From debt to freedom...

Spendless

I was thinking actually you mentioned metal being something that was collected from your garden and I made the comment then about it going because it could be weighed in. Wouldn't surprise me to learn that the garden tools got added to the stash. Definitely securing is the way forward. It must be so frustrating to discover there's something else happened that you've not given any thought to before (and who would go and check if the garden fork is ok?!) whilst life keeps throwing curve balls at you in terms of items needing replacing/repairing/financing  and you're juggling 2 jobs to try and manage. I do keep seeing glimpses at the end of the tunnel though from what you are posting. 

savingholmes

I would not recommend a water meter for you with your brood. My bill is horrendous

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Janb5, Spendless and SH.

I’m actually on a water meter as it was already fitted when we moved here. I’m not on mains sewage though which means the bill is a lot less than it would be. We have a couple of water butts for watering plants etc.

You’re right Spendless, it’s having to get into that mindset of securing everything which is so opposite to how I think normally.

Looks to be quite a quiet Easter as older DDs are working or away, so just the youngest three. Hoping to have as many as possible for the Easter egg hunt at the allotment on Sunday but will have to do some serious hacking down of weeds tomorrow!

savingholmes

Enjoy the allotment

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH.

Saturday was quite a productive day.  I was up early to get baking, made 2 triple layer carrot cakes, a batch of simnel muffins and a batch of brownies with mini eggs mixed in!  One of the carrot cakes is to gift so we’re not being total gannets!

Had a good sweep up outside which made a visual difference. DS3 enjoyed helping with that task. Took a car load of rubbish to the tip and a car load of the ex’s stuff to his.  It’s mainly tools/materials but each load that goes is more space for us to use.

Youngest DD had her sports session in the afternoon so DS3, DD4 and I were able to enjoy 3 hours at the beach. I felt quite lazy as neither child was enthusiastic about walking, preferring instead to play in the sand and simply be. We were blessed with beautiful weather, so the sea was again a sparkling turquoise blue. Lots of tourists about, so equally quite a few boats on the water, some operating as water taxis. It was fascinating just watching the traffic on the water! DS3 discovered,  as he was playing, that the sun had dried the very top layer of sand into a thin crust and if he picked it up carefully he could hand me a paper - thin sand shape. This amused him for a good 45 minutes and the shapes he picked up reminded us of continent shapes!

Had a letter from the mortgage company telling me of the new payment amount. I think this is the third recent increase so the monthly mortgage cost is £100 more than it was in September.  I have a mortgage appointment on Tuesday so hoping some headway can be made on securing a new fixed term mortgage in my name.

Had another letter handed to me, via DD3 from the ex, this week which is somewhat disquieting. The letter was sealed and was addressed to me with my address on it. It was from Moorcroft and looks to be some  sort of debt recovery company. The letter names me but as part of a business I used to run with the ex. I came out of that partnership in 2013, so I’m somewhat mystified as to why 9 years later, this has turned up. It’s for a small amount and looks to be from a website providing company that we’d used. I did put a notice in The London Gazette stating the cessation of the partnership, back in 2013, so I’m hoping this will suffice to show that this isn’t my debt. It also concerns me that the letter was addressed to me here but got to me via the ex. This would suggest that he is either accessing the letter box on the gate ( the lock was broken a couple of months after I fitted it) or getting one or other of the children to access it. ☹️

Spendless

Oh good grief HSL. When I mentioned the need to secure things a few posts ago, I really wasn't expecting something else so soon. 

I'm guessing your CCTV doesn't cover the letter box? The lock needs replacing ASAP. 
Who knows what else is being removed from it. I'm curious as to why the letter remained sealed but handed this way? It suggests that it's contents were known, otherwise why get your post but not open it but is also something to unnerve you. 

I'm going to suggest you have a walk round your property, inside and out with someone trusted and that's very important, no one who will tell anyone else - unfortunately you may have to rule all kids out for this due to sibling chitter chatter. Go through and think about any and every area of vulnerability you have. I've suggested someone else as a second pair of eyes is often useful. Then make sure you've rectified those areas, no broken locks  or points of entry etc anywhere. Realise you don't get much time alone to do this, but see if you can manage something. 

Re the debt itself, hopefully another poster has more knowledge. If not post on another part of the site where you might receive more answers. 

Fingers crossed it's good news re the mortgage. 

Glad you got some relaxation on the beach. 

Suffolksue

Sounds as if your address is being used by the ex ,
Moorcroft is a debt recovery service ,

you need to be aware that that will impact on your ability to get a mortgage 

have you looked at your credit score lately / done a search to see what else is going on .?

Spendless

And doesn't sound like they have a great reputation with customers either.

Mdrl Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of www.mdrl.co.uk | 2 of 5 (trustpilot.com)

You're going to have to get your ducks in a row with this one. Are you able to prove that you dissolved the partnership when you did and the debt is from after this time? 

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Spendless and Suffolksue,

The notice in the London Gazette, I believe, can be used as evidence that the world at large has been informed of the ceasing of the partnership and that the business would be run as a sole trader business ( by the ex). I’ll need to get the copy of the date that was published. It is also in my married name, I haven’t used that name in that form since 2017.

Letterbox is on the garden gate as there are no letterboxes within the front or back door.

suffolksue - I do use the MSE credit club tool and have been checking that regularly, but this hasn’t come up on it. 

Parkyp

Oh I love this time of the year when you go your little adventures/trips to the beach. I just imagine myself being there. 

I would ask the kids if anyone gave their dad any Mail and lif so let them know that all mail goes to you and if there is any for dad you will pass it on.  

£100 is almost added on to your mortgage especially with other bills going up. Hopefully the mortgage advisor can get you a better deal. I took out a  5 year fixed deal that ends in January, I’ll only have two years mortgage left to but hopefully I can get a decent two year fix.