Payday loan and mental health crisis

redrose1414 · 14 March 2016 at 11:16AM

My husband is going through an acute mental health crisis, he has suffered very badly for 12 years and occasionally gets into a crisis.
He gambled all our money (well overdraft, we are poor!) last week and I had to ask my FIL to pay our rent this month as I didn't have the funds. My FIL bailed us last Thursday and by Saturday morning my husband had used my card (he cut his up) to gamble it all away again and take out a payday loan over the net and lost that as well.

Him, me and the children don't have a penny now, the overdraft is maxed and he owes £1700 to a payday lender at 100% apr. I can't pay this off. Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do, maybe freeze the interest? Surely they shouldn't have given this loan to an unemployed, disabled man? Do they not do checks?
I have demanded he take his name off our joint account although that's the only account we have so he won't have an account (I'm sure that's a good thing!) and have said I will report it to the police if he uses my card again.
I have applied to up my current loan to pay off the overdraft and the payday lender but I have to wait upto 5 days for a decision and all this time it's accruing ridiculous amounts of interest.
Any advice is much appreciated.

Serendipitious · 14 March 2016 at 11:33AM

Rose, I am so sorry for your situation and didn't want to read and run.

Have you contacted Gamcare? They have a helpline you can ring, and also a forum section for families affected by this, their stories may help you feel less alone in dealing with it.

I'm sure there will be other people along in a bit who are better placed than me to offer you some constructive advice.

x

aamsal · 14 March 2016 at 11:34AM

Don't know if this help, https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/borrowing-money/types-of-borrowing/loans/payday-loans/payday-loans/

redrose1414 · 14 March 2016 at 11:35AM

Serendipitious wrote: »

Rose, I am so sorry for your situation and didn't want to read and run.

Have you contacted Gamcare? They have a helpline you can ring, and also a forum section for families affected by this.

x

Thank you
I hadn't heard of them I will look them up and contact them.

Serendipitious · 14 March 2016 at 11:38AM

redrose1414 wrote: »

Thank you
I hadn't heard of them I will look them up and contact them.

http://www.gamcare.org.uk/

x

redrose1414 · 14 March 2016 at 11:39AM

aamsal wrote: »

Don't know if this help, https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/borrowing-money/types-of-borrowing/loans/payday-loans/payday-loans/

Yes, that is helpful, thank you.
At least I can see the most we will have to payback if I am not approved for my top up loan.

Serendipitious · 14 March 2016 at 11:43AM

Rose, is he gambling online? If so, there is software you can download which will block the sites. I think it's called gamblock.

x

diluvsdiscounts · 14 March 2016 at 12:02PM

Rose I don't have any advice I just wanted you to know I am thinking of you. Could you get in touch with the bank and explain or maybe get a doctor to give you a letter to send to the loan company?

redrose1414 · 14 March 2016 at 12:49PM

Serendipitious wrote: »

Rose, is he gambling online? If so, there is software you can download which will block the sites. I think it's called gamblock.

x

Yes, it's online.

I put the 20 most well known gambling sites (you can only block 20 websites) on my sky shield and he just found another one!
I'll look at gamblock, he has his own iPad so I'll see if it works on that.

redrose1414 · 14 March 2016 at 12:52PM

diluvsdiscounts wrote: »

Rose I don't have any advice I just wanted you to know I am thinking of you. Could you get in touch with the bank and explain or maybe get a doctor to give you a letter to send to the loan company?

I contacted the bank last time he did this (not quite as much money then) but they wouldn't do anything. It's sooo infuriating.

I've got to go back to bed shortly as I have a night shift tonight but thank you all for your advice so far. Hopefully I can get this knocked on the head before he does it again.

tomtontom · 14 March 2016 at 1:00PM

If you can't block all the individual sites then disconnect the internet and change the password. I know it's harsh but sometimes that is needed.

If you contact the Experian representative on here they will be able to tell you how to put a marker on your file so any lenders can see that there is an issue before making a lending decision. I can't remember the exact details as my brain is fried today, but I'm sure they will help if they can.

Payday loan and mental health crisis

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