DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 11

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere

Little_Miss_Sunshine wrote: »

I think its worth getting some advice on this. LA's will often refuse transport into neighbouring authorities but when pushed will agree. Most councils are well over budget when it comes to transport and are keen to cut costs. You will have a local SENDIASS - get their support - they are there for parents.
You might not be successful but its worth a try.
Good luck

Will look into this - thanks Little Miss Sunshine

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere

sourcrates wrote: »

Maybe reduce your payments to a £1 each a month for a while ?

I would write to Sc and your creditors telling them why you need to do this, I know it's nice to have all payments in place etc, and not rocking the boat, but sometimes things happen which you need to work around.

You need to look at priorities, and yours have just changed, so either they understand, or they don't, you have to do it anyway, preferably with approval, but if they don't approve, then that's just tough on them in my book.

You could re-start payments again when you have reached your goal, either with, or without the help of Sc.

You're a star!! Thanks Sourcrates x

Sazzie23

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere wrote: »

You're a star!! Thanks Sourcrates x

And don't be afraid to say to creditors, I have a son with special needs and he is starting a new school. You might feel like it's non of their business, but it makes you a carer and they have a responsibility to you both.

Take advice from any/all benefits advisors/disability charities on the best way to approach it. Maybe there might even be a charity emergency loan or something that can help. If you don't ask and all that.

January2015

BDFSH - this charity won't help with a car, but would with things like a family break. My grandaughter is autistic and they funded a long weekend at a holiday park for the family. There are other things they fund as well. Lovely people

https://www.familyfund.org.uk/

KID77

Hi BDFSH

I agree with Sourcrates in that you call/email SC and write to all creditors giving a brief explanation of your situation and that you need to drop to token payments for whatever time frame you feel you need. If you have been consistently paying them and you are communicating with them on this situation then I don't think they will or can have too much of an issue.

Once you have a second car sorted, re-do your budget and start up a higher payment again even if it is lower than your current payment.

Make sure you give yourself a budget with plenty of breathing space, I am not sure what sort of percentage you are paying towards your debt now but from what I have experienced and read so far, whether you pay £100 per month to a £k debt or £20 per month, seems to make no difference to how they treat you. You have defaulted on the agreement so still a bad cookie :-) You can then save the extra xx

Jon81

friend is moving out of their currently mortgaged property to buy a new property as a cash buyer with their partner. They'd like to rent out their current property and we've potentially discussed renting from them.

Could I ask, if people could list out considerations which we as tennants and them as landlords should bear in mind so as to keep everything friendly and happy from day one should we do it

For me personally this could provide a bigger propety, cheaper and would allow me to reduce my dfd by some considerable amount

changeiscoming

Hi ,
Hope you are all well. I am new to this and the forum, I have come to the point that I can no longer afford monthly repayments on credit cards. I have looked into the Step Change DMP and it seems to me like my only option, (literally living from wage to wage and robbing peter to pay paul). I suppose why I am writing here is for your advice. Will I automatically be accepted to start a DMP from step change and if so how long does it take to get the ball rolling? .... I also read in sc that they advise you to change banks ? how do I go about this... do I have to be honest with my bank why I am leaving? will another bank take me if I already owe 2000 quid to another bank on overdrafts and have maxed out credit cards too. ... sorry if my questions seem silly , all advice would be so helpful to me xx

sourcrates

changeiscoming wrote: »

Hi ,
Hope you are all well. I am new to this and the forum, I have come to the point that I can no longer afford monthly repayments on credit cards. I have looked into the Step Change DMP and it seems to me like my only option, (literally living from wage to wage and robbing peter to pay paul). I suppose why I am writing here is for your advice. Will I automatically be accepted to start a DMP from step change and if so how long does it take to get the ball rolling? .... I also read in sc that they advise you to change banks ? how do I go about this... do I have to be honest with my bank why I am leaving? will another bank take me if I already owe 2000 quid to another bank on overdrafts and have maxed out credit cards too. ... sorry if my questions seem silly , all advice would be so helpful to me xx

Hi,


Welcome to MSE !!


Yes, anyone with sufficient income, can get a DMP, all a DMP is, is an agreement to repay your debts, at a lower rate than normal, its not a regulated agreement, just a private arrangement between you and your creditors, there are no real criteria for been accepted or not been accepted, as long as you have a wage/income, coming in, your in, basically.

You don't have to say anything to your bank, if you have debt there, then the simplest thing to do is to open a new "Basic bank account", with another bank, with whom you have no debt, these accounts are open to everyone, as there is no credit check, and no borrowing facility, you only have to be able to prove your identity, if asked, but they are not too widely advertised, so you may have to search around a bit to find them.

Your old bank account is then treated as just another creditor who you would add to your DMP, that's it, no great secrets, nothing too difficult, simple process really.

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere

Sazzie23 wrote: »

And don't be afraid to say to creditors, I have a son with special needs and he is starting a new school. You might feel like it's non of their business, but it makes you a carer and they have a responsibility to you both.

Take advice from any/all benefits advisors/disability charities on the best way to approach it. Maybe there might even be a charity emergency loan or something that can help. If you don't ask and all that.

Thanks Sazzie

Will definitely put that in when I speak to SC and write to the creditors - I guess they may be more likely to agree to it if they can understand there is a genuine reason we need to reduce payments for a few months - great advice

Not even looked at the possibility of charity loan - will do some investigating x

Thanks again - really appreciate all the advice everyone has given x

BDFSH x

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere

January2015 wrote: »

BDFSH - this charity won't help with a car, but would with things like a family break. My grandaughter is autistic and they funded a long weekend at a holiday park for the family. There are other things they fund as well. Lovely people

https://www.familyfund.org.uk/

Thanks so much January - will definitely look into this

BDFSH x