I think StepChange are going to close our plan

marriedworriedmum

Could anyone please advise? It's long so if you make it to the end I appreciate it!

We have been with StepChange since 2009 never missed or made a reduced payment they have been fantastic and we have never had any problems from creditors.
Fast forward to this year - without doubt worst year of our lives financially and family wise and we have made a couple of agreed reduced payments.

In August we decided to review our budget and agreed a new monthly repayment to start that month, this was a Friday. The young lady did suggest that we cancel the DD and phone up/bank transfer to make a one off payment and then re set up with direct debit as it was too late to amend Augusts DD.

All seemed ok left all this up to my husband as without boring anyone! I have had a lot going on. Fast forward to today where I was going through the desk upstairs which I rarely use (looking for car documents)
I found a letter from StepChange informing us of missed payment in Aug and a letter informing us of missed payment in Sept, I felt sick (I have looked at post regularly and did notice a spate of missed payments from lloyds but didn't take much notice as this happens quite a lot with them since the start even when they've had the payment)

I logged on to my online DMP straight away and the direct debit hasn't been re set up - the last payment was July. I cannot stop shaking. The last letter from StepChange which was recieved at the end of September said if we missed another they would close our plan. Our usual DD date is the 10th of each month. I have tried paying via telephone banking with Natwest who say the need an activation code (never needed that before to pay someone typical) and StepChange are closed so cannot make a payment over the telephone to them.

I have also noticed that it says our payment is due on the first of every month when I logged in, I'm kicking myself because I don't know if its always said that or its been changed by them because of the DD fiasco - if it is the first of the month then we are in serious trouble as it will look like another missed payment.:(

I suffer massively with my anxiety and I have got myself in such a mess over this I literally want to throttle my husband - he's on his way home to face the wrath now. I won't make excuses but he has been under a huge amount of stress health wise and work wise, he lost his Dad a few moths ago and I think he's been all over the place but this has me really scared, he knows how I feel about the debt and how it kept me awake at the start. We only have a little while to go and it's ruined everything. I am terrified of balliffs, and threatening letters and phone calls and mostly so ashamed that this has happened when StepChange have been so good.

If you have made it this far thankyou - and could anyone advise on what StepChange are likely to do If I ring Monday and explain? Or have we truly bloomin scuppered ourselves here.

Thanks in advance for any advice

sourcrates

Hi,


Ok, first off, stop panicking, its only money, and not worth getting upset about.

Call Stepchange on Monday and explain yourself, I'm pretty sure they will be understanding with you, mistakes and misunderstandings happen all the time, plus your creditors wont have a breakdown if you miss a couple of payments.

If they wont allow you to stay on your plan, just do it yourself, and go self managed, its only an informal agreement when all`s said and done, so no rules have been broken.


Relax, enjoy your weekend, I am pretty sure its nothing that cant be resolved.

crazy_cat_lady

I've been with Stepchange since 2010 and I've never found them to be anything other than helpful when I've contacted them. I'm sure that this situation will be no different. Life happens, and sometimes things get forgotten about. It's probably much more of a big deal to you than it is to them. Just explain the situation and I'm sure that they will help you.

marriedworriedmum

SourCrates Thankyou for being lovely - I was fully prepared for a flaming when I noticed I'd had a reply.
I hadn't even thought of it as being an informal agreement as I tend to look at the worse case scenario!
I will try and put it to one side until Monday we have family over tomorrow and have a lot going on, I just have that horrid panicky feeling that I remember from the start.
Self managed DMP was something I had seen talked about on here and always wondered if I'd have the strength to do it maybe this has forced my hand to do it - we'll see.
I will update once I've spoken to them.
Thanks again.

marriedworriedmum

crazy cat lady Thanks for your reply You are right.
I am really hopeful they will be understanding. I think it's my anxiety make everything seem so much worse! I feel a bit horrible now, I remember when my Dad died my husband was wonderful and I could barely remember to brush my teeth so I probably sound really awful having a go at him.

fermi

marriedworriedmum wrote: »

If you have made it this far thankyou - and could anyone advise on what StepChange are likely to do If I ring Monday and explain? Or have we truly bloomin scuppered ourselves here.

Nothing less than help you sort this out so you can get back on track I would imagine. That is what StepChange are there for after all.

I'm sure this will get sorted, so try not to stress overly between now and Monday. Have a nice rest of the weekend.

marriedworriedmum

Thanks Fermi The rational part of me thought they have always been great eand understanding but then I just went from rational to "They are going to come in and take all our belongings" in less than 5 seconds!
I feel less stressed from just venting on here! And my husband is due home and I've gone from wanting to throttle him to feeling really guilty at how overwhelmed he must have been lately. You have a good weekend too and I will update after I've spoken to them.

DandelionPatrol

marriedworriedmum wrote: »

I suffer massively with my anxiety and I have got myself in such a mess over this I literally want to throttle my husband - he's on his way home to face the wrath now. I won't make excuses but he has been under a huge amount of stress health wise and work wise, he lost his Dad a few moths ago and I think he's been all over the place but this has me really scared, he knows how I feel about the debt and how it kept me awake at the start. We only have a little while to go and it's ruined everything. I am terrified of balliffs, and threatening letters and phone calls and mostly so ashamed that this has happened when StepChange have been so good.

Go easy on him. Don't start a row which will make no one feel any better nor resolve the missed payments. The most productive thing you can do now is to enjoy your weekend as best you can until you can sort it out on Monday.

peteuk

As everyone else has suggested sort it out Monday, if you've still got the money in the bank then you can catch up with the payments, if not then it will mean you DMP is two months longer.....

I am sure it won't be a problem.

mum2one

just ring them to explain, I'm sure if you pay the payment over the phone this will count for Oct payment, - do you have the funds for the missed months - or was there a major expense that occured and the money been used for that.

I've had couple missed payments over the last yr and theyve been brilliant with me, like yourself get anxious and I'm usually close to tears / in tears when I ring as I panic over it all, they have been so reassuring.

i've been with them 3 or 4 years now, and my payments are at a 1/4 of what I initally paid, and each time at budget renew / additional expense (school trip, car repairs, insurance excess when ceiling caved in,,,) they have been nothing but great.
Enjoy your Sunday, grab a coffee and pen and paper when you ring incase theres anything you want to jot down.

Payments - you can choose the 1st or 10th (or 11th) get that one mixed up xx

marriedworriedmum

Thanks so much everyone I'm just heading into work now and am going to ring as soon as I get a break. Didn't want to read and run but wanted to say thanks for the advice and I will update as soon as I can
The advice/reassurrance from you all has been fantastic I just hope they can take this months payment and don't close our plan!