DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 9

Time_to_face_the_music

Kate_fixing_it wrote: »

I've been very surprised at how "nice" creditors have been. I had a couple of less pleasant calls straight away - both can be put down to poorly trained staff (I had to explain what a DMP was). Yesterday one had the misfortune to call me in the hour before painkiller top up (BAD IDEA) and was blatantly reading from a script and not listening to my explanations. I'd already spoken to someone else from that creditor and they've had correspondence from me AND SC so I simply refused to answer security questions, gave the SC reference and hung up.

At the end of the day I try to remember that the person calling is potentially in the same position as me financially and they are probably getting paid minimum wage to make calls we don't want to receive. With that in mind I'm (usually) quite polite and they generally react the same way.

I also keep a record of the time and date of the call, the name of the caller and company they are calling from. No one has called more than three times.

The first one was definitely the worst (fear of the unknown?) but this thread has definitely given me the confidence to deal with it. Plus it's worth remembering if you don't answer the security questions they can't discuss the account - their own rules

Kate x

Great attitude and some super advice Kate :T

When they play silly so-and-sos with me, I like to counter their security questions with some of my own. It generally works a treat :rotfl:

Kate_fixing_it

Seems we're in a very similar situation then! It was taking a 2nd PDL one month that flicked on the light for me last October. The DMP call happened when my car developed a serious incontinence issue and tax credits decided that they'd correct a mistake and stop all payments dropping income by £500 per month.

Much like you I'm secretly plotting a trip to the States to celebrate debt freedom. I've never been out of Europe and I want to see the Christmas decorations. It's good to have DFD dreams and for the first time in years I don't feel like that's all they are.

Kate x

Kate_fixing_it

Time_to_face_the_music wrote: »

Great attitude and some super advice Kate :T

When they play silly so-and-sos with me, I like to counter their security questions with some of my own. It generally works a treat :rotfl:

I'm not quite that brave...yet but one day...

and thank you, I've learned so much by reading this forum and it's made me feel so empowered (urgh I hate that term but it fits here) and I'm not afraid anymore.

Kate x

Pickle29

jamapo wrote: »

Went to court today, was horrifed to see it was an open court. One judge, loads of barristers', rows of defendants!!! All called out one by one, loads of people didn't even turn up!. But of course each case had to be heard. Guess who was the very last to be heard? Yep, it was me. What a complete waste of time. Of course the barrister knew nothing about anything, just read from time to pay application. Which was wrong! Judge couldn't understand why my DMP had been accepted for 12 months, yet I was in court. Got to go back in 2 weeks with evidence they've accepted 12 month DMP. Judge didn't even know it was an unsecured loan, thought it was secured on my house. I tried to explain I thought I was there for inhibition hearing, but no response. Don't think I can go through this again, have contacted stepchange, going to speak to them about a DAS I think.

Just wanted to say thank you for sharing with us and sorry you had such an awful day. I hope it gets sorted soon. I hate incompetence and unfairness and this is so wrong and should never have gone to court! Good luck with the next stage x

Sazzie23

Kate_fixing_it wrote: »

I'm not quite that brave...yet but one day...

and thank you, I've learned so much by reading this forum and it's made me feel so empowered (urgh I hate that term but it fits here) and I'm not afraid anymore.

Kate x

Empowered, dreadful word but can't find another to replace it glad it's working for you Kate, and a great insight to the world of debts and stuff, very useful.

On the security questions issue, I won't ever answer them if I was ever unfortunate to answer a call. How would I know they were genuine and not scammers ? Since I don't ever answer anymore it's not an issue, they leave a message or write to me and I verify the number and call back and then answer the questions, everyone happy - or relatively. They don't leave a message, I don't call back - simples:D

Sazzie23

jamapo wrote: »

Went to court today, was horrifed to see it was an open court. One judge, loads of barristers', rows of defendants!!! All called out one by one, loads of people didn't even turn up!. But of course each case had to be heard. Guess who was the very last to be heard? Yep, it was me. What a complete waste of time. Of course the barrister knew nothing about anything, just read from time to pay application. Which was wrong! Judge couldn't understand why my DMP had been accepted for 12 months, yet I was in court. Got to go back in 2 weeks with evidence they've accepted 12 month DMP. Judge didn't even know it was an unsecured loan, thought it was secured on my house. I tried to explain I thought I was there for inhibition hearing, but no response. Don't think I can go through this again, have contacted stepchange, going to speak to them about a DAS I think.

Goodness what a truly dreadful experience that must have been, well done for sticking it out, sure you must have strengthened your case by being there and putting your version forward. I'm not sure what an inhibition hearing is, but keep turning up with your paperwork in order and requested evidence and I've crossed fingers it will work it ok.

Good luck with the DAS, I've heard it's better than a DMP.

EdFromBeds

Hi,

I hope I am not asking a stupid question -

In August 2011 I went to CCCS for help with my debt of £55k
I have been making payments of over £1k per month and now owe less than £20k with approx 18 months to go.

None of my creditors have defaulted any of my accounts - most show AP or DMP. I understand that these will remain on my file for 6 years after the debt is cleared.

Would I be better off to cancel my DMP and have all of the banks get really angry and default me - and then start a DMP again? At least then my file would be clear 6 years from now rather than 8 years from now as will be the case currently.

