DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 8

Time_to_face_the_music

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Have also bought the much raved about 'take away secret' and also '50 shades of grey'. I wonder which one will proove most useful?

HH, I am shocked at you

Oooh-er-missus - rude books and donner kebabs? Close run thing which is the spiciest?! :rotfl:

bertman

ukjs1976 wrote: »

Update: Two Years Later...

It's now two years since I came to this forum, completely freaked out, got rapid responses from kind and understanding folks on here and then contacted the cccs. Had my phone discussion to set up the DMP which has been in place ever since.

Well, this is my experience...

The staff at the cccs are consistently 'human', realistic and for me were a massive help when getting my head round where I was financially and setting up the DMP.

I opened a new current account with a building society that I had no previous connection with what-so-ever and arranged to have my salary paid into this new account BEFORE contacting any of my creditors to say I was in financial difficulty.

The DMP repayment direct debit goes out of my current account each and every month, just after my salary is credited.

I have never once been phoned by any of the three banks I owe money to.

I have been defaulted by all three banks. Banco Abbey aka Santander, american express, egg (since bought by barclaycard).

Interest and charges were frozen by all three banks and continue to be so.

My credit file is of course shot to bits... however there are no sleepless nights and no fear of the phone or what envelopes will plop through the the front door. That is the difference between having support and being alone and scared.

That has been my experience so far. I have the next yearly review now due as two years have passed. For me not much has changed. I hope things continue how they have been as far as the DMP goes.

I 100% recommend a DMP and the cccs for folk who find themselves in a place where this needs to be considered.

Thanks for sharing this with the forum, I really wish we had gone down the DMP route 3 years ago when our business crashed but I think we were just too naive or proud, whatever it was it has cost us untold ridiculous amounts of interest from our "caring" banks and sleepless nights.

I sent our pack off last monday and the letters to the creditors the same day, we have opened an account which we are changing direct debits to this week. My OH had a call from Santander on Friday and to be honest the guy on the phone couldn't have been nicer, he has frozen all interest for 40 days and will speak to the CCCS to see what the offer is, he told us we had done the right thing by contacting the CCCS.

I then had a call from the CCCS on Friday from a really genuine knowledgable guy who went through our debts and said the offer letters would go out this week. I was waiting for a copy of a loan agreement from Natwest but this turned up on saturday. He calmed my fears about the CC companies threatening and calling at all times saying that they have good relationships with all the major lenders in the country. It was good to hear that we have back up now if we need it and we are not alone.

I know it won't be a smooth ride but I really wish we hadn't struggled for so long.

Daisypop

Thanks HH and Growurown on the First Direct advice

Im going to send a letter off to them tomorrow saying they have already had the information they have asked for, they are aware of my DMP with CCCS, they have already had my first payment and will continue to receive this every month from now on.

They annoy me so much, they are your best friends when you are paying money into their pockets every month, I rang them in January this year to see if they could help me as I was struggling, after all supposed to have the best customer service, yeah right, told to go away pay some debt off and come back in 3 - 6 months. Extremely helpful NOT!!!!

They cant have what I dont have so BRING IT ON!!!!! Im SO ready

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Grand_Benders wrote: »

Help yourself to any/all parts of the letter.




I had written originally that any direct contact should only be in writing, but my OH pointed out this is like an invitation to them and I should only offer CCCS as a communication option for now. Then if they DO contact me direct, I'll do the 'in writing only' letter (sent 2nd class of course because we're poor!)

I'm actually prepared for one telephone call per creditor so I can give them the chance to be nice understanding human beings when I tell them to speak to CCCS but after that the calls will go straight to voicemail)

Can't remember who said their spreadsheet is called 'ostrich' several pages ago. Ours is called 'lightbulb' :rotfl:

Morning

Entirely upto you of course but you can still say you have appointed CCCS to act on your behalf but if they approach you directly you want it in writting.

Don't over rely on CCCS as they will not be saying X creditor said this and that and passing the information onto you as many of us naively assumed when we set up the DMP. It's good practice to recive copies of the documentation. It's your debt not CCCS. No one will defend your corner like you will. Having CCCS strengthens this but does not replace it. You need to be kept in the loop so you can see if they sneak interest rate up etc. Balances on CCCS are not uptodate, some people think they have finished the DMP and still have months to go.

Good luck whatever you decide

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

HH, I am shocked at you

Oooh-er-missus - rude books and donner kebabs? Close run thing which is the spiciest?! :rotfl:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I will report back.

