DMP Mutual Support Thread - Part 7

the_tooth_fairy

hollybabes wrote: »

Well, me and my wife decided it was time to stop struggling to make ends meet each month and bite the bullet and sort out our debt problems (we owe about £34,000 :eek: in total after years of living off credit to pay our debts..sinking deeper and deeper. )
Me and my wife just rushed through the debt remedy form with CCCS without realising this would be used as a basis for all the settlements. We missed off a few small catalogues we owe and mistakenly thought one loan was secured when it wasnt...*sigh*

After starting the ball rolling over the weekend and deciding to start a DMP, we were hoping to get it all in place for the 1st of september, as were off on holiday to cornwall for a week. Felt great knowing we might have peace of mind that we were facing the problem and could relax at the end of each month knowing everyone was being paid.
I now feel so stressed that we've messed up all our figures. Im going to try and ring cccs tonight and sort it all out.

All our letters are ready to send to the creditor's, and we're in the process of sorting out a new bank account before sending them off. As our morgage, overdraft and one of our loans are with who we hold our account with.

Im just basically stressed and worried now about what order to do everything in..:(
Do we cancel all our direct debits before our new banks sorted out? Do we send out our letter to the creditor's now? or wait till everythings sorted with cccs, and the bank account's in place?
Should i send our token payments off with the letters to the creditors, if i do, i assume i need another letter to explain its a token payment as well as the one explaining were trying to get onto a DMP.

Is the secured loan we DO have listed as a creditor? I assume not as its a priority bill...

Sorry for rambling on...Ive done nothing but worry all day at work about not being able to get through to cccs when i get home from work at 6..

Hello, and Welcome, It sounds as if you need to place a priority call to CCCS, ASAP and finalise some of the details. I'm afraid because this is a serious, final solution, it does take a bit of time to get going, but there are things you can do in the meantime.
Firstly, all the companies are used to people 'tweaking' their figures at the start, I did and we are with Payplan. You have to be sure you have enough to live on, at least.
Secondly, I would go ahead with sorting your new Bank a/c, and cancelling all your Direct Debits now. You can always send Postal Orders if you need to, but protect that new Bank a/c at all costs. Your mortgage should always be paid on a DMP, so hopefully that should be OK. Take CCS advice on the Creditors letters, it may be better to wait until they have everything up and running before sending letters, even though you may need to send token payments to be 'on time' with some sort of payment?
Sorry I can't answer the secured loan question, but am certain that someone who knows for sure will be along shortly.

ttf

the_tooth_fairy

I'm the one rambling tonight! Asked OH to retrieve my old coffee percolator from the attic (the coffee was on offer at ASDA!) had several cups after tea tonight as my annual review is tomorrow with Payplan. EEK!
It's a toss up whether or not to go to bed tonight, or, have a lot more coffee and just breakdance up and down the hall until daybreak! Answers on a postcard to the usual address please...
ttfx

Twit_Head

the_tooth_fairy wrote: »

I'm the one rambling tonight! Asked OH to retrieve my old coffee percolator from the attic (the coffee was on offer at ASDA!) had several cups after tea tonight as my annual review is tomorrow with Payplan. EEK!
It's a toss up whether or not to go to bed tonight, or, have a lot more coffee and just breakdance up and down the hall until daybreak! Answers on a postcard to the usual address please...
ttfx

How about a theme tune for you?
Maybe the Mavericks? 'Just Want to Dance the Night Away?'
'With senoritas who can sway' (and you probably are after all that caffeine :rotfl:)
'Tomorrows looking bright' (hope so and your review goes well)
Glad your Mum is doing OK and thankyou for your sterling message of support.
Been at the Dr's again today (OMG they'll give me a rent book soon ) However, been much reassured so far. Lots of tests, hospital appointments to come but looks like I'm going to be on the DMP treadmill for a while yet
Hope all goes well with your review!

'Twitty'

smcshane

Hi All,

Just thought I would drop you all a quick message because it makes me feel better each month when I redo my calculations and see the money coming down and I hope some of the newbies notice too and it makes them feel better that a DMP does work.

I also phoned CCCS and did a budget review, as I have had an unexpected incremental pay increase, due to my hard work apparently!!!! The lady was sooooooo nice and it turned out she did my review last year as well which was a bit wierd. So I've increased my payment by £68 which means BOS permitting I will be debt free in 4 years. Which is about 2 years less than when I started. I write to my creditors when this happens so they get something form me as well as CCCS and I will be asking BOS nicely to reconsider reducing interest, I really can't help that I am now paying above the minimum paymet so just need to make them see I am still not finicially ok!!!! I will also have paid a family loan off by next April so will be able to add this money to the payment too.

It has been hard work, but actually fun sometimes. I think me and my OH have learnt a lesson and that we can surive on a lot less than we belived or thought necessary. It is just those moments when I occasionaly think about being debt free and wonder what I will actually do with £745 (my new payment) each month.

We have got so used to the budget and I am so into the money saving thing I think I want even want to spend it but will start to get the secured loan sorted, well for a while at least until my real dream happens of a little un happens.

Sorry for waffling guys, got a bit carried away.

Sx

yellowpinky

the_tooth_fairy wrote: »

I'm the one rambling tonight! Asked OH to retrieve my old coffee percolator from the attic (the coffee was on offer at ASDA!) had several cups after tea tonight as my annual review is tomorrow with Payplan. EEK!

Best of luck for tomorrow, TTF!

Twitty, glad they are looking after you well and hope you get some results soon.

