£17,705.22 Debt, Help Needed.

smallandcute

*** I WILL ADD CONOTATIONS AND NOTES HERE WHEN I REMEMBER INFORMATION AND NEW IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS COME TO LIGHT. THESE WILL BE DATED AND ADDED IN COLOUR.***

I WILL RESPOND TO PERSONAL REPLIES BELOW AS WELL AS UPDATE UP HERE. IF YOU DONT RECEIVE A REPLY ITS BECAUSE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED.

Hi all,

here is my SOA. Any and all constructive advice welcome. Just a few additional notes to include;

• my salary is the highest I am going to be able to earn in my area, the company I work for has good progression opportunities which I am trying to work towards. Please do not state that I need to find a better paying job, not only is this incredibly rude and condisending but impossible in the sector that I work in.
• I hope to retrain in the next couple of years into a very understaffed medical profession, this will be three years of training.
• I have 4 cats. The pet section covers food and regular vets bills for all of them throughout the year. They will not be given up!
• I do not drive hence the car section showing a 0 value.
• This years council tax is included in the debt hence why the council tax section is showing as 0.
• Received a CCJ this morning for the 3 Network debt.
• Satallite/Cable section includes internet, TV and Home Phone cost. With Virgin but cannot change as I get such poor standard internet from a BT line that it would mean no internet at all.

*** 5th October 2018***

1. Salary is my basic salay, this does not include any bonuses i may have earned in the month and does not include overtime. Bonus is calculated on a multitude of things but can add up to an additional £120 per month.
   
2. After reading the suggestion from D_M_E regarding the water meter, I will be in contact with the water supplier first thing Monday morning. I will keep this updated.
   
3. HRMC is not yet chasing but I am aware of this debt.
   
4. All my debts are currently frozen.
5. I cannot move back home, my poor mum already has another of my siblings living back home and there just is not the room.
   
6. House share is not an option, mainly for my health and wellbeing (again very private so this will not be delved into so please dont ask) and also I have my cats which as confirmed above I will not be giving up so please dont ask.
   
7. I beleive the Barclays and both Natwest debts are coming up to statute barred as it will be 6 years in 2019, is there a way that I can find this out and what it would mean for me?
   
8. Is it worth me sending an 'Provit' letter to all my debtors bar the council and HRMC?
   

Please advise on what you beleive is to to be the best solution for me to get this debt cleared.

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1200- Fixed salary, does not include any additional bonus earned. Up to £130 per month. Excludes any overtime too as this is not always available. I work full time which inludes one day each weekend and as I work nights this also includes my nightshift allowance. Looking to hopefully increase my contract by an additional 5 hours per week.
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1200

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 575
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 50- Looking to swtich to a cheaper supplier
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 40- Looking to switch to a meter for (hopefully!) cheaper rates.
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 20
TV Licence.............................. 12.54
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 56
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 120- Includes toiletries and home delivery for the food shop. I do not drink or smoke so this is not an 'additional cost'.
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 110- £20 per week for travel to work by bus and £25 per month for me to get the train to my mums.
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 25- Includes food, flea and wormer and main vet check up for all through out the year.
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 20- For all family members, both Christmas and birthday presents.
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 15
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1083.54

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Council Tax....................3000......0.........0
HMRC/DWP.......................1200......0.........0
Santander CA...................1138......0.........0
Sky ...........................35........0.........0
BT.............................600.......0.........0
3 Network......................558.......0.........0
IRESA Energy...................800.......0.........0
Water Company .................2000......0.........0
Flow Engery....................358.2.....0.........0
NPower.........................900.......0.........0
Barclays CA....................2000......0.........0- Potentially statute barred in 2019?
Natwest CC.....................333.......0.........0- Potentially statute barred in 2019? Natwest CA.....................1646.25...0.........0- Potentially statute barred in 2019?
Santander CC2..................1800......0.........0
Santander CC1 .................1336.77...0.........0
Total unsecured debts..........17705.22..0.........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,200
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,083.54
Available for debt repayments........... 116.46
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments.......
Amount left after debt repayments....... 116.46

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -17,705.22
Net Assets.............................. -17,705.22

thanks,
Smallandcute

D_M_E

Water is high for one person - is that on a meter or the old rateable system ?
Try getting a water meter fitted if there's not one, our bill went down from £35 to £16 a month when a meter was fitted.

