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Lady Python

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Everything posted by Lady Python

  1. Thank you both dx100uk and fkofilee. I'll sit on it for a month and see what happens. I'll update in a month's time or sooner if something changes.
  2. Been a long time since I posted. I'll try to keep this concise. I've been with Virgin Media and Mobile for around 15 years. I got my latest handset and a new contract in May last year. Quite a good deal. However, around March this year Virgin offloaded the call side of it to O2. No problem with that as I was paying the same amount for a slightly better deal. However, last week I got a heads up from my credit score company (I keep a close watch on my credit score). They informed me there was a change pending. That came through yesterday. It would seem Virgin Mobile have also now offloaded the handset to O2 - and knocked my credit score by quite a considerable amount. I am furious about this. I have never missed a payment and never been late with a payment either. No real explanation either other than: "What does this mean? You've opened a new account or a lender has started sharing information with Equifax (our data provider) about one of your existing accounts. Your lender might have changed the way they report your account details (like its name or account number) to Equifax. Check your account to make sure all the details are correct. If anything's wrong you can speak to your lender." and !Account status updated The status of an account updated on your September report. Organisation Name Virgin Current Status Closed Previous Month's Status Up to date Account Number ********** What does this mean? This means that the payment status on one of your accounts was updated. This could happen if you had a payment in arrears the previous month, but were up to date on the month of this report." As I said, I have never missed a payment or been late with a payment. Advice please on how to deal with this. Many thanks in advance. For reference, there was no warning whatsoever that they were going to offload the handset to O2 as well. First I knew about it was when my credit score company informed me.
  3. Hi Farmlama. Thanks for your response. When is a tree not a tree? When it's a hedge! Quirk in the Law methinks. However, Leylandii by Law cannot exceed 20ft. If this things were just 20ft there wouldn't be a problem at all but 80ft, dying and rotten? BIG problem!
  4. Hi everyone. Here's the latest update on those trees. Firstly, they are not a high hedge - they are 80ft trees that are in a dangerous condition. Secondly, my councillor contacted the council on my behalf. Their response to him was they would get in touch with me. I am still waiting. I have had more words with my neighbour (we get on quite well) and he, in turn had a go at his brother. This morning I was awoken early on to the wonderful sound of a chainsaw. Oh good, I thought. They're doing something about the trees at last. No such luck unfortunately. All they've done is removed the 3 large branches from my garden. Well, I suppose that's a step in the right direction. At the time of writing this I haven't seen my neighbour yet so not sure what else they've got planned for the trees but I will update you later when I find out. Just an add on. Our Council is the Landlord.
  5. Yes, it is the owner's responsibility and I've been on at him for years to at least get the trees pruned back before they became a problem - which they certainly are now. He doesn't live in the house and hasn't for about 3 or 4 years. He lets it out to his brother who has also told him to do something about the trees. The branches fell down 2 weeks ago and no attempt to remove them (or repair the fence that got damaged) has happened. I honestly don't think he realises just how dangerous the trees are. Something being done about the trees will be a bit late when our house gets destroyed and we get killed!!! We'll see what our Councillor comes back with and I'll post his response when I get it. In the meantime, let's hope we don't get any more high winds and that we don't get a dump of snow, the weight of snow could be enough to bring the things down!
  6. The tallest tree is 80ft high and the trunk is red rotten. The trees are all dying. To the rear of the trees, they are on a steep slope. My son went round the back and photographed them yesterday. The roots are all exposed and the soil has eroded away. These trees are in grave danger of falling down. It's in the hands of our local Councillor at the moment so waiting to hear back from him. I would attach pics but they are slightly too big (6.25mb) then you could see the problem. I see your point but when something becomes a danger to life and property and is not a neighbour dispute, then surely there is something in Law for this? If it was just that the trees were blocking light/views then yes, that would definitely be a civil matter but as I've said, then they become a danger and a menace that is a different ball game, or at least I would think so.
  7. Thanks good people. Since I wrote the post I have spoken with our local Councillor and sent him pics of the offending trees, including the erosion of the soil at their roots. He thinks, because they are dangerous and if the big one comes down it will hit Council property (i.e. our house) then the Council can either force the owner to remove the trees or the Council can cut the trees down and bill the owner. He's not 100% sure but is going to find out asap and get back to me. I really am worried that these trees are going to come down and I'd rather not be squashed by a falling tree or see any of my family get injured or killed because of the next door owner's apathy. I'll let you know what transpires.
