Help please 19 and in debt.

evelus

Hi i'm new to this i'm a part-time student and i'm looking for advice, I recently lost my job and I'm currently on Job-seekers allowance. I get around 50 something pound a week and I'm getting letters from my phone company and Natwest saying that I owe them.

When I was 18 I agreed to pay a monthly fee to cover mobile insurance travel insurance etc. Not thinking about it correctly I just went ahead and forgot about it moved banks for connivence and now Apparently owe them over £1000 due to charges and that monthly fee and around £800 to Orange for a mobile contract I can no longer afford. I live at home with my mum and baby sister and my mum has just got out of her debt problems so i'm trying to keep this from her but its hard when I have debt collectors ringing my landline phone all day. I have other commitments and pay my mum money each week for food etc so I end up with £25 a week which I can barley get by Its starting to effect my family life and girlfriend as i'm struggling to continue to act normal with all this going around in my head.

Is there any chance I can pay them off in small amounts say £5 a month I already told one debt collector id pay them just to shut them up but I really cant afford it.

Any help would be great thank you

Suarez

You say the only debt you have is this monthly fee which you forgot about then go on to say that various debt collectors are phoning you. Is it just the one bill you owe?

evelus

Suarez wrote: »

You say the only debt you have is this monthly fee which you forgot about then go on to say that various debt collectors are phoning you. Is it just the one bill you owe?

and a mobile phone contract I couldn't afford to pay which they are charging me around £800 for :mad:

natdjay

Get in contact with CCCS.

I'm also thinking, your going to have to tell your mum i'm afraid.

NDJ x

evelus

natdjay wrote: »

Get in contact with CCCS.

I'm also thinking, your going to have to tell your mum i'm afraid.

NDJ x

Thanks i'll try that later!

I don't think I can do that! Maybe at last resort..

evelus

Sorry to double post but is there chance I could re-claim the bank charges?

Roey_2

Its hard to speak to your mum but probably the best option. Most debt collection agencies buy the debt for less than you originally owed. My nan was in a similar position and was being hounded by debt collectors. She confinded in the family and we clumped money together and offered a one off payment to clear the debt for 40% of the original balanced owed and they accepted it. Cant guarantee it for everyone but no harm in trying plus a lot less stress on you.

MentalMinnie

I know it seems like you're in the worst possible situation at the moment, but trust me, you need to be honest with your mum, and it will get better. I got into a hell of a lot of debt at 18 with CC's and store cards, then lost my job. Suddenly I was lumbered with £8000 of debt. It took a long time to sort, but I got there in the end, and my credit is once again peachey. You need to contact the debt collectors (via letter) and abvise them that presently you can only afford a token payment. There are letter templates on here. Try not to stress over it (easier said than done) Good luck! x

serious_saver

I just want to get this clear. Was the monthly fee paid to the bank for the use of a specific account or was it paid to a separate company? Has that bank account actually been closed or is it still open and accumulating debt?

evelus

Thanks for the advice guys

serious_saver wrote: »

I just want to get this clear. Was the monthly fee paid to the bank for the use of a specific account or was it paid to a separate company? Has that bank account actually been closed or is it still open and accumulating debt?

For specific account now they've downgrading it and its accumulating debt via charges