What a pickle - SOA for DMP, please advise

Deep_In_Debt

Sky is allowed on a dmp but only the basic package (at least mine was allowed) but I got rid of it and get Freeview through the box. OP, can you cancel your monthly subscription and go Freeview instead?

Lee_m

Tixy wrote: »

I think a DRO does look like the right option for you, you are right that only you would be doing the DRO. You would really need to speak to one of the debt charities to talk through how they would split up your income/expenses so that the DRO would just be based on your figures (and they should be able to help you demonstrate that you qualify).

I think CAB are probably the best people to discuss the DRO with (I think they have done the most DROs since they were introduced). As fatbelly said earlier though you need to act sooner rather than later as you don't want your debts to increase above the £15k threshold.

I think the figures you are after might be the one in the link in this thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2519501 but you will need an indivdual SoA so think talking to CAB is your best bet to make sure you follow the rules in splitting of costs etc.

PS - hope your husband is better now/improving.

Thanks Tixy, I found that info last week. It seems to go hand in hand with:

http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/freedomofinformation/technical/technicalmanual/Ch25-36/Chapter31/part7/part2/part_2.htm

You mention an individual SoA, so I'm off to the CAB this morning. I'll update the thread later with what they tell me.

Jacey53 wrote: »

Dear Lee

I have nothing to add on the SOA, but wanted to say that you should stop beating yourself up for having to claim benefits - they exist to help people who need that help, mostly through troubles not of their own making.
We do not know what will happen in the future to any of us. I have a good job with a reasonable salary and still managed to get into debt through my own carelessness - I would hate to have to live on benefit levels.
And whatever the rights and wrongs of the benefit system, the real reason the government is targeting it is because people on benefits have no political clout and it is easy to rouse the rabble into vilifying them.
The financial sector is now back to paying huge bonuses, heavily disguised, but the government will not target those who could pay much more into the coffers.

Thank-you Jacey for your kind words, it's much appreciated! I do feel guilty about having to claim benefits, but this is the life I've now got (I don't have any other option). A lot of the problem these days is the media storm created tarring everyone on benefits as scroungers. This obviously isn't the case and while I have to say people do abuse the system, I think it's only the minority.

Deep_In_Debt wrote: »

Sky is allowed on a dmp but only the basic package (at least mine was allowed) but I got rid of it and get Freeview through the box. OP, can you cancel your monthly subscription and go Freeview instead?

Hi Deep In Debt, thanks for your reply. I think you're right that it's the basic package is allowed under a DMP, however under a DRO it isn't (I might be wrong on this). I did cancel Sky (gave them the 30 days notice). The day before it was due to be cut off they rang and offered us the full package for a year for half price. Maybe I should have refused their offer, but frequently my husband is bedridden and apart from the occasional Sunday lunch out doesn't do anything else. So I kept it and hoped to cut back on something else.

Lee_m

Just got back from the CAB, had a very brief chat with a general advisor. He suggested doing a joint SoA and was told that it can be amended by their money advisor if they thought that an individual one was a better solution. Hope to see them again in 4-5 days.

I'm aware that I can't show favouritism towards any creditors if i want to go into a DRO. So should I make a token payment to the DCA for a CCJ I received or pay the amount they are requesting?

fatbelly

Lee_m wrote: »

I'm aware that I can't show favouritism towards any creditors if i want to go into a DRO. So should I make a token payment to the DCA for a CCJ I received or pay the amount they are requesting?

Which debt has the ccj? How much has the court ordered to be paid? What is the date on the order?

Paying in accordance with a judgement is not showing favouritism. However, if it's more than £50 per month there could be problems if you start making payments then go into a DRO.