  8. This is probably not the place to put this but I'm sure the Mods will move it to a relevant section. I live in a council house. I'm flanked by two privately owned ex-council houses. One of them has the dreaded Leylandii trees which have grown completely out of control. The tallest is 80ft high and the rest, 5 of them approx 60ft high. I've been asking him for years to have them cut to a reasonable size or remove them. That's fallen on deaf ears. The issue is this. The trees have become dangerous. They have exposed roots at the back and the trees are rotten. Three large boughs have fallen off the 80ft tree and have landed in my garden, just missing my greenhouse after the last storm we had. The day they came down, it wasn't even windy. If the 80ft tree comes down, it will hit our house. One of the trees fell down 18 months ago but fortunately landed in their own garden and didn't do any damage. It did take half the branches of the 80ft tree with it so if that tree comes down, it will hit our property. I have reported it to the Council but they seem to think I'm complaining about the trees cutting out light and blocking my view - despite my telling them emphatically that the trees are dangerous. They sent me Healthy Neighbourhood information that states I have to pay £375 to make a complaint! Surely there must be something in Law that relates to dangerous trees and can force the owner to have them cut down or the Council do it then bill the owner. Any advice on this would be appreciated. Lady Python
  9. No I don't own my own home (I wish) and I have nothing of value. I've never been one for expensive stuff and don't believe in replacing something unless it breaks down and is beyond repair. We were once going to buy our house under the Right to Buy Scheme but before we had the chance to do much, late hubby took his first heart attack (one the docs call a "Widow Maker") so we didn't do it. Just as well because less than 7 years later, he was gone. Maybe in the future, once my son gets the all clear from the hospital to be able to work again (he's going into nursing) then it might be a consideration but he would have to be the mortgagee rather than me - unlikely I'd get a mortgage even due to my age, never mind a CCJ. My son doesn't owe anyone a penny. He's one of those people who if he wants something, he saves for it even though it takes him ages. He says he never wants to get into debt. He's been offered credit cards from the building society he's been with since he was a child and he's always turned them down. He's got his head screwed on the right way. Thanks for the heads up though and sorry about getting that form number wrong.
  10. Didn't need to submit an N245. So long as I'm unemployed this is suspended and as I've said, at my age the chances of me getting work are very, very low. I looked at the N245 form and it was identical to the N56 form. I also took advice from the National Debt Helpline. They were very nice and helpful so if anyone's afraid of calling them, they needn't be. They also told me that if I did want to submit the N245 I could also submit the form N160 which gives help with fees. I decided just to submit the N56 as requested, ticking the box unemployed as you suggested. The Court accepted that. T hey have left it open that should I find work then Lowells would be free to reapply to the Court which is what I expected. However, it is unlikely that scenario will arise so as far as I'm concerned, the matter is over. If the impossible happens and I do get a job, then I will deal with that as and when it arises. Had I not been so careless in the first place by forgetting the Hearing date and gone to Court to fight my corner, then this would have been killed stone dead a couple of years ago. However, what is done is done but as the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a rabbit. Again, thank you for all your help. You've been marvellous
  11. No. Court suspended it due to my being unemployed. The likelihood of me finding a job at 62, almost 63 now is remote so as far as I'm concerned, the matter is dead.
  12. Hi Andyorch. Todays good news is - the matter is now dead Many, many thanks for your help and advice.
  13. They've attached a form N56 which is similar to the one you've put a link to. The N245 form. Would that have to be sent at the same time as the N56 or at a later date please? I'm not very good at this sort of thing
  14. Yes, it was my own fault and I've put my hand up to that. I'll just have to return the N55 and wait for the response. I'll post when I get the result of that. In the meantime, thank you for your responses.
  15. Thanks Andyorch. Just wondered if I could but that answers that question. N55 will have to be put back to the Court and will do that tomorrow and post via Recorded Delivery, plus keep a copy of everything for myself. Did have one piece of correspondence from Provident a few months ago - would I like a loan? Telling me I can borrow up to £X at only 575% APR! You couldn't make it up. What a bunch of chancers. As for this loan, I had another loan and was having difficulty paying it but was persuaded to take out another loan to pay off the balance of the original loan (irresponsible lending?) Naively, I thought I'd be able to get a job fairly quickly - wrong. I did eventually about 3 years after my husband died but lost that when the company I worked for had financial difficulties. My son kept our heads above water until his transplanted kidney failed. He had another transplant last November and after a dodgy start, it's settled in now and he should, hopefully within the next few months be cleared to start work again. He's hoping to go into nursing. Is there anything else you can advise I do please? I know it was my own fault I've ended up in this position but it goes against the grain to let Provident and Lowells get off with it. Lowells for chasing what I'm sure was an SB debt and Provident's agent for not turning up again or Provident giving us a replacement agent. If not, I'll just have to bite the bullet as they say.