SMcShane, brilliant news about your increase, and DFD in four years is fantastic - I'm actually daring to allow myself to think what it might be like "afterwards" too sometimes!

While I've had no joy with my F & F to Gothia I just noticed the other day on Justabank they have finally officially accepted my DMP!

YPx

CharliesAngel

Evening All

Not posted in a while but something Lloyds are doing at the moment shocks me... no wait a minute it doesn't shock me lol it makes me mad :mad:

Had a letter from SCM Solicitors today... demanding i pay their 'client' within 14 days or be subject to fees and court costs.

Looking closely at this letter, along with my statement which also arrived on the same day... coincidence... the layout is the same the phone number is the same and the font and registered address is the same... doh!

So in short... this is another Lloyds scare tactic and one CCCS are well aware of... I've had nothing short of harassment from this lot... and will be elated when they can sod off into the distance..

Ooh and to add to the fun had a letter from KPR this morning, Nationwide's in house outfit.. hopefully they'll sell the debt and leave me alone.. here's hoping!

It doesn't feel like a year and a half in... feels like the second month when they all start to panic. No end in sight and i'm slightly miffed at the minute.

CA x

Ellieseleven

I have to say that I am so glad that I have nothing to do with Lloyds TSB as from what I have read on here and the hell that my daughter is having to endure with them they seem to be by far the worst company to deal with.

A number of years ago my DD had two accounts with Lloyds TSB and one of the accounts she didn't use but it had a few pounds in it. Somewhere along the line a DD had been set up for some insurance (not by her) and they had been taking £6 per month, eventually this went into the Red and she started to get letters saying that she owed them money. She telephoned, went into the branch and wrote to them to say this was not her debt but they continued to harass her until they finally passed this to a DCA.

She is still contesting this and the amount that they now are asking for is £200+ - the current situation is that Lloyds TSB are saying that they have no record that she has ever contested the original amount and they did not know anything about it:mad: Well, its a good job that she kept all correspondence!

I think that they are the worst outfit that I have ever experienced and I feel for everyone who has to deal with them at all!

Rant over:)

saskia1

Hello all....

haven't posted on here in aggggessss - - but still read when having a queit mo at work (which today is)

well been on DMP for 15 months now and cannot believe how much our lives have changed.

after the initial horrendous calls & threatening letters - all seems to have gone v v quiet (too quiet me thinks?..) seeing our debts reduce each month (APART FROM LLOYDS WHO WILL NOT STOP INTEREST - do not get me started on them)

have had some good months & managed to save but last few months everything what can go wrong with cars n washing machines - has gone wrong.

have managed to increase DMP payment by £100 pm due to pay rise which is fab but just cannot seem to get to the week before pay day without being absolutley skint - literally last month had to call in sick for 2 days b4 payday as could not afford petrol in my car!!

have reworked income & exp till i'm blue in the face and as i work for a bank (i know i know) i can see my cleared balance on a daily basis so there should be no excuse, but it doesn't help!!!

hoping it won't happen this month - i think half the prob is hubby is a salesman and all petrol goes thru the bank account & his company only pay expenses once a month, so we are always about £400 down per month.

Anyway - just wanted to share & say hello

''keep smiling''

sasxxx

the_tooth_fairy

Twit_Head wrote: »

How about a theme tune for you?
Maybe the Mavericks? 'Just Want to Dance the Night Away?'
'With senoritas who can sway' (and you probably are after all that caffeine :rotfl:)
'Tomorrows looking bright' (hope so and your review goes well)
Glad your Mum is doing OK and thankyou for your sterling message of support.
Been at the Dr's again today (OMG they'll give me a rent book soon ) However, been much reassured so far. Lots of tests, hospital appointments to come but looks like I'm going to be on the DMP treadmill for a while yet
Hope all goes well with your review!

'Twitty'

Sorry I've been quiet for a while (Blessing, I hear you say!).
Had my review with Payplan yesterday, and now I don't really know where I am. It seems we have been paying out far more than we should (no wonder last Christmas was Dickensian!) the first lady I dealt with was Polish, so maybe some stuff was 'lost in translation' however, she was really nice, and I thought, that was it.
It seems we have been paying at least £50 too much, and we are really struggling at the moment, so they have decided to downsize the payment to help us. I declined some of the other basic things, because I'm afraid of the repercussions.
My worry is, we have only got some of the creditors on to our side recently, and I don't want to risk that.
The case officer said yesterday that, the Creditors would rather have a little less each month than have a month where you paid nothing at all, say if the car went badly wrong, for example. Also the biggest amount of the reduced payment is to the Halifax (£425 instead of £448, when our original payment was £401).
All I can think of at the moment is, if they send out the expenditure form, then that's real, you can prove everything on there, also, they can't expect anyone to live through this for the next 5 years without a realistic budget. I'm really worried now that some of the creditors will play hardball again, and that £50, although it is a lot to us, will be swallowed up.:(
Sorry for, once again, rambling, but I really hope the Creditors know we are doing our best. Don't really know what else to do.
I would really appreciate any feedback from our experienced posters who have been through any of this, Thanks.

ttfx

pure_dead_dopey

Hi TF

I just think that you need to be able to live and if you pay so much back to the creditors each month that you are finding living really difficult, I think you have to be thinking about reducing the payment. a DMP is an informal arrangement, there is no "right payment", and the creditors seem to finally accept whatever you can pay. Basically its that or not get the money back. You can not live like hermits for 5/6 years, its just not possible and its the situation that got you into the situation in the first place ifyswim. Go with the advice, remember, they can't have what you ain't got, and stangely enough life happens!!!