£3000 for council tax - is this correct? Have you claimed the single person's 25% discount?

EDIT - if you don't watch a lot of tv, consider asking Virgin for just phone and internet - this should save the cost of the tv licence as well as the cost of Virgin tv.

Another edit - if you are getting a poor signal, why are you paying £20 a month for a mobile phone? Have you considered SIM only or PAYG?

smallandcute

My water bill is based on the old system, I have asked my letting agents repeatedly if I can have a meter installed and no answer. due to this I have taken this as a firm NO so havent changed across to the meter. Let me put it this way, it took them two years to fix a fence which they always saw and noted on house inspections but didnt bother to do anything about it so I doubt I will ever get a response for this either.

The council tax is for the past three years, includes the 25% discount for single person and debt collectors and court fees.

Forgot to add, my Barclays account and Natwest accounts were my student overdrafts. i graduated in 2013 and i dont remember paying anything off of these potentially making them statute barred next year?

TriggerHappy

Hiya,

Council tax does seem very high? That's almost double what I pay for a three bed house in York! BT at £600 too?

I think that as you've received a CCJ from Three then you might be on the verge of some more serious problems than digging through your SOA is going to help...

My advice, as your SOA actually seems pretty reasonable in most instances, is that you call and speak to a debt charity ASAP.

I always recommend Step Change, but there are other options - just make sure you go to a non charging company (Christian Against Poverty is another good one).

You can obviously discuss on a forum like this but you need to start taking actual action now - first thing in the morning you should give them a buzz

Good luck! I know it seems awful now but it'll be alright in the end.

stripeyfox

Hi. You're in a spin right now and it's tough. I've been there, as have many others on here. I think, being honest, that you need to speak to a debt charity like Stepchange. You're never going to make much of a dent in those debts based on your current situation. Your budget is pretty tight even disregarding the debts - which is probably a contributing factor in how they got racked up in the first place.

Separately, sent you a PM

All the best

D_M_E

Forget the letting agents - you have the right to have a meter installed and I don't think either the agents or LL can prevent it.

Also, since the meter will most likely be installed outside the property then you will not be making alterations so therefore no deductions can be made from your deposit because of it.

smallandcute

@stripeyfox, thank you for your words of support, they are much appreciated.

My council tax bill for this year, after my 25% discount and before any DCA fees is £786.41 per annum. this is for a band A 1 bed house. I wont go into detail but it took me two years and my MP to get my single persons discount. The council do not deal with any important local issues, charge us residents through the roof for basics, do not complete essentails tasks etc. I am harrassed every other month to confirm who lives at my address for 'voting puposes'. Safe to say I feel my council are scum.

@D_M_E, we posted the same time. under CAB advise and my water supplier it does say that permission needs to be sought from the landlord first. also would the water supplier allow me to switch to a meter when I am in that much debt?

Also to add the phone, internet, TV thing. this is for home use only. I am on a SIM only deal with 02 for my mobile and this is accounted for in mobile section of the SOA.

D_M_E

https://www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/2013/08/20/tenants-and-water-meters-what-is-the-law/

https://forums.landlordzone.co.uk/forum/residential-letting-questions/26741-water-meter-can-t-insist-on-it-or-install-without-l-s-consent

But read this from Severn Trent water company
https://www.stwater.co.uk/help-and-contact/faqs/i%27m-the-tenant-of-a-property-do-i-need-my-landlord%27s-permission-to-get-a-water-meter/

datlex

smallandcute wrote: »

Hi all,



here is my SOA. Any and all constructive advice welcome. Just a few additional notes to include;

• my salary is the highest I am going to be able to earn in my area, the company I work for has good progression opportunities which I am trying to work towards. Please do not state that I need to find a better paying job, not only is this incredibly rude and condisending but impossible in the sector that I work in. What is the job? What is your working pattern? Could you supplement your income with a second evening or weekend job?
• I hope to retrain in the next couple of years into a very understaffed medical profession, this will be three years of training.
• I have 4 cats. The pet section covers food and regular vets bills for all of them throughout the year. They will not be given up!
• I do not drive hence the car section showing a 0 value.
• This years council tax is included in the debt hence why the council tax section is showing as 0.
• Received a CCJ this morning for the 3 Network debt.
• Satallite/Cable section includes internet, TV and Phone cost. With Virgin but cannot change as I get such poor signal where I live.

