Looking to sort life out

desi1611

I am currently struggling with debt at the minute and need to get it sorted, so i have decided (rather belatedly) to make a start.

I've looked around the site and have listened to others in the forums but i think it wil be easier to just explain my situation.

I have several creditors, all are old debts which i have avoided paying now for over a year. Some of the debts have been passed on other companies and the amount i owed has increased (either to interest or fees). When the debts were accumulated i was a student at university and the origional reason for not paying was that collecting the money was impossible. Unfortunatly i trusted my housemates and set many of the bills up in my name alone so i am solely responcible for them (which i've accepted as it was my fault). In the past when i have tried to contact them about arranging payments they have always demanded an unaffordable amount upfront meaning it was all or nothing.

I have since moved out of the properties and only one of the creditors currently knows where i live. I had received letters stating they intended court action if debt wasnt paid in full before moving over 9 months ago, so im not sure what the current state would be.

I had been working over the last 6 months however earlier this month i lost my job and now have no income (applying for JSA & housing benefit) or savings.

I have worked out my debts
- Old Energy Supplier 1 (G) - £121.67 - (E) - £148.33
- Old Energy Supplier 2 (G) - £648.42 - (E) - £772.89
- Old Phone Contract - £97.47
- Former TV Subscription - £45.41
- Former Phone Bill - £127.87
- Old Water Bill - £709.43
and not to forget
- Natwest Overdraft - £1380

I cant afford to pay much each month but these have caused me stress and other personal issues over the last few years and i have to start to get them sorted.

Im in the process of writing letters to the creditors asking if they will accept small payments each month but im not sure how to go about doing it. As you can see in my SOA i have no money at the end of the month, but this can be sqeezed a little (no haircut etc..) so i would like to make payments.

Any advice given would be appreciated

Some questions
How can i tell if my debt has been sold or if its just been passed on to debt collector.
Do i need to (and how do i) find out if i have received a CCJ.
*If the account has a different registered address to the one i live at do i mention that in my letter or just give the customer number.


*added question

desi1611

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 490
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 490

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 220
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 35
Electricity............................. 10
Gas..................................... 10
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 10
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 20
TV Licence.............................. 10
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 10
Groceries etc. ......................... 140
Clothing................................ 10
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 5
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 15
Total monthly expenses.................. 495


Assets
Cash.................................... 50
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 50

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
old energy supplier 1..........270.......0.........0
Old energy Supplier 2..........1421.31...0.........0
Old Phone Contract.............97.47.....0.........0
Natwest........................1380......0.........0
Old Water Supplier.............709.43....0.........0
Old Phone Subscriptio..........127.87....0.........0
Old TV subscription............45.41.....0.........0
Total unsecured debts..........4051.49...0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 490
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 495
Available for debt repayments........... -5
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount short for making debt repayments. -5

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 50
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -4,051.49
Net Assets.............................. -4,001.49

Hannah_10

If 1 creditor has your address (or your bank does) they will update your credit file and then they will all know. So contacting them yourself saves bother.

You don't make payments on JSA. You can't make payments on JSA and that is official. You get that money to eat. That is your priority. What you can do and what you should do is write to each explaining your circumstances and offering £1 a month token payments of £1 a month each until your situation improves and asking them to freeze interest. Read this: Debt Problems: What to do & where to get help and I suggest you start with National Debtline as I think they'd be the one with the most resources appropriate to you. Your total bill will be either £7 or £9 a month depending on if ND advise you to treat the gas and electic at each supplier as seperate debts or not.

Also read this: Setting Off Rules: DON'T bank where you’ve got debts I owe NatWest and I now bank with Halifax and Co-Op because there is no right of setting off between NatWest and either of those.

You have a £5 shortfall as it is. You need to find another £9 on top of that lets say, plus a bit more for postage (unless you can get them all to take standing orders- be sure they are Standing Orders NOT Direct Debits). Your mobile phone, groceries and emergency fund would be where I would be looking to cut down.

It doesn't actually matter if the debt has been sold or passed on for what you're going to do. If you want to know who you should contact then you should contact the last address you had. If it's not the right one you will be told. If that's not solid enough for you get your credit files (for £2 each for "Statutory Reports" or for free with any free trials, but never ever pay more than that). You need all 3 files, from all 3 CRA's, they are not always the same. Also one or more of your debts might not appear on any of them. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security, they can be added at any time and when they are it could be as a CCJ- you don't want that. The files will say who is now collecting the debt (IF the debt even appears, utilities particularly often do not).

If you have a CCJ it will usually be on your credit file, but not always so if you really really want to know you can contact http://www.trustonline.org.uk/ for the definative answer, but this will cost you £8. You're broke, these aren't high-risk debts or high-risk amounts, you've only been out of touch for a year... I wouldn't bother. If a company has a CCJ against you they will be sure to point it out when they reply to your contacting them making token offers, you can bet on that.

Why would you not give the old and new addresses? It's just simpler to be straighforward. You are taking responsibility for them after all and making token payments. You can't do that and hide at the same time. Responsibility is better than hiding any day, it has far fewer unwanted consequences.

[Deleted User]

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1

Monthly Income Details
Benefits................................ 490
Total monthly income.................... 490

Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 220
Council tax............................. 35
Electricity............................. 10
Gas..................................... 10
Water rates............................. 10
Mobile phone............................ 20 you should be able half this if you go onto SIM only or PAYG (I think tesco have some good deals at the minute)
TV Licence.............................. 10 (£12.37)
Internet Services....................... 10
Groceries etc. ......................... 140 For one you can cut this down by at least £40 or £50 without too many problems - drop brands, meal plan, batch cook, shop with a list, use Lidl/Aldi - take a look over on the old style board for hints and tips
Clothing................................ 10
Haircuts................................ 5
Emergency fund.......................... 15
Total monthly expenses.................. 495


Assets
Cash.................................... 50 is this the emergency savings? Or does this need to cover something else as well?
Total Assets............................ 50

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
old energy supplier 1..........270.......0.........0
Old energy Supplier 2..........1421.31...0.........0
Old Phone Contract.............97.47.....0.........0
Natwest........................1380......0.........0 are you being charged forr this
Old Water Supplier.............709.43....0.........0
Old Phone Subscriptio..........127.87....0.........0
Old TV subscription............45.41.....0.........0
Total unsecured debts..........4051.49...0.........-

You need to contact all of your debtors and try and agree payments that you can afford (token payments whilst you are out of work) - if you need help contact one of the debt charities (CCCS, National debtline, CAB etc)

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 490
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 495
Available for debt repayments........... -5 you can easily make this up by cutting the food budget andreducing the cost of your mobile, and you should be able to have enough left to make token payments to your debts.

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount short for making debt repayments. -5

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 50
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -4,051.49
Net Assets.............................. -4,001.49

Hi, I have made a couple of comments above,

HTH

D9