advice on DMP please

debtfreeplz

hi , i have recently decided to do something about my debts. approx £20,000 .. mainly catalogues & loans. i looked into it and was called by harrington brooks and was talked into a DMP with them, they also talked me into paying them the last £6 in my bank account . and set a date for beginning of feb to make my first monthly payment. they emailed me a form to sign online which i did . they then posted me some forms and requested wage slips / bank statements and creditor details , also a form to sign to give authority to them. i havent returned any of these. since then i have read this forum and have been put off using them for obvious reasons and have today been on the stepchange website and have done the debt remedy and decided on their DMP , as all my money will go on my debts . the first two payments on the other are taken as fees so creditors wont see my money for ages yet . my worry is that i gave harrington brooks my debit card details and they are due to take my first monthly payment from my card at the beginning of february , they said i wont need to even ring to do this , they will do it automatically. will they be able to do this if i dont return the forms ? and am i going to get constant grief from them now ? is it as simple as calling them and saying ive changed my mind ? i was told i have a 14 day cooling off period ... i spoke to them a week ago on the phone . the only thing i have signed is a email online form giving authority on my ipad , yet the same form has been posted to me to be sent back signed so am assuming the online one cant have that much worth ? what do i do ? help!!!

thanks in advance for any advice anyone can offer . really hoping to get my DMP with stepchange sorted asap

Willing2Learn

Hi debtfreeplz and welcome.

Well done on having that eureka moment when you realised you had to regain control of your finances and manage those debts. And definitely give yourself a pat on the back for doing that all important research and not falling into the trap of paying someone to help you with negotiating your DMP.

This is what I would do:
Write to Harrington Brooks confirming that you do not wish to go ahead with the plan, and that you have withdrawn the authority for them take any money from your debit card or bank account. Request a full refund of monies paid. Refer to the advertised terms as quoted below (6.1 from their T&Cs - Click here for full downloadable PDF of their DMP T&Cs). Ask that they write back to confirm. Maybe send by recorded delivery so you have evidence of delivery.

Also contact your bank to advise them that you have withdrawn authority and that no money should be paid. Do that in writing too.

Source: harringtonbrooks.co.uk

Cooling Off Period/Right to Withdraw
On receipt of your first payment we will issue you with a key features document and estimated fees schedule. If for any reason you wish to cancel we offer a 14-day cooling-off period from the date of said letter in which we offer a full refund of any fees which we have taken.

Willing2Learn

Just realised, you haven't given dates of when you paid the £6 or of when the key features document, estimated fees schedule and/or "said letter" were issued. You are within 14 days yeah??

When you write the letter, also phone them advising them of the cancellation as you want to stay within the 14-day cooling off period (assuming that you are within). Get the name of the advisor to whom you have just spoken and log the exact time/date). Make clear reference to the 'phone call in the letter.

Just trying to ensure that you have fully covered your ****!

debtfreeplz

It was a week ago I paid it , thank you so much for your help . Slightly nervous that its all gonna go wrong because of me changing my mind on who to use but fingers crossed !! Dreading phoning them to cancel in case they're horrible lol.
Thank you

Willing2Learn

You don't have to 'phone them. Only ring them if you are close to the 14 day deadline to avoid the having cooling off period expire. If there is plenty of time just do the letter on its own.

Quassi75

I would also change your bank and go completley free from them, just in case. But well done in getting help, best thing I have done in years..

debtfreeplz

Hi , thanks again for replies. I've just sat and written a letter to HB . Just wondering which address do I send it to ? Just the one at the top of my letter that gives the details of my dmp? Or would they have different addresses for different departments ... Funnily enough they don't actually tell you how to cancel , just that you can!! Worried about the bank side of things, because we've already abandoned my partners bank account because of charges and a loan connected to it. We have just arranged to have his wages paid into my bank account ( no overdraft or money owed on my account ) and rearranged the direct debits. Will my bank be able to definitely stop any future payments going out on my card to HB ? I am so worried about this because when I spoke to HB and discussed my first payment , I asked whether I needed to call them to make the payment n he said no you don't need to , I have your details we will just take it that day from your card. Could I just request a new debit card from natwest just in case ? Would that stop it if they still tried to take the payment ?
Sorry for all the questions!! Thank you again