DMP & Mutual Support Thread - Part 11

Sazzie23

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Not posted on here for a while but now 1 year into our DMP and all going ok so far.

Just thought I'd share a little hiccup we had with our DMP a couple of months agao in the hope that it may help others.

Our DMP income and expenditure review was due end of Aug/early Sept so I completed this via the SC online budget review.

All went through ok and we were given a new monthly direct debit amount paying an extra £8 per month from £408 to £416.

All was quiet for a couple of weeks then we started getting letters froma few of our creditors saying they had not heard from SC and were assuming we were no longer continuing with our DMP (monthly payments were still being made to all creditors).

We phoned SC who advised that all paperwork was sent off on 10th September and it takes between 7 and 10 working days for this to get to the creditors and our accounts updated. We ended up making numerous calls to creditors and SC as information wasn't getting sent through in a timely manner. One chap at NW eveb said my account was at the end of the 'holding' period and that solicitors would be contacted to start recovering the debt. Luckily I spoke to another nice lady at NW who said that payments were still being made so this wouldn't happen but it was an extremely stressful month or so for us.

Basically, if you are on a DMP I would advise that you do your yearly budget review the month before it is due as it took SC about 3 weeks to send the paperwork off to all our creditors then it takes another week or so for the creditors to process this and update your accounts. Next year we are also going to write letters to all our creditors informing them that we have completed the budget review, the date it was completed, informing them that we are still with SC and that they will receive updated budget information within the next few weeks. We will also inform all creditors that the monthly payments will continue.

I just wanted to share our story in the hope that it may help some of you along your DMP journey.

Have a great day!!

BDFSH x

Hi BDFSh

Good to see you back on here, sounds like the DMP is going well. I'm surprised by the trouble you had with the review as I was several months late doing mine and none of the creditors raised it as an issue. SC did keep reminding me to do and apart from BC who always seems to get their knickers in a twist, none of the others was a bother even when I did do it.

If you were self managed, would you do an annual review? I suspect people don't, but maybe I'm wrong.

Thanks for sharing though, and as you say maybe help others avoid trouble. Keep up the good work. :T

Sazzie23

timetosayenough wrote: »

Hi Sazzie,

Thanks for your advice. Yes I do know the rainbow bridge story. The last few days I've come across lots of things like that, stories and poems.

Ok well, when I send the token payments I will mention my mental health problems. Find that a bit daunting to be honest. But will see what they think of it. Don't want them thinking I'm trying to wriggle out of my responsibilities, it's just that I'm struggling to cope at the moment.

Thanks Sazzie once again. It's a relief coming on here and getting help. Really appreciate it. xx

Be proud of dealing with your debts, if you were trying to get out of,it, you wouldn't be sending them anything. Your comment, 'it's just that I'm struggling to cope' says it all. You need a bit of breathing space to get things back on track and that's what you are asking for. If you go,into,total meltdown, no one will get paid so it's in their interest to help you out.

timetosayenough

Hi Sazzie,

Thanks once again for advice. I have just drafted a letter to send to creditors outlining my current situation which I will enclose with token payment. Still haven't done them, so much going on at the moment but I've got to set time aside today to do them. I emailed Stepchange yesterday asking to defer the DMP to 1st December explaining why. If I don't receive a reply I will contact them Monday.

Thanks again x

[Deleted User]

timetosayenough wrote: »

Hi Sazzie,

Thanks once again for advice. I have just drafted a letter to send to creditors outlining my current situation which I will enclose with token payment. Still haven't done them, so much going on at the moment but I've got to set time aside today to do them. I emailed Stepchange yesterday asking to defer the DMP to 1st December explaining why. If I don't receive a reply I will contact them Monday.

Thanks again x

So sorry to hear that you're having a bad time of it at the moment. Sending all positive vibes your way:beer:

If ever I've had a problem during my DMP I've always phoned StepChange and talked to someone about it. I normally prefer to do all my financial dealings by email or post if possible, I just hate having to talk to people about the mess I've got myself into:o, but with StepChange it's different in my opinion. They are very patient and non-judgemental and really want to make our DMPs run as smoothly as possible:j. They will explain your options to you and if I were you I'd definitely give them a call:).

blisteringblue

Creditors seem to be waking from some slumber! Heard nothing from anybody other than the "non" default from BC which has actually disappeared off my Noddle file for some reason.

Anyway Sainsburys CC reckon I'm £10 in arrears and I must contact them. I think not for a tenner, muppets. Also first letter from Wescot who took over our Santander default. Just a hello letter really but it mentions settlement if I want to discuss it. Obviously not got the cash for it yet but nice to know.

Still recommend self managed to those complaining about the speed of SC. There is a little to setup at the start but you are free to pay as you want.

