DMP mutual support thread part 13 !!

Willing2Learn

Cem13009879 wrote: »

Hi Knitqueen, how did it go? I'm currently in the same postion

I believe that Knitqueen went from an SC DMP to a self-managing DMP last month.

See her thread linked below:
New Self Managing DMP Question

Just in case you are half-thinking about self-managing. Have a look at the NEDCAB site, so that you can read up on how it can work.
https://nedcab.cabmoney.org.uk/dmp.asp


And to go back to your question you posted previously. "Does anyone know if SC allow me to take a break for a month or 2?". Yes, I believe SC will allow you to take a break for 1-2 months...

Fiona_CW

Step Change allowed me to take a break one month

Suseka97

Cem13009879 wrote: »

........I have been on a stepchange DMP since start of October, so far, so good, but I'm starting to feel like i'm struggling. I earn £1,500 a month and £438 of that goes on my DMP. With my rent and fuel expenses This is another £550 a month and the last £500 doesn't last very long even with a tight budget, but insurance, phone etc it quickly goes! I was about to call SC to talk about lowering payments, when now my car needs an unexpected repair, which I don't have money for! I haven't built up and emergency fund and I have no way of paying this so need to cancel my DMP payment for this month. Does anyone know if SC allow me to take a break for a month or 2? I like that SC do all the negotiation, so do not want to go self managed. Any help welcome, thank you all x

I knew of a guy who took a number of 'breaks' throughout his DMP - so the answer is yes. Also, this is an example of why we do try to stress the need for people to pause on the 'go' button when setting up their DMPs so that they have time to build an emergency fund. That's not a criticism of you.. just a nudge to others who might be looking at DMPs.

But as to your point about SC doing all the negotiations - to be honest, they don't really 'negotiate' anything. They do work with you to pull together an I&E, which then determines how much money is available for your creditors (and to which me it sounds as if yours isn't sustainable, so worth revisiting that with SC for sure) and they do then send that off to your creditors with the offer of payment. So from that perspective they are great at helping folks get control of their financial crisis. But going self-managed using NEDCABs resources is also very straightforward - again a point directed at anyone thinking of going self-managed.

vicki84

Hi

Looking for some advice I have contacted step change today to set up a dmp I feel such an idiot for getting into this situation. I’m am unsure how long it takes for things to be set up. So I am feeling abit unsure and lost. I’ve filled in the paperwork and emailed it back with
my wage slips etc.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Girl_unknown

The other day I asked about what else could i do about Barclays harassment and it was suggested to make a second complaint to them via email and sign for letter off the National debtline since then I have had a letter telling me all my numbers have been removed dated 31st (id been phoned that day and asked about complaining further on here), I emailed the other letter and sent it (it for signed for on 4th June) and they are still phoning my works, reading about complaining to FOS. Do I need to wait for 8 weeks before I can do anymore about it even though I have a letter saying they have done as I've asked ?

sourcrates

vicki84 wrote: »

Hi

Looking for some advice I have contacted step change today to set up a dmp I feel such an idiot for getting into this situation. I’m am unsure how long it takes for things to be set up. So I am feeling abit unsure and lost. I’ve filled in the paperwork and emailed it back with
my wage slips etc.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi,

Well done for taking the first step.

One thing you must do is save up a good emergency fund, this is done by stopping payment to creditors for a while, nothing happens fast in debt collection, so take a chill pill, and don’t fret about it.

Doesn’t matter if it takes a month or six, just go with the flo, the creditors will fall into line.

sourcrates

Girl_unknown wrote: »

The other day I asked about what else could i do about Barclays harassment and it was suggested to make a second complaint to them via email and sign for letter off the National debtline since then I have had a letter telling me all my numbers have been removed dated 31st (id been phoned that day and asked about complaining further on here), I emailed the other letter and sent it (it for signed for on 4th June) and they are still phoning my works, reading about complaining to FOS. Do I need to wait for 8 weeks before I can do anymore about it even though I have a letter saying they have done as I've asked ?

Hi,

Just turn off the phone and don’t worry too much about it.

Send a proper written letter of complaint, non of this email rubbish.

Legally things must be done in writing to be upheld.

vicki84

sourcrates wrote: »

Hi,

Well done for taking the first step.

One thing you must do is save up a good emergency fund, this is done by stopping payment to creditors for a while, nothing happens fast in debt collection, so take a chill pill, and don’t fret about it.

Doesn’t matter if it takes a month or six, just go with the flo, the creditors will fall into line.

Thanks do I need to contact my creditors to say I am arranging things with step change. Do you know how long it usually takes to set things up.

sourcrates

vicki84 wrote: »

Thanks do I need to contact my creditors to say I am arranging things with step change. Do you know how long it usually takes to set things up.

Write and tell them your in financial trouble and that you are taking advice from Stepchange, and you will contact them in due course.
Take a few months to save an emergency fund, I know you are keen to get the ball rolling, but you need an EM, for all the little problems that may crop up along the way.

Stepchange are not on the same wavelength on this issue, so you need to do this yourself, it’s a shame they don’t advise you to do this, but then they are funded by the creditors, that’s were this forum comes in.

This subject has been covered many times in the past, I advise you to read the full thread, if you can, it’s packed full of the answers you need.

Girl_unknown

Sourcrates i did that, they keep phoning my work, complaining to them hadn't worked, I've done it 3 times and every time they phone that's why I want to complain further via letter but I read it has to be 8 weeks (so another 6 weeks of calls to my work where it's not always me that gets to the phone first)