How to manage paying off the dmp

Coaster23

Oh ok…they asked for our asked for our outgoings etc when we spoke to them last time. I assumed they needed it. They sent forms asking for everything…😳

Grumpelstiltskin

They can ask for anything but you can also say no I'm not giving you that.

If you pay them what you decide do you think they will refuse it?

Coaster23

Well we have nothing to lose….just been a long road and want it over with 🤞

Grumpelstiltskin

OK  Firstly stop paying Stepchange, then send CCA requests as you were advised earlier.

Hang on to what you would have paid Stepchange, you will get letters, phone calls ( don't answer them and block the numbers ) and texts ( delete them )  Once you have sent CCA requests you don't need to pay until they provide the correct documentation.

It could take some months before you get what you need but don't give in and keep coming back here for advice.

Coaster23

Thank you. All sounds a bit worrying…but I’m sure it will be worth it. 🤞

btw silly question…how do you pay £1 for the cca request…(don’t have a cheque book)

Grumpelstiltskin

Get £1 postal orders, don't fill in the name send them blank as some companies don't cash them and send them back to you

DjangoUnchained

really glad i refused to go through stepchange and do it myself. Cant see why anyone would want to use them, they dont have your interests at heart, they work for the creditors. I believe ive saved myself about £20,000  and at least 5 years of payments by not using them.

Rob5342

DjangoUnchained said:

really glad i refused to go through stepchange and do it myself. Cant see why anyone would want to use them, they dont have your interests at heart, they work for the creditors. I believe ive saved myself about £20,000  and at least 5 years of payments by not using them.

I started a DMP with them 2.5 years ago. On their advice I started paying straight away and got a payment arrangment with Virgin, which I stopped paying last year and it has only just defaulted. If I'd found this place earlier and followed the advice here instead of theirs that default would be probably be dropping off in four years instead of six. I also have about £15,000 of unenforcable debt that I'd still be paying if I had just listened to them.

I'm sure they help people get a lot of people started, but long term their approach is incredibly bad for the individual.

Coaster23

Just starting to feel anxious about it all again…feels like it will be starting all the stress up again …..

sourcrates

Coaster23 said:

Just starting to feel anxious about it all again…feels like it will be starting all the stress up again …..

Honestly, I really don`t understand when people say they are stressed by a process they have been advised to undertake, its only money, its means nothing, in 100 years no one will remember this, and they cannot take what you haven`t got, no matter what they may threaten.

Look on it as a game of one-upmanship, in which you call the shots, honestly, there is nothing to be afraid of here, debt collection is all about bluff, many people on this forum have vast experience of dealing with debt, and I have to say debt is one of the easiest things to control, once you have a plan in place, and you gain a little knowledge.

You just have to cut out the white noise created by lenders chasing money, that never existed in the first place, that means no phone contact, email or in writing only, exercise your statutory rights, by sending CCA requests, you make the decisions, you are in charge, that`s the way to deal with things, and then just go about your life as normal and don`t think of it again.