How Long Before I hear back from StepChange?

iceandfire1

I made an application yesterday. How long before I hear back from StepChange? I am just anxious and I am needing someone to talk me through this.

I am on the process of opening another basic bank account or using either Wise or Monzo temporarily for my salary to go into because I am scared it would go into my bank overdraft bank account.

It will be such a pain to set up all the direct debits, and I am dreading the process. But I don't have a choice.

Rob5342

I think it was about three weeks whwn I did it a few years ago. 

Have all of you r accounts defaulted? If not you should stop paying and wait for them all to default before yoy start a DMP. That's much better in the long term. 

fatbelly

You should be able to talk or webchat to someone at stepchange during normal office hours.

If you open a new bank account they should be able to bring across your dds. Obvsly you don't want the debt payments to come across

iceandfire1

Rob5342 said:

I think it was about three weeks whwn I did it a few years ago. 

Have all of you r accounts defaulted? If not you should stop paying and wait for them all to default before yoy start a DMP. That's much better in the long term. 

I am still up to date with all of them except this last one which I think I will not be able to pay in a few days. I have also applied for Breathing Space which I did not know would block my last lifeline, the credit card I was relying on to tide me over to the end of the month. It has been a series of bad decisions, but I am still hanging in there.

Grumpelstiltskin

OK Do not panic and set up a DMP before your debts have defaulted.

Stepchange won't tell you to wait for defaults but it is the best thing to do.

If you just stop paying your unsecured debts nothing terrible is going to happen and it will give you time to build up an emergency fund something you will need as something will break down and need replacing and you won't have access to credit.

iceandfire1

Grumpelstiltskin said:

OK Do not panic and set up a DMP before your debts have defaulted.

Stepchange won't tell you to wait for defaults but it is the best thing to do.

If you just stop paying your unsecured debts nothing terrible is going to happen and it will give you time to build up an emergency fund something you will need as something will break down and need replacing and you won't have access to credit.

Thank you.  Yes I only have a few hundred left in my temporary bank account. I am anxious about all the company calls I'm going to get. But I am still on breathing space until March. I wish I could just turn my brain off so I can stop thinking about this. But at least my family is going to survive this month. I hope my application with StepChange will be approved with no hassles so I can move on in peace.

iceandfire1

I have also posted most of my stuff on Marketplace, but so far no one is buying. But hopefully they can also add to the emergency fund. Looking at all this now, I really cannot imagine what I was thinking when  I was buying all this stuff with money that wasn't even mine to begin with. I deeply regret having to go through all this. But thank you for all these avenues and for StepChange and DMP it is giving  me hope for a brighter future.

Grumpelstiltskin

Just block all phone numbers you get calls from, delete E  Mails and texts, but open any letters you get through snail mail and ask us if you are not sure about them.

Rob5342

iceandfire1 said:

Grumpelstiltskin said:

OK Do not panic and set up a DMP before your debts have defaulted.

Stepchange won't tell you to wait for defaults but it is the best thing to do.

If you just stop paying your unsecured debts nothing terrible is going to happen and it will give you time to build up an emergency fund something you will need as something will break down and need replacing and you won't have access to credit.

I hope my application with StepChange will be approved with no hassles so I can move on in peace.

DMPs are informal arrangements with no approval from anyone required, its really just a case of making whatever payments you are able to afford. Stepchange can make those payments on your behalf which some people find helpful, but equally you can simply just set up standing orders yourself so don't worry about approvals as they are irrelevant.

I woud urge you to default before starting the DMP as this is much better for your credit record in the long term, and can cost less overall. 

EssexHebridean

Definitely adding to the calls not to now add a further poor decision by rushing into a DMP. If Stepchange come back to you at this stage the best thing to do is to tell them that actually you have decided you want more time to think through what to do, and that you will get back to them in the future if needed.

The board here can support you through the process of waiting for defaults. As for contacts, you are quite within your rights to tell all creditors that they may only contact you by post, or email, or whatever suits you best. Just bear in mind that if you choose email that does exclude any official documentation which has to be sent by post legally. In your shoes my approach to phone calls would be to initially answer - tell the caller that "I'm not willing to engage with you on the telephone, you can only contact me by hard copy letter through the post" then ask them to acknowledge what you have said, say thank you and goodbye, and hang up. Make a note of who you have heard from and given that information to on each occasion. Block the number each time you do this. If creditors call subsequently from a different number remind them of your previous instruction, and tell them that any further calls will be seen as harassment. Then block subsequent numbers too. 

First priority - cancel the payments to your unsecured debts.
Second priority - get your SOA (Statement of Affairs) sorted out so that you have a firm idea of how your finances are set right at the moment. You can do this via the link in my signature which takes you to one of our recommended calculators. If you feel comfortable to do so you can then use the "format for MSE" option, and copy and paste that into this thread - we might then be able to help you spot savings you have missed to date. 

sourcrates

It really pays to do your research when entering any new phase in your life, so here`s a little tip for you.

The debt collection process is something few folk know much about, they have seen things on the telly, and heard stories from others, most peoples actual knowledge is 75% rumour, and 25% guesswork, and they always steer towards the worst case scenario option first.

Well I can tell you with almost 100% accuracy, nothing is going to happen quickly, it`ll likely all be a bit underwhelming if anything, the first couple of months will be quiet, a reminder about a missed payment perhaps, when you get to 3/4 months down the line, you might get a letter or two, the best thing you can do is before you stop paying any of your debts, go and update your phone number on all your credit accounts, to a number that isn`t yours, any random number or a company or business somewhere, the speaking clock used to be a good choice back in the day lol.

That way non of them can phone you, only email and letters, so try and do that if you can.

Debt management is all about regaining control of a situation you have let slip, and one little triumph can pave the way for more.