DMP advice

butterfly77

I've gotten myself into debt. I have just under 5k of debt. I work part time, single parent. I stupidly took loans with GR finance (doorstep lender). I've made enquiries about a debt management plan with Gopher money who use Harrington Brooks. I am due to pay the doorstep lender on Monday. I pay £100 a week, and it has crippled me financially. The advisor at Gopher has told me not to answer the door to the GR Finance agent. I am feeling scared as the agent is friendly and I feel like I dont want to let her down. I received my paperwork from Gopher money. I want to go ahead with DMP and agreed to pay £80 per month to creditors. My GR8 Finance debt is 2k. I owe 2.5 k to four other creditors. I survive on a part time wage, small bit of housing benefit and tax credits. I suffer from anxiety and depression. Any advice on DMP would be welcome. Thanks

Justice13075

Stepchange are a Registered Charity who will do you a FREE DMP they have great reviews give them a call 0800 138 1111. Personally I have never used them and have no connection in any way to them.

Check them out just Google them.

butterfly77

Thanks for the information.

Dobbibill

From a quick google search it looks like Gopher charge a fee for a DMP.

Do not pay to enter a DMP - there are plenty of debt charities who will not charge so all your payments go to your creditors.
Have a look on the DFW board, Stepchange, National Debtline and CAP seem to be popular and very good.

The first thread is a 'sticky' to ask a debt advisor.

Don't worry about feeling like you've let the agent down, it's more important to pay your rent/mortgage, food, utilities etc.

Justice13075

£5000 of debit to be honest is not a lot so with the right Plan you should have no trouble in clearing this debt. Good Luck

DCFC79

There's free debt plan companies, step change are 1 of them. Payplan also do DMP and free too, there's christians against poverty who offer advice. Don't use gopher money, I bet your paying for that DMP from gopher money.

Clive_Woody

Dobbibill wrote: »

From a quick google search it looks like Gopher charge a fee for a DMP.

Do not pay to enter a DMP - there are plenty of debt charities who will not charge so all your payments go to your creditors.
Have a look on the DFW board, Stepchange, National Debtline and CAP seem to be popular and very good.

The first thread is a 'sticky' to ask a debt advisor.

Don't worry about feeling like you've let the agent down, it's more important to pay your rent/mortgage, food, utilities etc.

Agree with this.

Gopher will take a big chunk of your monthly payment and keep it for themselves and will only pass on a small amount to the companies you owe money to. This will mean it takes a lot longer to clear these debts, it will cost you a lot more and it will annoy the companies who you owe money to a lot more.

As stated go with one of the free debt charities who offer the same service...only for free.

poppasmurf_bewdley

I agree with all the above. Under no circumstances use Gopher Money or Harrington Brooks for a DMP. They will take some of the money you pay each week (month) and keep it for themselves. There have also been several examples of these types of companies not paying any of the money over and going into liquidation, leaving their customers even worse off than before.

And do not regard your doorstep collector as a 'friend', because believe me she doesn't regard you as one. Don't feel sorry for her. She will have customers defaulting every day. She won't do you any favours. Just tell her you cannot pay and ask her not to call again.

stekka

I have had great success with PayPlan, they have really helped me out and it's a free service.

As for the door step collector, I would suggest that you just tell her that you have entered/are about to enter into a DMP with x (whoever you choose) and that they are now dealing with all of your debts. No more discussion required really.

AngieA66

Hi
Please make your first visit (if your still in doubt with this) to Citizen's Advice - it's free and they have helped a lot of people in the same boat.
I used a DMP which ended up costing almost as much as was being taken off my arrears. CAB helped me write to all my creditors and I now have direct debits set up repaying 6 accounts (would have been 7 but they informed me Welcome Finance were in Administration, and I got a letter then off them saying my loan was wiped out! and they actually owed me money)
The first step is always the hardest and I have a lot more courage now dealing with things having sorted this out. I also sleep better at nights.

DCFC79

AngieA66 wrote: »

Hi
Please make your first visit (if your still in doubt with this) to Citizen's Advice - it's free and they have helped a lot of people in the same boat.
I used a DMP which ended up costing almost as much as was being taken off my arrears. CAB helped me write to all my creditors and I now have direct debits set up repaying 6 accounts (would have been 7 but they informed me Welcome Finance were in Administration, and I got a letter then off them saying my loan was wiped out! and they actually owed me money)
The first step is always the hardest and I have a lot more courage now dealing with things having sorted this out. I also sleep better at nights.

You do know the OP hasn't been back for 3 weeks I believe.

The debt charities will do the same as the CAB and if no1 wants to discuss it face to face then over the phone is better.