Light at the end of the tunnel......?

Got2change

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

G2C ((((((hugs)))))))

I am afraid the bailiff has conned you out of money. You should NEVER have paid that or invited him in. It would have been included in your BR. I am so :mad: at him on your behalf. DO NOT EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LET HIM IN AGAIN BEFORE YOU GO BR.

Seriously?

He was waving "warrants" from the Court in my town -which is not the same as the Court I am going to for the BR (in Sheffield) at me, which scared me somewhat. I had only just confirmed with the Court the date for the BR when the man came so had no written proof; I am sure he thought I was bs-ing him.

At the moment my biggest worry is about the Gas/Electricity that I owe (please no-one ask the amount; I simply cannot understand how they have let me "get away with it"!.....
Research on here leads me to think that if I include it in the BR, I will then be forced to have a prepayment meter and everything that means (highest rate ever, topping up a card etc etc). After the BR, I will still have problems paying my way (it's not as though I'm paying anything properly now, that's for sure) due to being an unemployed loser so am scared that I will then not even have the basic home comforts that are so important (some of that is history that I can't manage to shrug off...).
My thoughts about it are:
The heating system in this house is horribly inefficient; I managed OK with the bills when I was earning "decent" money (paid about £46.00 a month, always in credit, managed fine), then 1) threat of redundancy, stopped paying, capped rate stopped, rates increased#1 - 2) Lost job first time (nasty weird man to work for) -still not paying DD, debt increasing - 3) Got job, not very good pay, started considering BR, winter coming, bills still coming, still not paying DD. Now 4) Lost job from really nasty nasty place (bullied to almost death) - winter here, rates increased again, at home nearly all day every day. (Why have I written all this...)
The fact remains the house is rented, I can't upgrade the system:
I have to have the water and heating on together and at the moment that's all day every day . I have no room thermostat(s), the landlord said no point but he has upgraded the loft and wall insulation and put radiator thermostats on both bedroom radiators. There is only one control on the boiler (1-3) and I have no idea if that is controlling the heat of the water or the heating system as a whole (I know, I'm thick).
So - in all of the mess that I'm in, it is this that has actually pushed me to BR. If I could have paid Scottish Power all that they are owed by me, I would feel "better" about the BR or possibly even try to find a way to not go BR because before I was made redundant and then had two really quite horrible jobs go belly up, I was "plodding" (much as I hate that expression) along OK - although would have still been sending minimum payments to HSBC's DCA from beyond the grave I'm sure I was just about keeping the wolf from the door (even though it couldn't have gone on forever) but now he's not only through the door, he's moved in and made himself quite comfortable thank you very much.:rolleyes:
I am going to do some calcluations regarding my gas & electricity consumption now.

tigerfeet2006

Just bumping for you as I haven't got time to reply at the moment.

But one thing though YOU ARE NOT A LOSER. Y ou are a human being who has got yourself into difficulty. You are not the first you won't be the last ((((((hugs))))

debt_doctor

Hi,

I know a single person on benefits is never easy. I pressume you get £ 59.15 per week with maximum housing benefit and full council tax benefit.

If you are in private rent and you have to top up your rent from your JSA then you can apply to your local council for a discretionary housing payment.

Best

DD

Richard_S

Hi Got2change,

As far as I know there are no psychologists, consellors or therapists on this site, although I'm sure most of us have had the same self doubt and recriminations that you're going through, and we've had to resort to our own self analysis.

You seem to be facing a battle on two fronts; your debts and the associated problems, i.e. bailiffs and debt collectors, and a lack of self-esteem that's stopping you from earning a decent living, and being the person that you once were.

You've got to get to grips with both these problems if you're ever going to enjoy life again. Declaring bankruptcy is something that there's no shortage of advice on here, but addressing your low self esteem is something that you're either going to have to resolve yourself or seek professional advice.

Have you thought about just taking a relatively low skilled job, preferably one that pays cash, just to get you out of the house? Please believe me I know what those feelings of worthlessness are, and in my experience the only way to beat them is to make a start; however modest. Something better always crops up, but it never will if you don't take the initiative.

Best regards

Richard

Got2change

I lost track of my own thread and hadn't actually read the last two replies - so thank you both for your advice. Particularly yours Richard.

Got2change

So -
- now I've bumped myself back up again -
- another visit from the bailiff; this time the ones appointed by the Council for non-payment of Council Tax. I am on CTB now but what I owe is pro-rata'ed for the year based on the fact that I was gainfully employed between June and December last year - in between two periods of unemployment. Total o/s is £467.62 which I don't disagree with but can't afford to pay.
So of course, I didn't answer the door to him but fear is that he will - as his colleague did a couple of months ago - "seize" my car (which was sitting innocently on my drive. On the road now.).
My date for Court is 14 March - but not sure of the best way to deal (or not) with this situation. I know there is a form N245 which can be completed if you are making a proposal to pay - but I won't be, my CAB Caseworker tells me that it will be included in the BR. I did ring both the bailiffs office and the man himself but once he'd got me on the phone, he started - despite my telling him I'm on JSA - on about meeting (the form says that will attract more costs) and settng up a levy on my goods. Funny how I lost the signal at that point
Anyone got any ideas how to hold them at bay until BR?

(I am trying to stay business-like as I fear that I have divulged too much about my personal feelings of failure - but rest assured I am not as cold-blooded as I may sound)

betterlatethannever

Hi Got2change.

I'm not totally sure on the advice i'm about to offer, so hopefully someone else will clarify.
I believe that if your disputing the amount then the bailiffs can be held off while the dispute is going on...if i'm right then you might be able to hold them off just long enough for you to go BR.
Maybe do a letter to the council saying you dispute the amount then at least the balls rolling.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge of bailiffs will help here. In the mean time i'm off to try and find out if i'm correct (a first time for everything:rolleyes: )

peachyprice

Hi gottochange,
Ring the council direct, explain your situation, they are the ones who have the power to stop the bailiffs.

Even if you bend the truth a bit and tell them you want to make an offer to pay, ask for time to put your I&E in writing to pay say £10, they can call the bailiffs off while they consider your application. By the time they process that it will be too late for them, you will be BR.

This happened to me a few weeks ago, the lovely lady I spoke to in the collections dept. put the bailiffs on hold and told me to send my letter to the Senior Collections Officer.

I'm still waiting for them to accept or refuse my application, but the bailiffs haven't been back since.

Yoiu just need to hang on in there for 10 more days.

Got2change

Thank you Peach for the advice; I shall ring them tomorrow.