DMP Mutual Support Thread (Part 4)

newlywed

GhostHunter wrote: »

One other question I woke up with this morning :rolleyes: was if I put hubbys £317.52p tax credits down as his wage instead as you said they may want more info if I say its from his tax credits, wont they just ask about his tax credits as they see £317.52 as on a low income?

If i put the £317.52 down as 'other' income where can I say it came from?

This has been wirling around my head all night!

Just put OH's contribution towards bills.

newlywed

infamousdb wrote: »

How will i know if they have accepted my dmp? will i need to call each one?

i am a bit anxious as i have got this far and just want things to move ahead so that i can start claiming back interest etc and so that i know where i stand on reduced or frozen interest.

i am starting to get letters regarding court proceedings (if i dont pay arrears) and 1 creditor (same one) threatened with a ccj possibility.

Hi, well done on your first payment

Don't panic too much - I had GE money write to tell me they refused the DMP then that they accepted, then that they refused :rolleyes: not all the departments talk to each other, so ring them and tell them your CCCS reference and tell them CCCS sent off proposal to them on 9 July - then they have to go find it

Not everyone notified me that they accepted the DMP - one rang immediately to accept and reduce interest, GE Money took about 3 months to finally work out what department was right and stopped interest, Mint credit card never replied to any of my letters, never let me know what was going on and after 4 months issued a default and stopped interest. Mint loans never replied to any letters, never contacted me and the only way I found out they accepted was doing my credit report where it noted "arrangement to pay" and my DMP amount.

You will know when the interest stops that they have accepted it - so if you can, keep a check on any statements that come in - but it may take a few months for them to actually stop interest.

If the letter saying about paying arrears is a "Default Notice" then this can be a good thing as they usually then stop interest, sometimes passing to a debt collection agency.

I would just write back and state about CCCS and the DMP and give your reference number for CCCS and explain they should have had the proposals.

If they do look like they are going to issue a CCJ, then contact CCCS and they will advise you further and make sure that any monies due under a court order are allowed for in your payment plan.

Don't panic

MurrayMint

Hi All,

Quick query... am gathering all of the debtor info to send to CCCS i.e. recent statement (photocopies of) showing balance and account number and payment address. Do you know whether it would be ok for me to send a list that I have gathered of all this information, as not all the statements have addresses etc. Egg is one of my creditors and I don't have any paper statements and when I print a statement from the account, part of the account number is obscured for security!

Also, I don't have any bank statements, as it's all online. I can't print a statement that includes sort code and payment address...

Thanks for any advice!

newlywed

MurrayMint wrote: »

Hi All,

Quick query... am gathering all of the debtor info to send to CCCS i.e. recent statement (photocopies of) showing balance and account number and payment address. Do you know whether it would be ok for me to send a list that I have gathered of all this information, as not all the statements have addresses etc. Egg is one of my creditors and I don't have any paper statements and when I print a statement from the account, part of the account number is obscured for security!

Also, I don't have any bank statements, as it's all online. I can't print a statement that includes sort code and payment address...

Thanks for any advice!

They want to set it up the DMP with the current totals so think they need statements printed. But I would add in the list of the actual account numbers etc with it so they have the full details of who to pay and what references to put on

MurrayMint

newlywed wrote: »

You will know when the interest stops that they have accepted it - so if you can, keep a check on any statements that come in - but it may take a few months for them to actually stop interest.

Hi Newlywed,

Just reading you reply to another poster and I wondered what happens in the case of no paper statements being received i.e. account is set up for online use only?
At each of the various stages, in arrears / been defaulted / passed to a DCA, in your experience will I be able to access the account information online, or will they block my access?
If so, am I reliant on the CCCS statements for payments made?
Do these include actual balances - I think I read someone else saying that these are not reliable as the creditors can be adding interest / charges etc which doesn't get updated with the CCCS?

