Stepchange DMP Review - What's involved?

PJ90

Hey everyone,

I've recently got a new position at work and it's giving me a few extra hours a week that's adding up to an extra £100 a month. I'm thinking of organising an early review with stepchange so I can increase my monthly payment but am just a bit nervous about ringing up (I've done most of my organising the DMP via the internet/email). I get quite anxious talking on the phone and it would help if I had a rough idea of what is involved in the review - does anyone have any experience of having a DMP review?

Thanks for all the great posts on here and any advice in advance

Mort

DMP reviews with Payplan were painless, just had to make sure I had details of income and bills all organised and to hand. I assume Stepchange reviews will be similar.

cc4rhu

You can email them. I've never spoken to them for at least 4 years.

Growurown

I'm with Step Change and the review over the phone was very easy. I did a bit of work beforehand and noted all the new amounts for my bills etc. Some things had gone up but some bills had come down. We ran through all my expenditure and income and came up with the new figure to pay towards my debts. It didn't take long and they didn't need me to send any paperwork either.

misterbarlow

I recently sent my first review back via email and they sent it back moaning that things were over THEIR recommended amounts and I have to ring them anyway...

ie last year it costs us over £500 to pass the mot, and last week cost me another £450 to pass it again, so i upped the repairs/maintenance for transport from £30pm to £40pm to allow for that next year, and they have questioned it, as THEIR recommended is £30pm..

I upped washing/laundry to £20pm and they say its above their recommended £10pm. How can you buy enough washing powder and fabric softener for a family of 5 for £10 a month these days??

School/trips activities I upped from £10 to £15 and they are moaning its above their recommended £12pm...

There are seven others they picked up too, all just a few £'s over THEIR recommended figure.
What they recommend and what we actually spend are two different things, they ask for a budget and they should just take my budget as I send it.

Basically compared to last years, allowing for my pay rise, our surplus to pay them has only gone down by £8pm, and they are sending me emails back moaning about things...

We pay over £350pm to them now and even allowing for our budget it leaves us skint every month, our boiler is 30yrs old, our kitchen is the same and a state, our daughters wardrobe has collapsed, our bed is on a slant where its snapped, and we have no money to replace these things, and they are moaning back at me about spending £5 too much on laundry....

As the months roll on an IVA just looks so much more tempting given we still owe over £50k and our debt free estimate is 12yrs..

savvykaz

Today I phoned stepchange and completed our review 2 months early due to OH's salary increasing slightly and us selling our car so now no costs there! Andrew was absoluely brilliant and we even increased a couple of things, ended up increasing our payments by £100 and knocking 4 years off our DFD :j It really is so easy and whoever you speak to NEVER judge or criticise, so go for it.

antonic

Like Mort, I was with Payplan.

Did all my reviews on line and never had a problem.

Again like Mort, I am now DF.