Struggling with debt? Ask a debt advisor a question

mum2one

StepChange_James wrote: »

Hi Mum2one,

Standing orders aren't within our control, it's something that is arranged directly between you and your bank. So you can contact your bank and adjust it yourself.

If it's Direct Debit that you usually pay by then I'd suggest getting in touch with us and see if they can fit you in for the 11th. If not we'll be able to arrange an alternative method of payment for this month (like payment slip or something similar).

Hope this helps.

James

Hi James

Just checked its a direct debit, I'll give the office a ring to make sure it gets taken,
Cheers xx

alexg42

Hello,

I have a problem with an amount of money I owe my previous landlord.

So I signed a contract in November 2011, that I and my housemates would carry on living in our student house (where I was going to Uni) the next year as well after our current contract ended. Basically just renewing the contract for another year. (Covered July 2012-July 2013).

But sadly I left Uni before finishing my degree, the rent was supposed to be paid quarterly. I paid the first 3 months from July-September which I could just about afford. The quarterly amount was £1105.

So I left Uni after paying this amount as I was still living at the house, but then moved out of the house as I was no longer a student I couldn't live there, and started looking for a new tenant. I found several over summer when it's peak time for students looking for housing, and choose one guy to fill the spot. At this time I did everything to find someone, landlord was awful at keeping in contact or helping.

I got the new potential tenant in contact with the landlord, he liked the house, and the landlord told me he was waiting on documentation to finalise it. But still he would barely reply to my emails when I wanted clear information on the situation (I didn't even have his phone number and he never called me, he had mine). The new tenant taking my place paid one months rent (October) and was set to move in, except he hadn't signed anything, landlord still told me he was waiting on documents, so I stopped trying to find anyone, turned away people looking, as I thought it was all sorted.

Next thing I know, about 2 weeks later, I get an email from the landlord, stating that the guy is leaving the uni, his rent is being refunded, and it has all fallen back on me again to pay and find someone new. By this time all student had found somewhere, I got no interest in the house at all. But when I did find someone, my housemates didn't like him so the landlord refused him. Surely they have to take anyone when it falls on me to pay the rent? I'm not even living there and I can't as I'm not a student.

It has been quite a few months now, after this I didn't pay him any rent and he's getting on my back about it, I've still been looking but each time a new problem pops up and the landlord is no help at all. But the last few weeks he suddenly wants his money after not being bothered about it for ages. I owe him £2000+ and next month another £1000 which I can't pay but my parents are guarantors so they are being contacted now.

Do I have a leg to stand on to not pay this? or will my parents have to eventually pay? They have the money to do so, but it's the principal about how much he and my previous house mates have stitched me up as it seems they enjoy having a spare room.

Any advice really needed please. I still have all emails to and from the landlord for evidence if needed.

Also the agency the landlord is part of is called reedsrains but he himself owns the house I have a contract with.

Apologies for the long post

Former_StepChange_Rachel

alexg42 wrote: »

Hello,

I have a problem with an amount of money I owe my previous landlord.

So I signed a contract in November 2011, that I and my housemates would carry on living in our student house (where I was going to Uni) the next year as well after our current contract ended. Basically just renewing the contract for another year. (Covered July 2012-July 2013).

But sadly I left Uni before finishing my degree, the rent was supposed to be paid quarterly. I paid the first 3 months from July-September which I could just about afford. The quarterly amount was £1105.

So I left Uni after paying this amount as I was still living at the house, but then moved out of the house as I was no longer a student I couldn't live there, and started looking for a new tenant. I found several over summer when it's peak time for students looking for housing, and choose one guy to fill the spot. At this time I did everything to find someone, landlord was awful at keeping in contact or helping.

I got the new potential tenant in contact with the landlord, he liked the house, and the landlord told me he was waiting on documentation to finalise it. But still he would barely reply to my emails when I wanted clear information on the situation (I didn't even have his phone number and he never called me, he had mine). The new tenant taking my place paid one months rent (October) and was set to move in, except he hadn't signed anything, landlord still told me he was waiting on documents, so I stopped trying to find anyone, turned away people looking, as I thought it was all sorted.

Next thing I know, about 2 weeks later, I get an email from the landlord, stating that the guy is leaving the uni, his rent is being refunded, and it has all fallen back on me again to pay and find someone new. By this time all student had found somewhere, I got no interest in the house at all. But when I did find someone, my housemates didn't like him so the landlord refused him. Surely they have to take anyone when it falls on me to pay the rent? I'm not even living there and I can't as I'm not a student.

