DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 10

dizzybee

hi all ,sorry if posting in wrong place but need some advice please,
I am on a Dmp with step change all was going well till last week but i find i can no longer keep my payments going due to change of hours at work Step change advice that i send letters to all my creditors explaing the situation.is there a tem plate letter anywhere.
I have no money left after paying all my bills and have been advice that i need to have some money available in order to go for a Dro, but what happens if you you cant pay or go for a Dro, my debts are to low for Bankruptcy.I can do more hours because my daughter has special needs and needs my support.

mol3

Thank you Sazzie.

I know that it would be less worry if I would tell my partner but I can't. I have gone to a few times and then he says something that makes me stop in my tracks.

No confirmation letter still, I assume that it won't now as it's been a week. I don't need a letter as it's all confirmed on email anyway. I hope they send everything in a plain envelope!

I tried to add the money online but it wouldn't let me do it so I will keep hold of it in a 'pot' for now and try to add it on again at a later date.

Monkeyballs you speak a lot of sense.

Monkeyballs

Morning all!

dizzybee wrote: »

hi all ,sorry if posting in wrong place but need some advice please,
I am on a Dmp with step change all was going well till last week but i find i can no longer keep my payments going due to change of hours at work Step change advice that i send letters to all my creditors explaing the situation.is there a tem plate letter anywhere.
I have no money left after paying all my bills and have been advice that i need to have some money available in order to go for a Dro, but what happens if you you cant pay or go for a Dro, my debts are to low for Bankruptcy.I can do more hours because my daughter has special needs and needs my support.

Hi Dizz, sorry I'm not sure if you mean that you are stopping payments or reducing them? Usually if it's a reduction in payments (but above £5 each) then SC will contact them with a revised offer and suggest that you might want to do the same... If you're dropping to £1 token payments I believe they do the same but you are required to write to them (I could be wrong, someone else may be able to confirm this?). If you simply can't afford this then I guess they mean you need to write and explain that you have no money and to not expect anything as you are entering into a DRO?

If you go for a DRO you need £90 which I think you can in some cases pay n installments (see link below) but SC will help you through the process... Is it possible you're stressing and just need to sit down with a cuppa, take a few deep breaths and write down the facts so you have a clear picture of what you need to do next?

http://www.stepchange.org/Howwecanhelpyou/DRODebtrelieforder.aspx

Whatever the case, us lot are here with you all the way

mol3 wrote: »

Thank you Sazzie.

I know that it would be less worry if I would tell my partner but I can't. I have gone to a few times and then he says something that makes me stop in my tracks.

No confirmation letter still, I assume that it won't now as it's been a week. I don't need a letter as it's all confirmed on email anyway. I hope they send everything in a plain envelope!

I tried to add the money online but it wouldn't let me do it so I will keep hold of it in a 'pot' for now and try to add it on again at a later date.

Monkeyballs you speak a lot of sense.

Hi Mol,

In the early days everything is stressful but once your DMP is up and running then it's a breeze

A postal reply can take a couple of weeks, don't forget they need to have it delivered (and you get the reply), be processed, documents printed, etc. You'll be fine it's all in plain brown envelopes too so fear not!

As for the partner, all in your own time but what is he saying which is stopping you? Is he aware that money is an issue? If you're stopping because he's saying things like "lets go away, somewhere nice like Dubai" then dropping hints about not having much cash can be the start...

MB of G xxx

mol3

Thanks Monkeyballs.

I've been in the DMP for a few years now so it's just for the change of amount I pay.

He just doesn't understand about debt, thing is that he has never asked me about money and I have never volunteered to tell him either - if that makes sense!

At the moment I just feel really sick, because I've had to reduce the payment but I just couldn't afford to pay what I was and my thought is that it's better to pay something rather than nothing right? But I still can't help worrying that the creditors will get in a huff about it.

On the plus side, I have paid half of the original amount off so I suppose that's something positive to think about.

Monkeyballs

Hi Mol,

Ah... Ok, I get you

As for upsetting your creditors... Screw them! LOL you need to look out for number one, they don't see you as being anything more than a number so why should you view them any differently?

The while point of a DMP is to pay what you can afford and in life, sh*t happens worst case scenario someone tries to issue a CCJ, you speak to SC and they'll set your mind to rest... No court is ever going to issue a CCJ against someone with an unsecured loan who has an agreement to pay but has a worsening situation.

Speak to SC and ask for a review of your budget and be REALISTIC (in fact, be a little more realistic to allow yourself wiggle room ) and if you've no emergency fund then ask to make token payments for a few months while you build one up

I promise it will all be ok.

MB of G xxx

mol3

Thanks MB.

I really should post here more often, it's really helped 'talking' to you.

so_very_confused

Hi Moi
You moved me to post. I have just got off the phone to SC forewarning them of me doing token payments in the near future if not immediately,because as MB so rightly points out the sx!t can and has hit the fan. Like you I have been paying regularly with the occasional blip for unforeseen emergencys. Don't feel bad you are doing the best you can and that is enough.

lewpster

I think I am going to start a DMP with Stepchange shortly(don't have any other options) but so so worried. I've got a Barclaycard payment due next week for £198 which I can afford at a push - Stepchange told me to cancel it, but I feel like I should let it go before they are notified....

Any advice much appreciated? Also, should I be contacting my creditors before this plan starts or do SC do this for me? thanks a very scared Lewpylew x

Growurown

lewpylew wrote: »

I think I am going to start a DMP with Stepchange shortly(don't have any other options) but so so worried. I've got a Barclaycard payment due next week for £198 which I can afford at a push - Stepchange told me to cancel it, but I feel like I should let it go before they are notified....

Any advice much appreciated? Also, should I be contacting my creditors before this plan starts or do SC do this for me? thanks a very scared Lewpylew x

I'm with SC on this one. Don't pay BC, send them a token payment of £1. You have to start the DMP at some point and now is as good a time as any. Put that money aside for your emergency fund. BC won't miss your £198 nearly as much as you will. Put yourself first. I think you have to contact creditors. I know I did when I started my plan 3 years ago but things may have changed. It won't do any harm to write to them all informing them of your situation and telling them you will be making token payments until you are set up with SC.

Monkeyballs

Hi Lew,

As GUO mentions above, follow SC's advice and make token payments and keep that cash in your pocket for the moment.

SC will contact your creditors for you but it will be in due course so if you have any payments due imminently then obviously you contacting them will put them in the picture much quicker

MB of Gx