  16. No, I'm afraid I didn't. Just had too much going on at the time. Bit more level headed now.
  17. Last posted about this in 2017. All had gone quiet until a few months ago when Lowells started sending "you haven't paid" letters again. They got a CCJ by default - I'm 100% to blame for that as per my original thread. Letter arrived on Friday 28th June dated 27th June. Looks like it's come from Northampton saying judgement was obtained against me in our local County Court. That CCJ has never appeared on my credit score. It is a Notice of Applicaton for Attachment of Earnings Order (N55) and it states that if I do not send the reply form I could be imprisoned for up to 14 days (I presume that would be for Contempt of Court). I'm now long-term unemployed and at the age of 62 years and 7 months, being realistic unlikely to get a job especially as we have high unemployment here. I have three small pensions to live on plus Universal Credit so not exactly well off. What I would like to know, is there anything I can do about this now at this late stage, for example ask for judgement to be set aside (if possible)? The amount claimed has now risen to £2,106.60. I thought this matter had died a death - wrong (again). Lowells are like a dog with a bone on this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  18. Well, I had my meeting at the JC yesterday - and got the most obnoxious man I've met for a long time. He was bordering on being downright nasty. He was of no help at all except to arrange a meeting on Thursday with my usual work coach (thankfully, a nice person) so not much happening until then as far as the JC goes but will be seeking legal advice tomorrow again (they want to know what's happening too). Had a meeting with our rent officer at the Council. As soon as we mentioned the MIF, she rolled her eyes. She was saying she has another tenant in exactly the same boat as us justnow and has had many more caught out by the MIF so we're not alone. TBH, she was brilliant and did a lot to allay my fears. I question the legality of the JC insisting I remove my website and, since it's paid up to December not sure how I'd do that anyway. It does not belong to them - it is my property and belongs to me, so technically they have no real right to tell me what to do with it (in an ideal world). Forcing the issue is, in effect, blackmail which I thought was illegal in this country (but hey, it's the government and they seem to be able to get away with anything). I need to keep the roof over my head and they know they've got me over a barrel on that one and so, for the time being I will have to comply. However, as soon as I can get a job, or more likely my son does, they can stick their UC where the sun don't shine (yes, my back's up) and I will continue with my business on my own at my leisure as it will then have nothing to do with them. The comforting thing that did come out of my meeting with the council is that there are many others who have been bitten by this glorified $-c-a-m. On our own, we are one voice. Together, we could be quite formidible so I'm looking at ways on how to contact these people. Until people stand firm and challenge these ridiculous - and cruel rules, things will never change. I'll update again later.
  19. We looked into this a while ago but decided against it as it would be doubtful if I could have been classed as a carer. Now that my son's been transplanted and so far, so good, my son is hoping to be able to start work in the summer. He is applying to become an auxiliary nurse, hopefully in the renal unit he's familiar with so that will help financially a lot. I've been applying for jobs since before Christmas and, as usual, get turned down or don't even get put forward for interviews. employers don't want 62 year olds. This is a real bone of contention with me. I should have retired over 2 years ago but the last Labour lot increased the retirement age to 66 for women. I am one of those caught in the 50s trap. Single women like myself (widowed in my case and my late husband left us in dire straits) are the forgotten ones. We don't have a man at our backs to support us nor big, fat private pensions but get treated as if we were youngsters and physically capable of doing things we did 30 years ago, which most of us are not now. Don't get me wrong, I'm hardly the granny with the shawl type and don't look or act my age but the minute would-be employers guess the age group, they don't want to know - that's IF the agencies, which most jobs are through now even bother to read older jobseekers' CVs. It's just a shame my music business hasn't worked out and it's not for the want of trying
  20. My son and I have been discussing just that. However, the JC want me to prove if I kill the business through HMRC and by killing my website. As far as I can see, my website is my own, bought and paid for by me and they have no right to tell me to kill it and prove it. In anycase, that would probably be quite difficult. I know the NEA scheme is being revamped and one of the things in the pipeline is to increase the 12 months MIF to 24 months which is more realistic for anyone starting a business but, for now, that is not going to help me. Even under UC, you can work 16 hours a week but must declare any earnings you make and it is deducted from the amount of UC received. I really wanted the music business to succeed but there's been so little interest. People are looking at my website but no further response. We even, before my son got his latest transplant at the end of November leafleted a whole housing estate. Not one inquiry came from that. I get worried when two factions who are supposed to be working together don't. That is, the NEA and the JC. Neither seem to have a clue about anything and can't even agree on dates. Where does that leave people in the same situation as me - in the wilderness. I have been seeking legal advice and even lawyers are at a loss. I have a meeting with the JC later this afternoon. It is with a different work coach so I'll wait and see what he says. I'll let you know later when I come back and thank you for your response.