It has been quite a few months now, after this I didn't pay him any rent and he's getting on my back about it, I've still been looking but each time a new problem pops up and the landlord is no help at all. But the last few weeks he suddenly wants his money after not being bothered about it for ages. I owe him £2000+ and next month another £1000 which I can't pay but my parents are guarantors so they are being contacted now.

Do I have a leg to stand on to not pay this? or will my parents have to eventually pay? They have the money to do so, but it's the principal about how much he and my previous house mates have stitched me up as it seems they enjoy having a spare room.

Any advice really needed please. I still have all emails to and from the landlord for evidence if needed.

Also the agency the landlord is part of is called reedsrains but he himself owns the house I have a contract with.

Apologies for the long post

Hi there Alex,

i'm really sorry you've had to deal with this stressful situation.With us dealing more with unsecured credit debt, I'm afraid this is something we couldn't fully advise you on.

Even though you are not studying at this moment in time, you can still contact your university's advice centre and they should be able to give you some guidance on what to do next.

it may also be worthwhile to take a look at the Citizen's Advice forum here on MSE. They deal much more in depth with problems like this and can hopefully give you some helpful advice.

Best of luck,

Rachel

runpaulyrun

Hi
Please could anyone help me with my unsecured debts as I no longer know what to do.
I have only 160 pounds a month spare money and can't borrow from family any more to meet minimum repayments.
Just don't know what to do
Kind regards paul

DBB_22

Morning All,

I’ve been here before with variations on the same question. But now it’s distilled down to one question – which I’ll leave to the end. I've also posted this in another forum but I just need this one bit of advice and I can pull the trigger on ending my situation.

I’m 6 years into a DMP – started at £39K now have a balance of around £5k. Breakdown as follows:-


HSBC Card (Default Expired Nov ’12) - £780
Santander (Default Expired Jan ‘13) - £1590
MBNA/Idem - £1350
HSBC/Cabot (Default Expires Jun ’13) - £1200

I’ve got £4,000 to pay the lot off. I could probably do it for half that.

However, my dilemma is this – how badly will a ‘partial settlement’ marker affect my credit rating as opposed to a ‘satisfied’ marker?

I’d love to save a few grand but not at the cost of hampering my credit rating if the partial settlement will be viewed dimly by lenders a year or so from now when I will be looking to get a mortgage.

Given that two of my accounts have dropped off my file HSBC Card & Santander) would a partial or full settlement marker have any affect on these particular accounts at all?

Is there an argument for fully settling some accounts and part settling others?

Sigh, why are there no 'easy' answers?!

StepChange_James

runpaulyrun wrote: »

Hi
Please could anyone help me with my unsecured debts as I no longer know what to do.
I have only 160 pounds a month spare money and can't borrow from family any more to meet minimum repayments.
Just don't know what to do
Kind regards paul

Hi Paul,

It sounds like, in the short term at least, the best thing will be to start making reduced payments to your debts so you can afford your most important living costs. This will mean your credit rating takes a knock and your creditors aren't guaranteed to be happy about this but I suspect it will be a way to get things under control.

We can guide you through the best way to make reduced payments to your creditors and give you advice about long term debt solutions, so I'd recommend you get in touch with us and we can give you detailed advice.

You can do this online using our Debt Remedy advice tool (http://www.stepchange.org/msehelp) or by giving out helpline a call and speaking to an advisor (http://www.stepchange.org/Contactus.aspx).

Either way, we'll be able to take a look at your situation and advise you on the options you've got - and there are always options to get things sorted out.

All the best.

James

Kilmaley01

Hi guys

I'm hoping this is the righ place to post this query and if not, perhaps you could let me know.

I was in debt quite a lot in the past....many years ago but have been good for some time and have slowly built up my credit rating.

However, yesterday in the post I recieved a letter from Equidebt saying I owed £1400 to Woolwich. Now, I know I had a joint account with Woolwich in 2000 / 2001 with an old partner. No way was it in arrears to this amount and I stopped using it in 2001. I assumed he did also. However, I have been married almost 10 years (to someone else) and this letter has appeared yesterday, address to me at my home address..... to my maiden name - which as I said, changed almost 10 years ago.

