Scared to death

katiepops_2

Tyres - there is a website you can order your tyres from where you can get them cheaper than just going straight to your usual tyre place - basically you tell them what you need and where you live and they give you a list of the local tyre shops and the prices, you pick which one you want and when you want to get them and then it sort of makes you an appointment to go in ... tyre-shopper.co.uk I think.

Renting in London - I would argue that you CAN find relatively cheap accommodation in London - my sister has loads of nice flats that she rents out and I know I was surprised when she told me how much she rents them out for as I thought it would be a lot more (north/east London). Plus if you rented somewhere in London that was a bit more than you are paying now, you would not be paying out £300 a month in petrol, so swings and roundabouts really.

bandraoi

I can't afford to live any nearer where I work as the closer you get to London the more extortionate the rental prices become.

It's a problem I'm only too familiar with.

Completely ignoring the debt for a minute, your salary isn't high enough. Your income is £1800 and to pay rent, council tax and get to and from work is costing you £1000. That makes things tight.

Have you discussed this with your employer? If you have to be in work that early than maybe there should be an allowance? Ask for a pay rise? Move North?

Alternatively you could try to find a cheaper accomodation/transport option. Instead of looking at flat rental you could maybe find someone who's looking for a lodger, they'd be unlikely to credit check you. Is there a night bus route close to work you could use instead of a car? Look for a flat along that?
Could you take a motorbike to work instead of a car?

Also it's a big step, but you've no assets so would bankruptcy be an option?

Homegrown_Idiot

katiepops wrote: »

Renting in London - I would argue that you CAN find relatively cheap accommodation in London - my sister has loads of nice flats that she rents out and I know I was surprised when she told me how much she rents them out for as I thought it would be a lot more (north/east London). Plus if you rented somewhere in London that was a bit more than you are paying now, you would not be paying out £300 a month in petrol, so swings and roundabouts really.

The problem I have is my dog, as not a lot of rental places will accept a dog, but as I said on my original post I can't get rid of my dog for personal reasons (I'd rather sleep in the car).
I have been looking for rentals in London, but 80% of them turn out to be house-sharing. even when they've been advertised as flats:(. And then there's the problem of me passing a credit check:(

Homegrown_Idiot

bandraoi wrote: »

It's a problem I'm only too familiar with.

Completely ignoring the debt for a minute, your salary isn't high enough. Your income is £1800 and to pay rent, council tax and get to and from work is costing you £1000. That makes things tight.

Have you discussed this with your employer? If you have to be in work that early than maybe there should be an allowance? Ask for a pay rise? Move North?

Alternatively you could try to find a cheaper accomodation/transport option. Instead of looking at flat rental you could maybe find someone who's looking for a lodger, they'd be unlikely to credit check you. Is there a night bus route close to work you could use instead of a car? Look for a flat along that?
Could you take a motorbike to work instead of a car?

Also it's a big step, but you've no assets so would bankruptcy be an option?

I've had a bit of news on the pay front, as of this month my take-home pay after taxes etc will be just over £2,000, so that's another £200 a month to play with.
There's definately no bus, there are trains but they're more expensive and don't run the times I need. A few years ago I had a serious accident on a motorbike, and to be honest I haven't got the nerve any more to ride one - especially into London

bandraoi

That's why I suggested an arrangement with you as a lodger, there'd be no credit check and they may be happy to have the dog, may even have one themselves. No idea where you'd look though, possibly you'd need to go to the area and stick a few notes up in shop windows.

To be honest though, you'd probably be better relocating outside London, even just in terms of finding somewhere with a back garden for the dog.

jenevieve

Hi Homegrown,
Just read through your thread and wanted to say good luck. You have already had lots of good advice thrown at you and contacting the CCCS is the right way to go.
This board and the people on it are absolutely brilliant and everyone supports each other without judgement. We are all in the same boat in one way or another.
I read a post by someone once who said you can't give your creditors money that you don't have - which is true, so don't let the worry eat away at you.

Isn't stroking animals supposed to lower stress levels; I guess you dog is in for a lot of cuddles;)

funkyprincess

I'm a newbie on these forums.

I just wanted to mention a couple of points:

1. Looking at your SOA Homegrown, if you are living alone, please make sure you are on the council tax rate for a single person ie 25% "discount" from the usual amount.
2. Renting - I rent and am on a DMP (and my debt is way north of yours). I started renting six months after I started my DMP. Credit checks etc were a worry to me too. I was advised by the folks who run my DMP that it wouldn't affect my ability to secure a tenancy agreement. Whether this is the case across the board I don't know - but it definitely didnt affect me being able to get a tenancy agreement in my name. They did say they'd never heard of a DMP affecting a potential renting opportunity and if it was an issue for an agency/landlord they'd do a letter confirming I'm on a DMP. Can't say this really appealed to me, but thought what the hell, my finances are in their infancy on their road to recovery and I needed somewhere to live. I really don't know if my agency did a credit check - but I got the tenancy agreement whatever they did/didn't do without a letter from the DMP folks.

Thanks.

Homegrown_Idiot

funkyprincess wrote: »

I'm a newbie on these forums.

I just wanted to mention a couple of points:

1. Looking at your SOA Homegrown, if you are living alone, please make sure you are on the council tax rate for a single person ie 25% "discount" from the usual amount.
2. Renting - I rent and am on a DMP (and my debt is way north of yours). I started renting six months after I started my DMP. Credit checks etc were a worry to me too. I was advised by the folks who run my DMP that it wouldn't affect my ability to secure a tenancy agreement. Whether this is the case across the board I don't know - but it definitely didnt affect me being able to get a tenancy agreement in my name. They did say they'd never heard of a DMP affecting a potential renting opportunity and if it was an issue for an agency/landlord they'd do a letter confirming I'm on a DMP. Can't say this really appealed to me, but thought what the hell, my finances are in their infancy on their road to recovery and I needed somewhere to live. I really don't know if my agency did a credit check - but I got the tenancy agreement whatever they did/didn't do without a letter from the DMP folks.

Thanks.

Thank you for that, if it's true accross the board then it's certainly a load off my mind. And I am on the 25% discount on council tax - how expensive is that by the way?! What a rip off!

Bedhead_Girl

Hi this is my first time doing this so if anyone can help me I would be very greatful. -

I am in a debt management plan (started at the age of 22) but I wasnt told just how bad it would affect my credit rating, i cant even change my home phone provider as this is subject to credit checks.

Any ideas what I can do????

Thanks everyone x

:mad:

itsnever2lateisit?

Hey Homegrown

Can you find out the APR's on your credit cards and post them please, also check the minimum repayments required on each, the amounts that you repay are not consistent. With a bit of jiggling about we could make better use of your money in terms of repaying these. Take a look at the snowball calculator on www.whatsthecost.com. Basically putting most effort into repaying the highest APR brings your debt free date closer. Also, how long have you got to go on your sky subs? It might be worth going for their 3 for £26 offer and cutting your BT bill.

I get angry at the way we treat our ex service folk in this country, we have always behaved this way. Once your run out date arrives they just drop you like you never existed:mad: and civvy street makes no effort to help with the transition. As someone posted earlier talk to SSAFA and also RBL, they are supposed to exist to help you folk, not just pour up cheap pints of beer:p

Would you be able to take in a lodger perhaps?