Boldhoof

Morning all,

Received 2 letters this morning both in the same envelope. One is from MBNA and the other is from PRA saying they have taken over the debt and to pay them etc. Thought it odd that both letters in same envelope. Anyway do I just send the letters to SC and they will make payments to PRA now? or should I contact PRA and tell them on DMP with SC ? The MBNA letter does say they will pass on any relevant information.

This months payment doe my DMP has left my account so I suspect payment will go to MBNA not PRA, will they pass it on?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere

Boldhoof wrote: »

Morning all,

Received 2 letters this morning both in the same envelope. One is from MBNA and the other is from PRA saying they have taken over the debt and to pay them etc. Thought it odd that both letters in same envelope. Anyway do I just send the letters to SC and they will make payments to PRA now? or should I contact PRA and tell them on DMP with SC ? The MBNA letter does say they will pass on any relevant information.

This months payment doe my DMP has left my account so I suspect payment will go to MBNA not PRA, will they pass it on?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

Hi Boldhoof,

We have two accounts with PRA now after MBNA sold on our debts. Do you have an online DMP account with SC? If so, log on and check your debtor info - it was updated automatically on ours from MBNA to PRA. We phoned PRA both times to let them know we have received the letter and advised them that SC had transferred the details over. I then rang them a couple of weeks later once SC had sent all payments out for that month to check a payment had been made to PRA by SC.
We have found PRA to be really understanding and helpful - they have given us no bother at all
If you haven't got an online DMP just give SC a quick ring and check they have the new payment details for PRA (they just need your PRA customer reference number on the top of your letter). Then contact PRA to say you've updated the account details with SC.

Hope that makes sense!!

Take care,

BDFSH x

Kate_fixing_it

Hello all, hope you've all had a good/bearable week and big hugs to all, whether you think you need them or not!

We all know Saturday is default day - usually delivered in the afternoon after the call centre you are "told" to contact has closed but I think we need to rename it "Debt Post Day" because I've just had a letter from a CC ACCEPTING my F&F offer!!! After almost 2 years DH seems to accept his part in the whole mess and despite repeated arguments (I was determined to fix the mess on my own) I've agreed he can pay this one for me. It's a 41% discount and it's taken some real hard bargaining (6 weeks of negotiations) but this takes my total under £4k!!! I'm so glad I can offer some good Saturday news

To celebrate I'm off out with DH tonight (actually I was going as his date but now I have my own celebration) and I'm actually quite proud of my DFW-isms. I'm wearing a dress I bought 15 years ago (thank goodness I've always had a taste for simple, classic clothes that don't "date") borrowed jewellery and a vintage coat from mum (the coat is older than me!) and my one concession to splashing out is taking advantage of a hairdresser offer to get my hair put up. I'm current sat here waiting for my nails to dry (self administered mani-pedi ). It's a black tie dinner and awards ceremony (including drinks ) not something I'd normally go to and I'm really looking forward to it, even childcare is MSE - friendly, DD1 has been presented with a £3 asda "takeaway" and some yellow sticker sweet treats!

I've had an utterly crap week, lost a friend, been stuck in the middle of some very uncomfortable situations and yesterday was told that after nearly 2 years of pain, treatment, tests and general medical poking that there's nothing more can be done for my dodgy leg except manage the pain I kind of expected it but it's still one hell of a blow to actually hear it. But onwards and upwards! I will make the most of my free posh night out, I will smile as I wave goodbye to another debt and I will keep plugging away until I get free of these millstones.

Keep smiling lovely people, we're all one day closer to being debt free FOREVER!

Kate x

Boldhoof

BeingDebtFreeStartsHere wrote: »

Hi Boldhoof,

We have two accounts with PRA now after MBNA sold on our debts. Do you have an online DMP account with SC? If so, log on and check your debtor info - it was updated automatically on ours from MBNA to PRA. We phoned PRA both times to let them know we have received the letter and advised them that SC had transferred the details over. I then rang them a couple of weeks later once SC had sent all payments out for that month to check a payment had been made to PRA by SC.
We have found PRA to be really understanding and helpful - they have given us no bother at all
If you haven't got an online DMP just give SC a quick ring and check they have the new payment details for PRA (they just need your PRA customer reference number on the top of your letter). Then contact PRA to say you've updated the account details with SC.

Hope that makes sense!!

Take care,

BDFSH x

Hi BDFSH,

Many thanks for the advice, I have just logged in to my DMP and yes it has automatically been changed. So hopefully the payment SC will receive Monday will be paid to PRA. I am assuming MBNA told SC of the change. Just to do the old belts and braces thing I emailed scanned copies of the 2 letters we received this morning to SC.

Thanks for the reply.

Cheers
Boldhoof

Boldhoof

Hi Kate,
Have a wonderful time out tonight. Congratulations on getting another debt completed.
Boldhoof