My query is does the same apply to a debt with a bank / building society in sofar as statue barred and I know for sure this in 12 years old if not more. Secondly, do the Woolwich even exist anymore? I don't like in England anymore I live in Wales now.

I want to write to this Equidebt but want to send the correct letter, so any advice help on where I stand with this would be much appreciated. It doesn't show on my credit file.

Many thanks
Gromit.

StepChange_James

DBB_22 wrote: »

Morning All,

I’ve been here before with variations on the same question. But now it’s distilled down to one question – which I’ll leave to the end. I've also posted this in another forum but I just need this one bit of advice and I can pull the trigger on ending my situation.

I’m 6 years into a DMP – started at £39K now have a balance of around £5k. Breakdown as follows:-


HSBC Card (Default Expired Nov ’12) - £780
Santander (Default Expired Jan ‘13) - £1590
MBNA/Idem - £1350
HSBC/Cabot (Default Expires Jun ’13) - £1200

I’ve got £4,000 to pay the lot off. I could probably do it for half that.

However, my dilemma is this – how badly will a ‘partial settlement’ marker affect my credit rating as opposed to a ‘satisfied’ marker?

I’d love to save a few grand but not at the cost of hampering my credit rating if the partial settlement will be viewed dimly by lenders a year or so from now when I will be looking to get a mortgage.

Given that two of my accounts have dropped off my file HSBC Card & Santander) would a partial or full settlement marker have any affect on these particular accounts at all?

Is there an argument for fully settling some accounts and part settling others?

Sigh, why are there no 'easy' answers?!

Hello,

When it comes to credit files, you're completely right, there never seems to be an easy answer.

In short, partially settling a debt will put a flag on your credit report. This flag might be ignored in the credit scoring process, depending on the lender. Otherwise it may lead to them doing a manual review of your application (using a human rather than a computer).

Whether settling a debt is proof of not handling credit well is a subjective decision, so it's hard to say if potential lenders would
see it as a negative.

You can read more about this here: http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/questions/askjames261.html.

Whether to pay the debt back in full or negotiate a settlement is a personal choice. If your creditor is willing to offer a substantial discount then it may be worth risking a slightly worse credit rating but that depends on how important a good rating is to you and the size of the discount.

As always, only make settlements after you've received written confirmation that the rest of the debt will be written off.

Kind regards

James

StepChange_James

gromit2303 wrote: »

Hi guys

I'm hoping this is the righ place to post this query and if not, perhaps you could let me know.

I was in debt quite a lot in the past....many years ago but have been good for some time and have slowly built up my credit rating.

However, yesterday in the post I recieved a letter from Equidebt saying I owed £1400 to Woolwich. Now, I know I had a joint account with Woolwich in 2000 / 2001 with an old partner. No way was it in arrears to this amount and I stopped using it in 2001. I assumed he did also. However, I have been married almost 10 years (to someone else) and this letter has appeared yesterday, address to me at my home address..... to my maiden name - which as I said, changed almost 10 years ago.

My query is does the same apply to a debt with a bank / building society in sofar as statue barred and I know for sure this in 12 years old if not more. Secondly, do the Woolwich even exist anymore? I don't like in England anymore I live in Wales now.

I want to write to this Equidebt but want to send the correct letter, so any advice help on where I stand with this would be much appreciated. It doesn't show on my credit file.

Many thanks
Gromit.

Hi Gromit,

Woolwich do exist still, though they are a part of Barclays bank now. If it's been 12 years since any payment or written acknowledgement of the debt then it should be statute barred.

This letter should be all you need to resolve this:

From:
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Date:
To:
Creditor‘s Name:
Account/Agreement No:
Without Prejudice

Dear Sir / Madam

You have contacted me regarding the above account.

The last payment of this debt was made over six years ago and no further acknowledgement or payment has been made since that time. Unless you can provide evidence of payment or written contact from me in the relevant period under Section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980, then you will no longer be able to take any court action against me to recover the alleged amount claimed.

Any court claim will be defended on this basis.

In addition section 2.14 of The Office of Fair Trading Collection Guidance states that it is unfair to pursue such claims where, as here, the creditor has made no contact during the relevant limitation period.

If you have evidence that your claim is not statute barred then please supply it to me within 21 days. If you are unable to provide such evidence please confirm that no further action will be taken against me.

Yours faithfully
(Print Name)


All the best.

James

Kilmaley01

Thank you James.....