Sorry for so many questions!

newlywed

MurrayMint wrote: »

Just reading you reply to another poster and I wondered what happens in the case of no paper statements being received i.e. account is set up for online use only?
At each of the various stages, in arrears / been defaulted / passed to a DCA, in your experience will I be able to access the account information online, or will they block my access?
If so, am I reliant on the CCCS statements for payments made?
Do these include actual balances - I think I read someone else saying that these are not reliable as the creditors can be adding interest / charges etc which doesn't get updated with the CCCS?

Sorry for so many questions!

One of mine stopped online banking access when they defaulted me and stopped interest - but I can still get a text balance from them so I do that to check. They didn't tell me they were stopping my online access I had to ring up to ask why I couldn't get on.

One of mine still lets me carry on with online access - even over a year on.

One of mine got passed to a DCA - the DCA keep sending me up to date statements every month - the DCA doesn't usually charge any interest (as far as I can work out on here) so if it does go to DCA the figure they notify you of should then be correct.

For the loan - every 6 months or so I do the £2 paper credit check - this says how much is outstanding and when it was last updated so I check my figures against theirs

I think CCCS like to start with the balances as they work out pro rata who should get what % of your payment. Although CCCS aren't notified of additional interest etc - when you have online access to your DMP via CCCS you can update the figures yourself online, or else ring them and let them know and they will update figures.

Hope that helps

GhostHunter_3

newlywed wrote: »

Just put OH's contribution towards bills.

Won't that raise the same questions as to hubbys income / WTC?

Sorry just need to get my own 'story' straight before I finally alter and send these letters off. I still have a day before I can get into my new bank and put £10 in so I can write out 10 x £1 cheques to enclose with letters!

Someone suggested earlier but not sure if its a good idea but I am also considering posting another separate letter to all creditors requesting they consider wiping off my debts as they can clearly see we are struggling with no current hope of imediate improvement.
As someone mentioned here earlier if you dont try you never know. Only hope it wont wind up creditors but show them what its like for us lately. Its not as though we want to be in debt, always tried hard to keep up repayments

Thanks

newlywed

GhostHunter wrote: »

Won't that raise the same questions as to hubbys income / WTC?

I think it will raise less questions to just put it as OH's contribution, but I'm not 100% sure. Assuming all the debts are in your name and not joint names though???? If it's joint then they may want more info on income from your OH.

When we lived at home, mum and dad showed our donation to them as "housekeeping" and I don't think anyone questioned it - in fact the benefits agency expected us all to contribute more than that and so they weren't entitled to benefits.

I put down half share contributions for all house bills on my DMP and no-one ever questioned who was paying the other half or what their income was or whether they should pay more - but the debts are in my sole name. They never questioned whether OH should pay half share for petrol/car costs either - as I put down full costs on that - although we share the car it is officially mine.

GhostHunter_3

Thanks Newlywed

Yes all debts except 1 are in my name only. The 1 is joint bank loan which we are currently up to date with as are all my loans. Its my credit cards that have fallen behind.

Another reason why I am so worried as we have kept u to date on repayments on the loans but not the credit cards. Turning round to the loan companies and saying we can only now make £1 token payments worries me even though its for the best. The credit cards are the ones we cant afford to repay but I understand we have to treat all creditors the same to be seen as being 'fair'!

Im sorry im getting in a right tizz over all this, it sure is taking me long enough to do something so 'simple' to most folk!

I was all set and ready to go to post box yesterday then I asked the question and here I am now still not got to the postbox! Then again I am waiting to get to bank to put £10 to make sure I cover those first token payments - last thing I need is to start more debt with new bank account.


Maybe its best to leave it showing as Working Tax Credits and explaining it hubbys contribution? It might be in our better interest if they then do ask for info about his job then we can show them honestly the low income we both have to rely on????!

Thanks again.

GhostHunter_3

"I cannot now afford to the previously agreed monthly payments because of having to give up work due to ill health in late 2007 and now the added pressure of recent higher living costs."

OR

"I cannot now afford the previously agreed mnthly payments because I am still on Incapacity Benefit and no longer have enough savings or income to carry on paying minimum payments. I would just like to add for your information my husband contributes £317.52p towards the household bills I have illustrated this as 'other income'."

Which one sounds better for token payment letter?

Many thanks.