Urgent help needed re giving Stepchange ref to creditors

Poorcouple

Hi All,

I asked a creditor to give us 2-3 weeks without phone calls while we sort out our debts with a debt management company.

The creditor said this was ok, but she MUST have the name of the Debt Counselling Service, and she MUST have the reference number, otherwise they will continue chasing us and the next step would be bailiffs. We've only missed one payment...

On the stepchange website, Im sure it said 'dont give your reference number to your creditors, as it gives access to your personal information'

Is this correct? what info do I have to provide, and what info should I definitely not provide?

Please help

rossireps

you may be better posting on dfw board but,firstly can you change number and only deal with your creditors in writing? what are you considering a dmp or bankruptcy? obviously dont know what debts you have but i bet balliffs is a threat and probably a pretty empty one at that. try not to worry.

fermi

Apparently the ref numbers starting with 18... are OK to quote.

The ref numbers given by the "debt remedy" tool that start with a W are NOT OK to give.

Do NOT give creditors that.

Hopefully someone from StepChange will post to confirm that.

StepChange_Private_Messages

Hi,

Yep Fermi that's right - Poorcouple if you've spoken to a debt advisor over the phone and been given a reference number beginning 18… then that's fine to give to your creditors. We have a creditor line they can call and check you have registered but beyond that we don’t share information or tell them anything about your circumstance.

The number you shouldn't give is if you did our online debt tool called Debt Remedy. That reference begins with a ‘W’. With this your creditors could log onto Debt Remedy and amend your budget.

If you have a normal reference number you are fine to give it to creditors.

Hope that's cleared it up,

Jess

Poorcouple

perfect, thank you.
I have since spoken to a Stepchange person on the telephone and they have put my mind at ease re the bailiffs, we have looked in to this so deeply and no exactly what we are doing, but being prepared doesnt 'prepare' you for the calls and harassment from creditors.
At least with banks, they're professional...With loan companies, who are commission based, they seem to be a bit more aggressive with there approach.

fiveyearplan

In my experience I wouldn't say banks were more 'professional' regarding hounding for payments. I could depend on Barclays phoning me EVERY morning between 8:30 and 8:31, throughout the day up until 8:59 EVERY day including bank holidays.