Please advise on what you beleive is to to be the best solution for me to get this debt cleared.



Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1200

Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 575
Council tax............................. 0 even with owing you need to allow for this
Electricity............................. 50
Water rates............................. 40
Mobile phone............................ 20 when you can go sim only
TV Licence.............................. 12.54
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 56 do you use the yearly line rental saver if you are with Virgin?
Groceries etc. ......................... 120 might be able to shave off a small amount depending on your local shops
Clothing................................ 20
Other travel............................ 110 How do you get to work?
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 25
Contents insurance...................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 20 Cut this
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 15
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1083.54

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Council Tax....................3000......0.........0
HMRC/DWP.......................1200......0.........0
Santander CA...................1138......0.........0
Sky ...........................35........0.........0
BT.............................600.......0.........0 How many years is the for?
3 Network......................558.......0.........0
IRESA Energy...................800.......0.........0
Water Company .................2000......0.........0 at £40 a month this is 50 months unpaid
Flow Engery....................358.2.....0.........0
NPower.........................900.......0.........0 at £50 a month this is 18 months
Barclays CA....................2000......0.........0
Natwest CC.....................333.......0.........0
Natwest CA.....................1646.25...0.........0
Santander CC2..................1800......0.........0
Santander CC1 .................1336.77...0.........0
Total unsecured debts..........17705.22..0.........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,200
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,083.54
Available for debt repayments........... 116.46
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments.......
Amount left after debt repayments....... 116.46 Are you actually paying your debts or anything towards them?
Total Unsecured debt.................... -17,705.22
Net Assets.............................. -17,705.22

thanks,

Smallandcute

It seems there are a lot of debts here? How on earth did you end up owing so much to all those different companies.

I am sorry but if you are paying the amounts you say you are, when did you not pay your bills and how long for?


Why didn't you pay? Was it lack of financial knowledge - e.g. not had bills before? Was it something else? Looking at why can be a help as to changing your mind set.

buythedip

50% of your take home pay goes on rent. Nobody can afford that.

smallandcute

datlex wrote: »

It seems there are a lot of debts here? How on earth did you end up owing so much to all those different companies.

I am sorry but if you are paying the amounts you say you are, when did you not pay your bills and how long for?

Why didn't you pay? Was it lack of financial knowledge - e.g. not had bills before? Was it something else? Looking at why can be a help as to changing your mind set.

Job is in Customer Service. I work full time, contracted 37.5 hours per week on a nightshift and includes one day each weekend. Hoping to review my contract so I work an extra 5 hours per week. My salary includes the night shift allowance.

As I have already stated I am SIM only with 02.

Yearly line rental saver is already included in my Virgin package.

I shop at Asda. I am veggie and as I dont drive need home delivery.

I get the bus to work at £20 per week. I also see my mum who lives in another county once a month and get the train at £30 for an off peak return.

Presents are for my immediate family only and that is between them, I put that amount aside each month so i have the funds available at christmas and birthdays. We have a set budget amoungst us all for this.

BT debt is for contract which i withdrew from as the service for internet was so poor, hence why I have to be with virgin. BT (and another provider that uses there lines) are basically running off hamsters to get any kind of internet service.

Water Debt- This is what the water company has stated I owe.

NPower- Again this is what they have calculated I owe.

I will not go into why the bills have not been paid, only I need to know why, no one else. This is not to be rude but for privacy and security reasons. I am now in a fortunate situation to have a great support network to help me get back on my feet.

@buythedip- please tell my landlord that, I live in one of the cheapest homes in my area.