In a panic - flat about to be reposessed

Thrugelmir

Cool_Chick wrote: »

I've been crying all day and I can just imagine NRAM knocking on my door with repossession papers on Xmas Eve.

Take control of the situation. Don't accrue more fees.

Book an appointment with your local CAB. You need someone on your side that's detached from the emotion of the situation.

Accept the fact that you need to start again. Life could be far worse for you. There's many that are penniless and spend their nights sleeping rough. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and look on it as a new beginning.

Go to where the work is.

latecomer

Dont let the bankers win. Take some of the advice already posted - get it valued with a view to selling up and clearing your debt and speak to CAB. Check out the other boards which are full of very knowledgable people.

Good luck

Mrs_Z

You need to change your thinking and start figuring out what you CAN do, not what you can't. As others have pointed out - you CAN phone the estate agent and get a valuation, you CAN get the flat clean enough (you have the time), after the estate agent has been you CAN decide what you will do afterwards...etc... you see

If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your cat, he deserves the best.

Would an option be to rent out your flat and go an live somewhere cheaper and smaller?

And I disagree with your comment that no-one likes black cats. I'm an exception for starters, I adore them.

And I think you should have another go at finding yourself a job, tell the temping agents that you've been travelling for the last 4 years or whatever. Christmas is coming, there should be some extra demand for seasonal workers.

You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and take action, there is no other way around it. You need to sort yourself out, no-one else is going to do it for you and from what you write, you sound like a perfectly capable person of doing so but start with the basics and little things first - like calling the estate agent!

Thrugelmir

latecomer wrote: »

Dont let the bankers win.

It's not a fight. There's no winners. The staff at the bank will merely being performed their jobs. So better to have a pragmatic rather than aggressive approach.

globetraveller

I think possibly the worst thing folks can do is be over sympathetic. You have been in that flat for too long- you are wallowing and not really "seeing" what you have to do. Time to take action.
Get the flat tidied. Just that action might make you feel a bit more positive. You know you need to sell it. The good thing is that you would have money from it when you sell it.
Jobs- look at going for any job that will get you out. Perhaps a shop job as there must be some vacancies just now- even just a temporary one? Even if it doesn't pay what you used to get, it will mean you are out of your flat and speaking to people. You know- while looking, why not volunteer for something? You need to get out. don't vegitate in your flat. Believe me, I know its easy to do that.
Finally, if you are really contemplating suicide- please, whether you want to hear this or not- give people a chance to help. go and see your doctor or phone the Samaritans. Actually saying the words to someone- and not just writing them down on a forum, it may actually be something you need to do, to realise what you are saying and to start to get yourself out of the depression and feeling of hopelessness you are in, Give life a good go- don't lie down and give up.

BrandNewDay

Cool_Chick wrote: »

My head says that I should get the house valued, sell it quickly (even at auction), then maybe buy a caravan and live happily with my cat.

My heart says f*%k it, I can't fight anymore. Grab a bottle of whiskey then jump in the car at the dead of night and find a nice brick wall to hit. With my cat. I can't bear to leave him behind.

Has anyone else been in my position and have any constructive advice please?

I haven't been in your EXACT position, but I've felt at the end of my tether.

I really have to ask: is what I've quoted above hyperbole or are you absolutely, literally seriously thinking that you want to kills yourself (and your cat)?

Because if you are absolutely seriously thinking that dying with a cat (who will not appreciate your magnanimous gesture of taking him with you), then I really, really urge you to call your GP and make an emergency appointment and tell him or her that you are suicidal.

If your flat were to catch fire, would you just sit there and burn up with it, or would you grab your cat and flee for your life? If you would rather sit and burn with your flat, then I suppose your flat means that much to you. If, on the other hand, you recognize that it's a bunch of STUFF that can burn while you get to live, then I think you're not really going to kill yourself over a flat.

If you really have few to no prospects of paying your mortgage and catching up your arrears, and if you have any equity in the flat that would mean you could sell it and have enough left to live somewhere else, then the obvious answer is to call your lender and tell them that you want a chance to sell it.

If that's not really possible, don't panic. Don't kill yourself (or the cat). What may happen next may be scary. It may be uncomfortable. But it will pass. You are not going to die out there on the street. If you are made homeless, you will be housed by the council. That's the last resort. Other things, other solutions, may present themselves. Other people who know more than I do will be replying to this thread and giving you advice on your options.

But, I can assure you that there are many, many alternatives to suicide. All of them have a much greater likelihood of ending happily for you and the cat.

I have been in situations about that dire. The particulars were different, but I felt trapped and hopeless and I had no idea how I'd get through it. I always did. I would have been a FOOL to have killed myself at any of those points. I would have missed so much.

BrandNewDay

Cool_Chick wrote: »

Thank you all so much!

Not sure about the value right now. Shouldn't be negative equity but will be hard to sell as Xmas now. I paid £250k, and I think I should get around £300k now. In 2007 I had an offer of £420k but it fell through due to the recession.

2 bed but can't get lodger as it's in a really bad condition. I bought it to fix-up but could never afford it. And I'm home all the time now which no-one would like.

I would be happy to temp, but no agencies will even return my calls when they see that I have been out of work for 4 years. Despite all leading blue-chip companies until then.

I so badly want to work, any office job would help. I just can't find one on my own.

Are you physically able? If so, PM me and I can tell you how to go earn some money fairly quickly cleaning houses.

whitewing

Looking at previous posts from the OP, it looks like they had a traffic accident a few years ago that broke their hand, which led to the job being lost. It seems that OP worked in financial services, and at that point was concerned that a repossession or CCJ would prevent them working in this field. (OP, please don't think I'm stalking you, just trying to get a fuller picture to help. If you don't want these details discussed then report my post and it will get deleted).

barrowc

Mrs_Z wrote: »

Christmas is coming, there should be some extra demand for seasonal workers

Not sure how it would affect the OP's JSA or if the travelling would work from their location in London but Royal Mail seem still to be looking for Christmas staff in Greenford (UB6) - try these links:

https://rmg.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_royalmail01.asp?newms=jj&id=98589&newlang=1

https://rmg.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_royalmail01.asp?newms=jj&id=99422&newlang=1

happycamel_2

I'd say sell the flat and take the remaining equity and start again. Our tenant did just that, he says he's much happier knowing he can hand his notice in and leave if he wants. I don't recommend it but he has invested his equity cash in the stock market and is doing really well.

If you used to work in financial services could you retrain as an IFA, mortgage broker, tax advisor or similar. Even book keeping provides a manageable home based self employed income where you could control how many hours you do.

Good luck, there is a future for you and it's a good one, have courage and make it happen for you.