I think I've wasted my time and money for the last 12 months.

looby75

I signed up with the CCCS in Dec 06 when it came clear that I could no longer keep up payments on my credit cards and a loan I had.

Before that date I had never missed a single payment to my creditors by robbing peter to pay paul but as soon as I realised that it was all going to come tumbling down on me I faced up and tried to do something about it.

I had the typical first few months of nasty phone calls while the DMP got set up, but for about 11 months everything has been going smoothly. Until today. I got a letter from HBOS saying, we trust your circumstances have now improved and you are now in a position to make your normal monthly repayments blah blah blah, interest and charges will now be added blah blah blah, contact us if you are still experiencing financial difficulties so we can advise you in confidence.

So phone them and tell them that my financial situation has not changed for the better in fact if anything it is slightly worse (cost of energy/food/bus fares all risen a lot over the last few months) That I was on a DMP with the CCCS, and they had been accepting the plan for a year. The advice they offered.....interest and charges will be added to your account from 28th Feb if you don't pay after 6 months we will transfer your debt to a DCA. I again explained I was on a DMP and I COULDN'T return to normal payments so could they please transfer my debt to a DCA immediately and was told no they will only do that after 6 months because before I started on the DMP I had a good credit history and had never missed a payment :wall: I also requested that all correspondence be in letters as I didn't want to go back to the 6+ phone calls a day I was getting before the DMP kicked in properly and was told they could phone me as often as I liked if I didn't resume normal payments.

So basically everything I have paid off my debts to Halifax in the last year will be for nothing and will be wiped out in interest and charges in a couple of months, all because I acted responsibly and as soon as I realised I was in trouble I got help.

I wonder which of my other creditors will be next to stick the knife in

rayday2

They are wrong they are not allowed to ring you as many times as they like. I would tackle this via a formal complaint, I will post a link up and read through it when you get time and see if they broken anything and what and take it up with them via letter. You will know if they have treated it as a formal complaint because in their reply you should get a leaflet explaining the process.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

looby75

rayday2 wrote: »

They are wrong they are not allowed to ring you as many times as they like. I would tackle this via a formal complaint, I will post a link up and read through it when you get time and see if they broken anything and what and take it up with them via letter. You will know if they have treated it as a formal complaint because in their reply you should get a leaflet explaining the process.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf

Cheers for that, what a handy guide to have I'll have a proper look through it when I've calmed down a bit, I'm really annoyed at the moment. I just feel like by being as responsible as I possibly could have been (after all I didn't have a crystal ball and didn't know things were going to turn out the way they have in regard to my personal circumstances) its now going to go against me and 12 months on I'm back to square one and may end up owing even more money.

rayday2

You have been responsible a mortgage company told that me last week lol!

Apparently people like "us" who stop the borrowing cycle and claim responsiblity back are OK! Don't let them get you down, you have done really well and I was like you not late with one payment before my DMP but that didn't mean I didn't have a problem I was just quick in spotting it before it critical.

Just remember don't calm down too much before you write the letter the more you can throw at them the better!

Go Looby!

newlywed

That sounds pretty scummy of them.

But, you've not really wasted your time. For the last year you have had no interest or charges added - so you have had a year "off" from interest being added.

Plus this is only one complete git of a creditor - the others might all be nice still ?? Hopefully

newlywed

Plus, work out how much you have managed to pay off in the last year - your interest charges shouldn't be as big as they were before the DMP as your debt will have reduced in that time - obviously depending on how large your contributions are compared to debt

prison_break_fan

Ooo looby I could have written this post myself as I've had exactly the same thing happpen with Sainsbury's bank CC (Who I think may also be HSBC) All going smoothly for a year and me making a little headway then bang up pops a statement saying I expect you are much better off now so here are all the charges back again.
I rang and was told we'll wait 6 months then sell it on - CCCS said let them but I know exactly how you feel - I was flattened. Just sitting tight now watching the interest grow.
Hugs to ya

Gemmzie

RBOS always do this, have a search for Halifax on this forum and you'll see it's standard practise.

They've just done it to us. As far as I'm concerned, let them add their charges etc. and pass it on after six months to a DCA. I'm still counting the figure without the interest and when the time comes, shall use this in argument for a full and final settlement.

looby75

newlywed wrote: »

Plus, work out how much you have managed to pay off in the last year - your interest charges shouldn't be as big as they were before the DMP as your debt will have reduced in that time - obviously depending on how large your contributions are compared to debt

Unfortunately I haven't been able to pay very much off, just £180 and I still owe £1,400. The interest/charges will demolish that in just a few months and I'll be back to square one after a year of payments

Maybe if I use some of zincoxide's ideas on how to answer the phone when they call up they might get fed up and send my debt to a DCA sooner than 6 months :rotfl:

newlywed

Gemmzie wrote: »

RBOS always do this, have a search for Halifax on this forum and you'll see it's standard practise.

Oh dear guess I'll have to expect that for Mint too then? Although if they have already issued defaults, can they then start charging again?

Have you guys had defaults issued for these ones they're charging on again?

Gemmzie

Ours is similar looby, owed around £1.5k now owe, just £1320 :rotfl:

Don't think of it as square one, you can claim back credit card charges still remember