Thanks

Powered_By_Pies

Kate_fixing_it wrote: »

Seems we're in a very similar situation then! It was taking a 2nd PDL one month that flicked on the light for me last October. The DMP call happened when my car developed a serious incontinence issue and tax credits decided that they'd correct a mistake and stop all payments dropping income by £500 per month.

Much like you I'm secretly plotting a trip to the States to celebrate debt freedom. I've never been out of Europe and I want to see the Christmas decorations. It's good to have DFD dreams and for the first time in years I don't feel like that's all they are.

Kate x

I think we are to be fair, my issue was always the overspending bug kicking in - friends with higher wages meaning they could go and do things that I'd have to find some money to do. The worst part was the fact I think I became so reliant on PDL's that I just saw them as where my wages came from - I buried my head in the sand every time the amount would show the interest rate, the money I've been flushing down the toilet over the years must be in the thousands :eek: Made much worse by the fact I could 'top up' if I needed to during the month, again burying my head at the interest rates. I hope I never touch one of those company's ever again.

Now I'm in the DMP and I'm trying to superglue a budgeting hat firmly on my head, it really does scare me to think as little as about 3-4 months ago, if I had cash in my pocket I could burn through it at such a velocity - Case in point, I have thursdays and fridays off from work as I work weekends so I've now allocated wednesday evenings as my 'go and get a treat' night, popped down the supermarket to get a bag of nibbles to scoff whilst watching a film and I spent about a fiver - I felt guilty leaving the supermarket having spent that much, but 3 months ago I could've gone in and spent a tenner on crap without batting an eyelid!

I've spent the past two weeks budgeting, taking a set amount of cash out of my account and determined to make it last a week without needing to use my card - so far I dropped off the bandwagon once, earlier this week when I saw something in Tesco at lunchtime that I couldn't resist but so far, that's been it.

My car, touch wood, has been an absolute hero to me in the four years I've had it. I had an old mk3 Golf then chopped it in to get the one I currently have, a little 1.4 Seat Ibiza, and it's only once let me down by draining his own battery, and that was through my own idiocy. He's been a bit neglected during recent months and is badly in need of a service, a new cambelt (#1 on my priority list at the moment, because one broken 30 quid cambelt = about 2000 pounds for a full engine rebuild) and a bit of TLC on the suspension side of things. But he's never grumbled too much, bless him

Time_to_face_the_music

EdFromBeds wrote: »

Hi,

I hope I am not asking a stupid question -

In August 2011 I went to CCCS for help with my debt of £55k
I have been making payments of over £1k per month and now owe less than £20k with approx 18 months to go.

None of my creditors have defaulted any of my accounts - most show AP or DMP. I understand that these will remain on my file for 6 years after the debt is cleared.

Would I be better off to cancel my DMP and have all of the banks get really angry and default me - and then start a DMP again? At least then my file would be clear 6 years from now rather than 8 years from now as will be the case currently.

Thanks

Hi Ed and welcome :hello:

Did all your creditors freeze all interest and charges? If so, how far into your DMP? How many creditors do you have and are they "main stream" or smaller e.g. pay day loans etc?

Kate_fixing_it

Powered_By_Pies wrote: »

I think we are to be fair, my issue was always the overspending bug kicking in - friends with higher wages meaning they could go and do things that I'd have to find some money to do. The worst part was the fact I think I became so reliant on PDL's that I just saw them as where my wages came from - I buried my head in the sand every time the amount would show the interest rate, the money I've been flushing down the toilet over the years must be in the thousands :eek: Made much worse by the fact I could 'top up' if I needed to during the month, again burying my head at the interest rates. I hope I never touch one of those company's ever again.

Now I'm in the DMP and I'm trying to superglue a budgeting hat firmly on my head, it really does scare me to think as little as about 3-4 months ago, if I had cash in my pocket I could burn through it at such a velocity - Case in point, I have thursdays and fridays off from work as I work weekends so I've now allocated wednesday evenings as my 'go and get a treat' night, popped down the supermarket to get a bag of nibbles to scoff whilst watching a film and I spent about a fiver - I felt guilty leaving the supermarket having spent that much, but 3 months ago I could've gone in and spent a tenner on crap without batting an eyelid!

I've spent the past two weeks budgeting, taking a set amount of cash out of my account and determined to make it last a week without needing to use my card - so far I dropped off the bandwagon once, earlier this week when I saw something in Tesco at lunchtime that I couldn't resist but so far, that's been it.

My car, touch wood, has been an absolute hero to me in the four years I've had it. I had an old mk3 Golf then chopped it in to get the one I currently have, a little 1.4 Seat Ibiza, and it's only once let me down by draining his own battery, and that was through my own idiocy. He's been a bit neglected during recent months and is badly in need of a service, a new cambelt (#1 on my priority list at the moment, because one broken 30 quid cambelt = about 2000 pounds for a full engine rebuild) and a bit of TLC on the suspension side of things. But he's never grumbled too much, bless him

could have written this myself! It's such an easy hole to fall into. Apart from that issue my car has been amazing, having little use from my left leg means I drive an automatic. I am so lucky to have got the car from a friend at a very low price and the only issue with fixing it was that half the engine had to come out to replace a £30 pipe. I certainly wouldn't consider the type of car I have at retail cost (it's an Audi) but it's fantastic for my needs, reliable and actually not too expensive to run. YouTube has been our saviour! DH orders parts from the local garage then watches the videos and fixes it. Overall it's been a fantastic purchase and well worth the pittance we paid for it. I'm really missing it already, not allowed to drive until my stitches come out next week

Kate x