desperate for advice

brokedfw

Hi all,

Please be gentle, this is my first post and I'm terrified!

I was made redundant from my long term job and around the same time was hit with a huge HMRC bill a few years back, which I paid with an at that time 0% credit card. This, along with an unreliable income as I fought my ex-employers, has grown into £19k of debt across 3 credit card providers. I moved back with my parents, sold everything valuable and have just about been able to keep up with the minimum repayments as I looked for more secure work. My credit score is stable and I have not missed any payments or defaulted but I feel like I'm drowning and never able to get a foothold on paying more than the minimumm.

I have started to speak with Step Change about a manageable DMP and am pretty certain this is my best option. However, I've now finally been offered a secure, long-term and modestly paid contract which will enable me to start chipping away at my debt but it is not in the UK. My worries are that as a DMP is an informal agreement my creditors will hassle my last known UK address (my parents) and I won't be in the country, despite taking a job abroad to pay for said debts. I'm not sure I could live with the guilt of my parents being intimidated by my creditors without me being there to deal with the consequences.

sourcrates

Just remove their address from your contact details.
GDPR gives you new rights, so use them.

brokedfw

Wow I feel like a noob...I had no idea it was that simple now with GDPR

Thank you!

sourcrates

brokedfw wrote: »

Wow I feel like a noob...I had no idea it was that simple now with GDPR

Thank you!

You can dictate to your creditors how you are contacted, just say contact by email only, or whatever is your preference.

brokedfw

Thank you, I will do this urgently.

I've read some horror stories about creditors using bailiffs or passing on debts using last known addresses etc. despite a DMP being in place, which I am mentally preparing for and have set up a UK postal address who can scan any default notice letters but definitely still in a panic! Just trying to do everything to (lessen) the stress I've caused my family already.

Thanks again!