Didn't make it to Lidl, did an Aldi run which is still a constant challenge with the basket issue at the checkout.

A cyber pal on the paddlers thread recommended the salad cheese, Aldis version of feta. Looking forward to trying it.



HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

bertman wrote: »

Thanks for sharing this with the forum, I really wish we had gone down the DMP route 3 years ago when our business crashed but I think we were just too naive or proud, whatever it was it has cost us untold ridiculous amounts of interest from our "caring" banks and sleepless nights.

I sent our pack off last monday and the letters to the creditors the same day, we have opened an account which we are changing direct debits to this week. My OH had a call from Santander on Friday and to be honest the guy on the phone couldn't have been nicer, he has frozen all interest for 40 days and will speak to the CCCS to see what the offer is, he told us we had done the right thing by contacting the CCCS.

I then had a call from the CCCS on Friday from a really genuine knowledgable guy who went through our debts and said the offer letters would go out this week. I was waiting for a copy of a loan agreement from Natwest but this turned up on saturday. He calmed my fears about the CC companies threatening and calling at all times saying that they have good relationships with all the major lenders in the country. It was good to hear that we have back up now if we need it and we are not alone.

I know it won't be a smooth ride but I really wish we hadn't struggled for so long.

Hi and welcome


Fingers crossed for a smooth set up for you.

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

Daisypop wrote: »

Thanks HH and Growurown on the First Direct advice

Im going to send a letter off to them tomorrow saying they have already had the information they have asked for, they are aware of my DMP with CCCS, they have already had my first payment and will continue to receive this every month from now on.

They annoy me so much, they are your best friends when you are paying money into their pockets every month, I rang them in January this year to see if they could help me as I was struggling, after all supposed to have the best customer service, yeah right, told to go away pay some debt off and come back in 3 - 6 months. Extremely helpful NOT!!!!

They cant have what I dont have so BRING IT ON!!!!! Im SO ready

Go DP go.

I was the same with FD, my ex agreed to pay a joint loan as part of our split and then stopped paying it. I took opver the payments by myself......... was struggling and asked for a consolidation loan, had been with them 20 years since they set up, never missed anything etc etc. They refused, called in the loan, credit card and shot my credit rating to bits, then the rest of the doors went close close close. In some ways they may have done me a favour as I'd likely have had the loan for 2 years longer than the DMP though

HHx

Hopelessly_Hopeful

ikkle87 wrote: »

Thats where I've done it through hun, and where all the figures are from, I had to go on the live chat bit to ask for guidance from them as I'm pregnant but been told I could go into labour as early as 3 weeks from now so they said to put down that I'd had the baby so it looks massive for 2 people. Also spoke to them on the phone for advice about Wonga etc.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

I'll pop over to your SOA and post there

HHx

Time_to_face_the_music

Daisypop wrote: »

They annoy me so much, they are your best friends when you are paying money into their pockets every month, I rang them in January this year to see if they could help me as I was struggling, after all supposed to have the best customer service, yeah right, told to go away pay some debt off and come back in 3 - 6 months. Extremely helpful NOT!!!!

They cant have what I dont have so BRING IT ON!!!!! Im SO ready

Couldn't agree more Daisypop! They love you when they have your money and all the added interest month after month but how quickly they turn when all that stops

It's offical, I can't stand banks and all financial institutions but most of all I HATE M&S :mad:

Grand_Benders

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Morning

Entirely upto you of course but you can still say you have appointed CCCS to act on your behalf but if they approach you directly you want it in writting.

Don't over rely on CCCS as they will not be saying X creditor said this and that and passing the information onto you as many of us naively assumed when we set up the DMP. It's good practice to recive copies of the documentation. It's your debt not CCCS. No one will defend your corner like you will. Having CCCS strengthens this but does not replace it. You need to be kept in the loop so you can see if they sneak interest rate up etc. Balances on CCCS are not uptodate, some people think they have finished the DMP and still have months to go.

Good luck whatever you decide

HHx

This is a really good reminder. I had just finished reading the rest of this thread in the early hours and noted that problem to myself, so I will add in the contact in writing bit but try wording it in such a way that I'm clear I want updates, not harassment. That's my task sorted for today then .

I'm trying to make sure I do at least one task a day in relation to the DMP, dealing with money, money-saving or selling eBay stuff to make extra. No more ostriching for us!