Finding Accounts

sunshinegirl80

So a bit of a back story I left an extremely abusive relationship which ended in prosecution of my ex partner. I worked up to a couple of weeks ago but have accepted defeat that my mental health and my children’s mental health needed fixing. Unfortunately due to debts I was advised the best way forward would be to go bankrupt. All the debts I have are registered at the old address as I’m currently staying with family with my 2 children. Is there a way I can get the information for these debts. Sorry if there’s  a really obvious answer but I just have trouble thinking. I’m assuming in order to go bankrupt I need the organisation the debt is with and the amount. Hopefully this will be the fresh start we all need. 

marcia_

 Look on your credit record using clearscore or direct to the credit reference agencies and all your accounts will be there. 

flipflopflo

You need to check the three credit reference agencies. Follow Martins guide to get them for free. 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report/

With bankruptcy ALL your qualifying debts are included in it even if you don’t put them on the form. 

May I ask who you consulted about your debt please?

sunshinegirl80

Hi it was refuge but I really have not got a clue. They said a dro isn’t suitable because i don’t work have 2 children one who has a disability. I am in poor health also. I haven’t got access to my old bank account also. To provide statements. Me and my 2 children live with my parents in one room both are retired and out of the universal credit I pay to live here. Everything is such a mess and really just want something in place and be able to move forward 

RAS

OK, are you based in England or Wales?

Any rough idea how much you owe? 

You do NOT need to work to do an DRO.

Is the advisor confusing this with an IVA which does require a stable income?

Do you have any ID?

sunshinegirl80

I’m in England.
I want to return to work at some point as this is part of me getting better. 

Only ID I have is a driving licence.
I have around 21 thousand pounds of debt. 

I’m concerned as the advisor said because all my money I get is made up of universal credit and DLA and child benefit and I pay my parents to live here. We left with the clothes on our backs so I’m trying to replace stuff for the children. I sleep on a broken sofa bed but I keep reminding myself we are in a better place. They said if you have a disposable income then you are not eligible is this with just benefits also? 

RAS

In order to do a DRO, you need to show that you have less than  £30k debt and £75 per month disposable income after paying all your living costs. You need advice as to whether the DLA even counts as income for these purposes.

I'm surprised that if you are on benefits only that you have that sort of money if you are making a full contribution to your parents to cover the costs of you and two kids AND you are budgeting fully for clothing, media, medical and dental, holiday, travel, entertainment etc. Even if you are living at your parents, you need contents insurance, for example.  

It might be a good idea if you did a proper Statement of Affairs, and people can advise what's missing from it. Then if you really have got that sort surplus, you'll be able to save the bankruptcy fee more easily. Pity as a DRO is a lot cheaper.

sunshinegirl80

How does Bankruptcy work with being on benefits only. I have my own bank account now but previously it was a joint one and I don’t think my ex would be forthcoming with statements. Also I wouldn’t want him to know about the current state of affairs. I just want a fresh start for me and my children. The debts were for his phone in my name loan in my name that he used and credit for purchases that he needed. I don’t have a car. I was advised that it would be hard to prove that it  was coercive financial abuse without a fight. I was speaking with refuge and these don’t really understand is there better people to speak with? Sorry for loads of questions today is the first day I’ve felt able to think about a way out and starting again 

RAS

sunshinegirl, I think it's rather quiet here because of the sunshine and it's Mother's Day.

I don't think either the Insolvency Practitioner or the DRO supplier would be the least bit bother by the absence of statements for the old joint account.

In fact, the old joint account wouldn't feature in your debts in BR (not absolutely sure re DRO @fatbelly ). When one party of a joint account goes BR or starts an IVA, the entire debt associated the joint account falls to the partner who is not BR. So there's a little karma after all.

Do the credit checks that flipflopflo suggests, if possible. Have you spoken to Women's Aid or Surviving Economic Abuse? 

MalMonroe

sunshinegirl80 said:

How does Bankruptcy work with being on benefits only. I have my own bank account now but previously it was a joint one and I don’t think my ex would be forthcoming with statements. Also I wouldn’t want him to know about the current state of affairs. I just want a fresh start for me and my children. The debts were for his phone in my name loan in my name that he used and credit for purchases that he needed. I don’t have a car. I was advised that it would be hard to prove that it  was coercive financial abuse without a fight. I was speaking with refuge and these don’t really understand is there better people to speak with? Sorry for loads of questions today is the first day I’ve felt able to think about a way out and starting again 

Hi, I'm so sorry to hear of your situation but like you say, you and your children are now in a better place, physically.

I would say please try not to panic and jump into a bankruptcy. It's something that needs careful consideration. 

As marcia_ has said, above, do have a look at your credit reports with Experian, Equifax (Clearscore is a part of their organisation) and TransUnion. Then you will be able to see what debts are owing to where and you will also be able to see if there are any mistakes on your credit reports. (It does happen sometimes).

What I would then do in your position is sit down (maybe with a cup of tea/coffee) and make a list of all your incomings and outgoings as well as a list of your debts. 

Then I would contact Citizens Advice - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ - and speak to someone there.

There are also other free debt help agencies and their details are in the following link -

https://www.gov.uk/options-for-paying-off-your-debts - and if you click on 'free debt help advisory services', the info in this link pops up -

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt/debt-advice-locator

Please don't pay for help with debt, though.

Once you have all the relevant information, then you can make an informed decision. With a debt of £21k, it may be that bankruptcy is not the right option for you but, as I say, if you discuss it with one of the experts, you will have a better idea of what to do next. It will, of course, all be your decision.

Nobody will judge you or try to embarrass you in any way. That isn't what they are there for. They are there to help people in financial difficulty.

I used StepChange about ten years ago and they were excellent. They really helped me at a time when I thought I had nowhere to turn. The problem is that when you are in such a situation, you just can't think straight or see straight, even. I couldn't anyway and I found that speaking to an adviser at StepChange really put my mind at rest and for the first time in a long time I felt at peace because I'd been offered a workable solution.

I hope this is of some help. It's only my own opinion and thought though - and I do wish you and your children all the very best for the future.

sourcrates

Right, OK, Lets sit back, relax, and take a deep breath here, all this talk of Bankruptcy and DRO`s, and advisors saying this, that and the other, is all clouding the water here.

Are you actually being actively chased for these debts yet ?

Because someone in your situation is highly unlikely to be able to pay due to your circumstances.

What I`m trying to say is no matter what collection activity is unleashed upon you, they cannot take what you do not have, now can they.

It`s much easier than you may think to get debts that were run up as a result of fraud, written off, or at least, have all collection activity on them ceased.

If you are written too about any of the debts, you just respond with a letter explaining the circumstances the debt was accumulated under, and what your current situation is now.

Creditors have specialist departments that deal with vulnerable clients, they will be very open and sympathetic to your circumstances, and its quite likely that you would be successful in obtaining debt write offs here.

It may not happen straight away, it may take some time, and form filling, but it can happen, I don`t see any need for an intrusive option like Bankruptcy or a DRO just yet, unless things get too much for you and it becomes necessary.

You would be far better off speaking to Stepchange or National Debtline, or even CAB, always exhaust the easy options before going for broke.