DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part Three)

tinkerbell12

What a great thread - we have just started our DMP with CCCS this month so first payment will go to creditors on 25th of March. Have had a v quick response from Northern Rock accepting our lower payments but don't know if the interest is being frozen.

The other creditors have responded with the standard letter saying we have cancelled our DD and risk our next payment not going out etc but no acknowledgement of DMP at all. Is it worth ringing them? is this common?

Thanks for reading!

dlb

Oh it sounds like some of you are having a rough time at the minute, but hang in there it will be the best thing you have ever done.

It maybe easy for me to say that as im 2 years into my dmp, but i remember how it was at the start and things do get better very quickly, the phone calls and letters will stop.

The most enpowering thing i did at the start was
a- cancel all payments
b- when ever any creditors phoned up i would talk over the top of the person at the end of the phone quote my ref number and give them the number of the dmp company then hang up, belive me they get fed up of not engaging in conversation!!!

Good luck and hang in there

UKroseblue

Hi

Have been lurking around this site for what seems like ages. A brilliant source of help and advice and although i have posted a couple of times now feel ready to start posting regularly!

I joined the March grocery challenge this morning and now i've chucked my 12yo daughter off the PC this afternoon (she's cooking me tea, bless her!) would like to join the DMP thread.

I have a dmp with Payplan that has been running for just over two years and on the whole i have been managing it quite well (except for a couple of reduced payments due to emergencies) and have managed to increase my payments from £105 pm to £150 pm since the start. My estimated finish is now Nov 2014! Seems like forever but when i look at how much i have repaid - £3167 - i feel quite proud. i have just under £12k left.

The best thing though is the feeling of relief that i won't be getting the phone calls now and loving it when there's no post!

I do feel i can do more though - hence the March grocery challenge - and still feel a little out of control sometimes - i just don't seem to be able to keep any money in my purse and feel compelled to spend it! I don't earn a lot and have tax credits and child benefit coming in weekly but my downfall seems to be the food shopping so now i have signed up to the grocery challenge i am determined to get better.

Being on the dmp has changed my in life lots of ways and i feel happy telling my friends that i can't afford to always go out :beer: but i don't stay in all the time either and I entertain at home and still have a great life on the whole. I've got brilliant friends and a fantastic daughter and loving family and if you have some of that, you have everything you really need anyway.

I just wanted to wish everyone who is just starting out on their dmp, good luck and stick with it and be positive and as Greg and John from Masterchef say - "it will change your life!" :T

yellowmonkey

Nice post UKroseblue.

Very nice to hear of someone a couple of years down the line and feeling good about DMP. Nice for the new posters to read of this sort of thing and I totally agree with you. It was the best thing I have ever done regarding my Finances.

Hello and welcome to all old and new :hello:

ym

Boltonbwfc

UKroseblue wrote: »

I do feel i can do more though - hence the March grocery challenge - and still feel a little out of control sometimes - i just don't seem to be able to keep any money in my purse and feel compelled to spend it! I don't earn a lot and have tax credits and child benefit coming in weekly but my downfall seems to be the food shopping so now i have signed up to the grocery challenge i am determined to get better.

Hi UKroseblue

I am the same with the grocery bill! No matter how much I juggle this budget I just can't seem to get it down. I have tried all sorts of methods but have failed miserably. Any suggestions welcome :rotfl:

This forum keeps me going even though currently my debt is nearly 30K and it's going to take 40 years to pay off!

On the plus side at least I could'nt afford a season ticket at Bolton and watch us slowly and painfully get relegated :huh: :T

AmyV_2

hobo123 wrote: »

Hi I am looking for some advice for my parents it is a bit of a long story but here goes...
They are currently on a dmp with cccs and have been for 8 months the problem is their main debtor have called them today to advise that if they paid off £14000 they would take this as final payment for account when I advised that there was no way they could get this kind of money he asked could they not borrow it from any friends or family and then asked for info re mortgage outstanding etc and if they could release funds in property to pay amount off. He then said if they could not pay off in full the monthly payments would need to be inceased from £240 to £400 and if they could not do either they would take a charge on the property and then possibly request the property to be sold at auction.

I believe this was a scare tactic but it has unfortunately worked and my mother is extremely worried I contacted the cccs and they advised not to worry but I am wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences and if you could offer any advice on if any of what he has said is possible and what happens if they can't pay off or increase payments.

Thanks for any help you can offer

Hi Hobo

These people are truly despicable. They are just trying to scare your parents.

Firstly - they cannot just up the payments - that is not for them to decide! The worst that can happen (and it actually isn't a bad thing) is that they can go to the courts for a CCJ. The Courts are not there to punish anyone, and will look at the DMP Income and Expenditure with CCCS and generally will agree with the amount shown on the DMP - as they know this is all your parents can afford. The CCCS is well respected and the court would NEVER say that your parents should pay the £400 pm if the DMP clearly shows they cannot afford it. Also your parents have been clearly adhering to their DMP for 8 months - and the court would take that into account too.

Then whatever the Court decides - that is what your parents will pay each month. As long as they do not default on the payments then there is no way that the Creditor can ask for a charging order on the property.

We are going through this with a particularly nasty Creditor - so I have researched this a lot ;-)

There are strict processes for these things - and I recommend you look at the fact sheets etc on National Debtline website - they have some really good information on there.

However, it is rare that Creditors actually go that far - they are probably just trying it on to see what they can get.

Also, there are rules about Harrassment and if you feel that this Creditor has harrassed your parents - then you can report them to the OFT. - Have a look at the OFT Guidelines on Debt Collection on the National Debtline website.

Also - you can always phone CCCS or National Debtline yourself. They won't discuss your parents' situation but they can advise you in general. My husband has his DMP with CCCS but he also phones National Debtline if he needs a bit of reassurance. They have both also said if I am ever worried then they are very happy to talk to me.

I know its easy to say, but please try to stop them from worrying about it - and the people of this thread are always here if you need anything :-)

rayday2

Added a couple more people, if I have missed anyone apologies just yell at me and I will update!

Will catch up later but I have to get to post office before it shuts - village life hey!

Marru

Boltonbwfc wrote: »

Hi UKroseblue

I am the same with the grocery bill! No matter how much I juggle this budget I just can't seem to get it down. I have tried all sorts of methods but have failed miserably. Any suggestions welcome :rotfl:

This forum keeps me going even though currently my debt is nearly 30K and it's going to take 40 years to pay off!

On the plus side at least I could'nt afford a season ticket at Bolton and watch us slowly and painfully get relegated :huh: :T

Hi,

Have you considered in taking part of the grocery challenge on this forum. Here is a link to list of challenges that might help.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=767513

Marru

Gingerish

Hello again, can I join as well please. You are all incredibly helpful and I don't feel so alone with my debts anymore.

I've asked this already last week but just in case anyone knows - what does Abbey behave like when they learn about DMP?

rayday2

Sorry about that - must have missed you.

Added now!