CCj help...

Kungfusurg

Help...

I have got to go to a CCj hearing tomorrow, I filled in the form as I'm on dla and no one is currently working in my household, I received a letter back saying I have a hearing on Monday re my financial situation.

The debt is from an old credit union at my previous employment, what can I expect tomorrow?

Panicking much...

fatbelly

So this is just to determine whether they can set up repayment by instalments?

How much is the debt (roughly) and how much did you offer?

Get to court in good time.

There should be a rep from the credit union who will try to have a chat before you go in to the hearing. You may find they agree with your proposal if it is reasonable.

The hearing will be in a normal room and the judge in normal clothes. There may also be an usher but that will be it. You all sit around a desk.

Dress reasonably smartly. Call the judge 'sir' (or ma'am) and answer the questions asked as briefly as possible.

Let us know how you get on.

nottoolate

court on a sunday?

longtermplanner

Go mentally prepared to say what extra costs you incur because of your disability. You may not be asked, but if the expenditure you have out down on the court form looks high, it's good to be able to say why you need taxis or whatever. So think about what you spend on now that you wouldn't if you were well.

Kungfusurg

Oops I meant Monday not tomorrow, the debt is about £1500 roughly, I filled in the form offering £20 a month I think then had this letter to go to court?

What's worst case scenario?

fatbelly

75 months is a long period for repayment. Is that what your income and expenses shows is available? Could it stretch to £40? You're in the hands of the judge really and they all see things differently.

If it's just a hearing to decide repayment then the judge could order a higher payment maybe to clear in 36 or 60 months if he thinks it realistic.

Or order payment forthwith, which means that you would default on the order and the creditor could try another option such as bailiffs, charging order (if you own property), 3rd party debt order (if you have an account with money in it), attachment to earnings (if you work), or force bankruptcy.

But none of those things will happen on Monday and there are strategies to deal with all of them.

Kungfusurg

I can stretch to £40-£50 a month I think, can you be sent to prison for none payment of CCj if it's not council tax?