The best way forward may be to get your credit check done quick, pay your £90 on the barcode and get your Intermediary to submit the application.

pelirocco

nic_santorini wrote: »

I know I am going to be really controversial here - but here goes.
1. £1600 per month on benefits - with no job - what is the reason for not having a job? Too much benefit?
2. Who kept giving you credit when you didn't have any employment?
That is a staggering amount of benefit when two people can work their butts off full time and not bring that much in.
..
seriously is this a spoof SOA - all benefits and you spend it on entertaining, haircuts and fags and food - you are having a laugh aren't you!! If this is NOT a spoof, you should really think about your priorities because they are just WRONG WRONG WRONG - no wonder the government are clamping down on benefits if you are clearly throwing them down the drain.
Sorry I can not be helpful on this occasion but I am flabbergasted!!

Not only unhelpful , but also unable to read and understand this forum

1) The posters husband is disabled
2) She is his carer

Which one of those jobs would you care to apply for?


3) from what I understand , there are guidelines set down for people approaching bankruptcy etc as to what is allowed for expenditure under each heading , this doesnt mean the amounts are spent here .

You really are clueless and should be ashamed tbh

Lee_m

Hi fatbelly,

The debt is with Moorcroft. I had court papers through from Northampton CC in January (I didn't contest them) and we received a letter from Moorcroft in March stating that judgement had been made in their favour and as a result "the court has been asked to apply an installment rate of £250 p/m to be ordered and the first payment to reach them by no later than 12/04/10". We didn't receive any letters from the court directly confirming this amount or confirming judgement.

To date no payments have been made. This afternoon we received another letter from Moorcroft (dated 01/07/10) stating "In one last effort to come to an arrangement to prevent the recommending of possible court action we will be prepared to accept payment by installments of £27.29 per month".

"Unless a payment is received by 10.00am on 08/07/10 we recommend court proceedings to be commenced against you without further notice".

So, now I'm confused as to what to do. Try and pay the £27.29 in the hope it doesn't jeopardise a possible DRO application or make a token payment. Also, after reading what I have just typed I'm now starting to think that it hasn't got to CCJ stage (but we received the documents from court??)

I won't be able to pay the pursue the DRO until I've seen the CAB money advisor, which won't be for 4-5 days I believe.

pelirocco

catmiaow wrote: »

People are just commenting on the details given, I am not saying I agree with all of it. However both me and my partner work and are earning less than what you get in benefits and we could not afford Sky, all that money on tobacco and the huge grocery bills so you must expect from what people can see on your SOA, it can get some people's backs up.

Or on what they chose to read ?

Lee_m

WOW, the supportive responses have been wonderful! You've made me feel very welcome and although I've been a member since Nov 2007 I didn't really visit the site much (my mistake).

I just wished I'd sought your advice a long time ago.

Thankyou for everything so far!!

dancingfairy

Hi. Hmmm o.k - well Northampton is the bulk processing centre. It does sound as though a ccj may have been awarded but you should have received notification of this and also you can't always believe what the debt collectors say.
I know that you can apply for a redetermination if you are unable to pay the amount(s) stated in the time they say but I am not sure if there is a time limit on this. Also with you going for a DRO I am not sure on the best way to proceed - hang on I'll be back.
df
O.k well there's this website that will tell you whether you have a ccj or not but I think it costs 8 pounds and I'm not sure whether it would be helpful to you or not :
http://www.trustonline.org.uk/
Useful factsheet re DRO's here:
http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=37_debt_relief_orders
National Debtline's factsheet on interest on CCJ's says you should apply for a redetermination within 14 days so I don't think is a viable option any more- sorry.
I know I might not have helped terrribly but maybe it will give you some ideas and hopefully the experts will be along later or you could try and phone National Debtline for clarification?

Lee_m

Hiya dancingfairy,

I honestly thought based on their letter in March that we'd received a CCJ. However, in todays letter they are threatening court action. So I don't know if that court action means bailiffs to recover the debt or that they just didn't followup with the initial court proceedings in February and just assumed we wouldn't query it when they said they'd been awarded installments of £250 p/m. If they didn't followup in February with the court does that mean they have to start the ball rolling again to apply for a CCJ?

I'll give the bulk processing center a call in the morning, hopefully they will be able to clarify.