!
Well done for realising things have gone bottom up but you're trying to do something about it.
The trouble you describe with Sandanter sounds fairly typical of creditor behaviour when they realise that they won't be receiving your payment but a reduced amount. If the unreasonable phone calls persist there are avenues open to you, but basically at the moment they are trying to wear you down and bully you. Don't let them! (especially as you have health issues)
I'm beginning to sound like a record stuck in a grove here but give the experts a ring and discuss with them. But I would add that even with a DMP company you might still get some hassle. This is all par for the course at the start of any reduced payment plan but it does settle. Being upfront with creditors can help. If you feel strong enough answer the phone and explain the circumstances, or write to them (send recorded so you have proof)

And as to your 'signature' at the end of messages'
1) Log in
2) Click on User CP on the green tool bar (just underneath where the 'people' icons are
3) Click on Edit Signature down the left hand side
4) Compose your masterpiece!
Simples!

It always helps to read back a few pages on this thread to get a feel for how a DMP works for different folk. It's not easy but most would not look back. Look after your health and welfare, and let us know how you get on.

'Twitty'

Brussel_Sprout

Hello.

I havent been on this post probably for about a year, sorry

As you will see from my now outstanding total Ive been working hard to pay off all my debts, next month should be my very last payment. I then have no loans, no credit cards, no overdraft. Just student loans that will be paid off next year.

I just wanted to say thank you for this post and the reassurance that I have received and that is there for others to use

There have been times over the past five years when I thought people were going to be knocking at my door, when the phonecalls scared the bejesus out of me and the letters reduced me to tears and a shaking wreck.

I've had to put certain parts of my life on hold, children, marriage etc. but that is all within sight now

For those of you that are just starting out on this journey, be brave, stay strong, it WILL get better, keep the lines of communication open, as hard as it is, keep the creditors informed, be honest.

I can't say anything else, you might think its the end of the world right now, and it is one of the hardest things you'll ever have to deal with.......................but reaching the end and knowing you've paid it all back is a great feeling

Good Luck, xxx :beer:

P.s. Im by no means an expert but if anyone wants to pm me then your welcome to

CruRed

Want to ask a few questions regarding DMP'S. I have made contact with a charitable org which has already begun to set in motion a dmp for me and the missus. Now I wasnt 100% honest with them regarding my debts, one i totaly forgot about the other i chose not to mention.The one I forgot about was a little woods catalogue which I have a balance of about £300.The other one I didnt mention was a credit union loan my wife has for £700. I decided not to mention it because a member of my wifes family works in the credit union and we dont want our business to become known by anyone. Now we could easily afford to continue paying off both these out of our allowed budget but would the other credit companies to whose debts we have put on the dmp see from looking at our credit files that we have not declared these 2 debts and are continuing to pay them on the fly so to speak?

Twit_Head

As it's Halloween, I have to say it's been spookily quiet on here these last few days. I have a haunting feeling you've all gone, leaving not a ghost of a whisper behind
Perhaps you're all working on your costumes, ready to go out tonight and trick the unsuspecting public into giving you money? :rotfl:(Hey, the Government and banks do it all the time! But they call it 'taxes' or 'late payment charges')
Going now to sharpen my broomstick, so hope all is well with everybody.

'Twitty'