DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 9

Quarry

Mossop01 wrote: »

Hi quarry, did step change not offer orher alernatives or options? Good luck with whichever path you choose
All the best

Hello again Mossop01. They did make suggestions. The main thing I wanted was for them to deal with my creditors for me, so that I wouldn't have the stress of being threatened and harrassed. I have health problems and even the local police have me registered as a vulnerable adult. (I've had some problems from neighbours - settled now.)
It seems StepChange only help those in a relatively strong position, although they said I could phone as often as I wanted for verbal support.
I will post an SOA and build up a portfolio of work I can do from home. This will help to manage the stress.
Very best wishes.
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Quarry

!!!!!!!!!!2012 wrote: »

Hi

I'm sorry to hear that Stepchange are unable to help you at the moment. As the others have suggested I would have a go at setting up your own DMP.
Does anybody have an idea of what amount Stepchange class as to low to set up a DMP. When I set mine up via National Debtline it was £100.

Hello !!!!!!!!!!2012 and thanks. Would you mind telling me how much you owed and how long your DMP is please?

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Quarry

poohbear59 wrote: »

I found this thread and have enjoyed reading and learning about DMPs. We have been able to pay all our minimum payments except electricity and they are hounding me. We want to change provider but can't because of the debt. While looking for ways to pay the electricity bill I came across Payplan. They are going to phone me back but I am not really sure I am ready for a DMP, if that makes sense. We have lots of debt but can just about make the payments each month and it is going down.
The Gre3n Deal is ideal for us as we have an old house which needs more insulation. We can't take part in the offer as we are with an electricity company who are not taking part and we have the debt of £570.72 We really have a catch 22 situation where we need to insulate more to cut heating costs and can't until the debt is paid off and we are still stuck with a more expensive power supplier. I am so cold all the time it is making me miserable.


ETA Our son is currently coming to an end of a DMP of two years. the biggest problem for me was the constant phone calls from various banks and other companies. I have a pysical disability which is variable but constantly having to answer the phone was very difficult for me. I really couldn't bear to go through that again. At the moment the hounding is only by daily letters. We are paying £75 per fortnight out of my benefit payment to electricity company.

Hello poohbear59. I got free loft insulation from my local council a few months ago - very good at 10" deep. At the time, this offer, plus free cavity insulation, was available to everyone regardless of income or whether they were on benefits or not. From November, the offer was only for people on benefits.
You could ask your council what they have on offer
Good luck.Q.

Quarry

cocoloco wrote: »

I decided to only use POs with them to make sure they have no knowledge of my new account number. (i'm being paranoid?)

I'm thinking this way, worried that creditors could somehow raid my new account but I understand they can't as long as there's no legal connection between the two organisations. I'm setting up a new 'basic' account with no overdraft or chequebook, so credit won't be an issue. I will make transfers to my creditors from this account and pay all household bills on direct debit.
I will have part of my income paid into my Building Society and withdraw money for food from this account on a weekly basis. Any small savings will be in this account.
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Quarry

ImJustAPoorBoy wrote: »

Hi,

It's good to read the positivity on here.

I've just had my letter from SC to confirm my DMP starts on 1st March, as well as an notice of acceleration email from one of my creditors stating that I am in default of my loan and the full balance is now due.

Seeing as I haven't missed a payment yet this took me a bit by surprise however it does state that interest will not accrue from this point forward, so I'll read this as good news.

I've sent a quick email back to confirm that they have accepted my payment offer submitted by SC.

A couple of not so good things however are that one of my creditors (a payday loan co.) have refused to stop the card payment that is due to go ahead at the end of the month. Should I cancel my debit card that this is linked to so as to stop the money leaving my account and leaving me with nothing?

Also I tried to open a basic account with Barclays this week, only to be told that I couldn't open the account until my DMP is actve and the first payment has gone out of my account. Means I will have to go back in again in a couple of weeks, but hoping that it will not be a problem then.

PoorBoy

Hello PoorBoy.
If problems with a Barclay's bank a/c persist, you can get a 'basic' a/c from Cooperative Bank. They do not do a credit check. You get a debit card but no overdraft or chequebook. You can apply online or over the phone and can make transfers and set up direct debits. If there's no branch near you, they have an arrangement with the Post Office for certain transactions.
Good Luck.
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Quarry

Hopelessly_Hopeful wrote: »

Sorry to hear your news Quarry. Have you tried the other free providors like Christians against poverty and debtline?

I always thought SC was £100 too, have seen a number of thread recently including the debt myths thread of SC where they deny this £100 limit.

HHx

This is very useful - do you mean that the most they can ask is £100 per month, however much the debt is? My current payments are £650 pcm and I thought I'd have to find a much bigger sum. StepChange would give no indication of how much I would need.
I'll look at the debt myths thread - thanks again HHx.
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Hopelessly_Hopeful

Hi Quarry.

Quite a few of us feel the same way about SC, they are a charity but turn people away; what's that about?! You'll see that when people have spoken out about them on here they get chased along and hushed. The good news is the NED CAB and debtline sites help anyone. Plenty of us here to support also.

Good luck

HHx

Quarry

Mossop01 wrote: »

Hi all, had a bit of worrying news today, my OH job is in the balance and without his wage we really will be up the creek, dont really know what would happen to us if this is the case ....worried.com
Find out next week, so not much sleep going on in this house!

Very sorry to hear this Mossop01. My problems started with redundancy. I really hope you will be OK.
Q.

Quarry

Alice_in_Welfareland wrote: »

Step Change is not the only way. Try the on line search for My Money Steps or North East Derbyshire CAB and a DMP.

Thanks Alice - like the name.
You've added to my list of possibles.

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Quarry

Find_The_Real wrote: »

Hello Quarry

I do hope you can find a solution to your problems, I would recommend making an appointment with CAB to see what they have to say and to advise on perhaps any benefits you may be entitled to even though you have a small pension, especially as you are now ill. They can also advise on your debts.

A SOA would be a good idea as it may be able to highlight savings that could be made to be able to consider a better payment plan towards your creditors, I am not sure SC help the better off but it is more likely to get accepted if you can show a certain level of payment rather than just offering the lowest amount possible (if that makes sense!)


As for the house it would be very rare for you to lose it from unsecured debts and I doubt very much a judge would throw you out the house because of that, they are very reasonable having just had my house repossessed. Generally it would mean probably at the worst a charging order which means when the house it sold for any reason the debts would need to be paid off from that.

Good luck with it all and I do hope you don't give up and keep seeking advice until you find the solution to help you the most.

Thanks Find the Real
Sad you've lost your house. I keep being told there's very little chance of losing my home because I have no mortgage arrears. I'm struggling to let this news sink in and am still worrying. I shall think about those who have lost their homes and realize how well off I am.
Best Wishes.
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