DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 9

humphrd

So tomorrow is my first DMP payment to SC and I have to say that so far all the creditors have been great. 4 have frozen interest and accepted the payments with one more to come back to me, I've also had no calls which has been good. I am sure it may be the calm before the storm but at least I am sleeping at night and being able to concentrate during the day

Growurown

humphrd wrote: »

Look on the bright side Grownurown - the weather has changed and rain forecast for the next 10 days so you will have a few weeks to save until the weather changes again ! Either that or go au natural and create a summer meadow

Indeed lots of rain today, and summer meadows are very pretty.

I've never regretted taking the DMP route, it has been a real life saver in our case but sometimes it seems like two steps forward and one step back. However life is a lot better now than it was two years ago when I had my LBM and I am grateful for that despite the odd spanner (or mower) in the works.

Glad the start of your DMP is going well and good news on the frozen interest.

Suseka

Hello all,

We are still pending start of DMP because we cannot get OH's tax code sorted now in time for a 1st June start, but I'm calm now about this (thanks HH for the good advice) and it'll allow us to put aside a little more to the emergency fund.

We plan to treat June as if the DMP had started, so we can get into the right mindset now and a handle on how we are going to budget from now on.

I've only received a few reminders (which I expected) from my creditors and spoke with a couple of them, and so far those that I have spoken to have been very reasonable with me.

Can't say the same for OH's creditors though - especially MBNA who have taken to calling him two to three times a day, and although each time they say they have it on record we are arranging a DMP, they still ask for more of a payment than the token one they've received. Worse still (and I mean no offence to anyone here) but the calls come from what can only be an overseas customer service centre, and I say that because they are clearly working from a script and seem unable to deviate -so you can't actually have a proper conversation.

Anyhow - we'll put up with it for now, but once the DMP is in place, they'll get less than welcome responses to future calls.

On a positive - my son is visiting for the weekend and I plan to put the debt things aside and have a great time with him. I don't get to see him that often and he is my 23year old, 6' 4" baby - so lots of mum cuddles are coming his way, whether he likes it or not :rotfl:

bmma

one creditor has accepted lower payments just waiting for the others to fall in line still learning to budget , doing better at least now I am aware of what I am spending-Hope you have a great week-end Suseka with the family.13/5/13 another creditor has accepted reduced payments.16/5/13 another creditor has accepted lower payments.

bertman

OH has had a letter this week from Triton asking her to call, she tried on a few occasions but was put on hold from the start so gave up. I answered the phone this morning to a caller from Triton asking to speak to OH, I explained that she was out and I was the other half but they wouldn't talk to me saying that they needed to get hold of her urgently. I explained that I knew who they were and that we were on a joint DMP with SC. She said she still couldn't discuss this. I said this was strange as the NatWest account was in joint names but I hadn't had any letters from them. The result was OH has to ring next week.

Strange goings on.....

Find_The_Real

It's probably not all that unusual as they tend to use the details for the first named on the account sometimes. I also think they don't tend to read the details that much as I got a recent letter from one of the DCA's to my old address even though everyone is fully aware of my new address. If they ring again just point out it is a joint account and if they won't speak to you ask them to put it in writing.

lilysmummy

First payment to sc went out yesterday and some positive responses from creditors in the post! Until this morning when I got a letter from Aqua saying one of their representatives would be visiting this week, has anyone else had problems with Aqua accepting dmp from Stepchange? Have contacted sc to ask their advice but they're not open until Monday morning.

Hopelessly_Hopeful

lilysmummy wrote: »

First payment to sc went out yesterday and some positive responses from creditors in the post! Until this morning when I got a letter from Aqua saying one of their representatives would be visiting this week, has anyone else had problems with Aqua accepting dmp from Stepchange? Have contacted sc to ask their advice but they're not open until Monday morning.

Try not to panic.

What does the letter actually say? Often we are in a tizz and when we later read it may rather than will.

It is VERY rare to have a doorstep call. They have no rights of entry.

There are template letters on national debtline website. Pick and choose and mix as you like. They need to know only to contact you in writing, ask them acknowledge it, ask them how are they going to support you, tell them you found the letter unhelpful and worrying and if this continues you are going to report them to the FOS. Send the letter recorded delivery. Make the postage worth your while by including all these elements in it.

Let us know how you get on.

HHx

lilysmummy

Thanks HH, will get that sorted to post on Monday.

Lilysmummy x

Lucky_Clover

Just starting my Debt management plan and have informed all my creditors. Start paying Step Plan from the 1st June. Have already heard from Barclay Card to say they are freezing my account- not sure whether that means the interest too. Nationwide seem to be writing/phoning me each day -- hopefully that will settle down-- they are my creditors x4 and are refusing reduced payments from SP on my gold card.

Anyway reading the posts here are quite reassuring-- looking forwards to seeing my debts start to go down.