  21. 271 views and not one reply? Seems there's a lack of information on the NEA scheme everywhere I look. Is it because this scheme is so flawed and dangerous? Begs the question that any negative feedback is being suppressed by the government? I need to find other people who have fallen foul of this scheme. If anyone knows of someone, please PM me.
  22. I'm not sure if this is the correct place to put this on so Mods, please feel free to move. I lost my permanent job late in 2016. Being older (almost 60 at the time), I've found, like many others in my age group that it's almost impossible to find a job. I was asked at the Jobcentre if there was anything I could do to become self-employed. I am a good pianist and had been working towards getting my Diploma after an exam break of 40 years, thinking ahead to when I retire. I am one of the women caught in the 50s trap, no husband and a son who's still recovering from a recent kidney transplant. Life is not easy for us Anyway, I got approval from the NEA to start a teaching business. To date I have not had a lot of interest despite advertising, my website, leafleting doors and anywhere else I can push my business. Just two adult students since I launched on 3rd January 2018 and I didn't get them until October. It seems the NEA and the Jobcentre don't communicate very well. The Jobcentre has taken my start up day from the 18th November 2017. The NEA says I started trading on the 3rd January 2018 which is the date I launched the website and my business. I now get £0 in Universal Credit, the reason being they are using the Minimum Income Floor of £1092 per month which is based on best case scenario estimation. I thought, fine, I don't get a penny from them but what I didn't get told is that my rent (council) wouldn't be paid either. This MIF is a hypothetical figure. Even from when I put in the business plan I have had to drop my prices to £10 for half hour and £19 for a full hour. This week I will earn £10 as one of my students can't come for personal reasons. You can imagine my shock to find out the last payment the council received was on the 11th December 2018. I am now in serious danger of losing my home and my son and myself being thrown out into the street. I am 62 years old and my son is, as said earlier, still recovering from a kidney transplant which has not gone particularly smoothly. I am really at my wits end. Something I thought would put us on the path to a better and more stable future has turned into a nightmare and I've done nothing wrong. I was given a hard choice by the Jobcentre. Either give up my business which I've worked hard to promote and prove I've done that (how do you kill a website - I've already paid for the website and domain for a year, that doesn't end until December this year) and let down my two students, one of whom is very good and practising for her Grade 1 exam later this year or claim UC and completely kill the business. Not knowing that my rent was not going to be paid, I chose to keep on my business as I know it is the type of thing that will take time to build. A year (in my case less) is not a long time. The Jobcentre has now closed my UC claim but I have until May to reinstate it. I have gone without, don't go out or do things other people do. I have been trying to get a job, either part or full time to help things out but get turned down constantly, usually by the agencies who come up with one excuse or another not to put me forward for jobs, the latest excuse being I haven't worked in an office for a year! 45 years experience as a secretary, often working at Managing Director level doesn't count. I met last week with a representative from the NEA who didn't really seem to know why the MIF is playing such a big part in this or even why it's stopping me getting UC to top up my earnings. One can work 16 hours without losing UC or if working 30 hours, similar to the old Working Tax Credits which even applies to self-employed people. These are the people promoting this ghastly scheme and if they don't know how are the rest of us supposed to know? I spoke with the benefits office (their call centre in Scotland) on Friday. Lady there said I would have to get a Mandatory Reconsideration but that could take weeks and may not even be successful. I just tried to reinstate the UC claim - supposedly a one click operation. No, it isn't. Question upon question regarding employment if you work for a employer but absolutely nothing related to being self-employed (I have not completed these questions as they were ambiguous). The Jobcentre advisor I had (or have) is a very nice person but came across as not knowing that much about the NEA scheme (which is run by Pinnacle People). I feel I have been lied to and misled and I'm sure I'm not the only one. From what I've gathered so far, it would seem that if I had started up my piano business on my own, without the NEA scheme I could have declared it to the Jobcentre as casual earnings and they would have simply deducted what I earned from my UC payment. Why there is such a difference between this and being self-employed via the NEA Scheme just doesn't make sense. I hope someone sees this or knows of someone who has gone through this that can point me in the right direction. I'm sorry this post is so long but I really am at my wits end to the point it's making me quite ill.
  23. I thought that too but wanted someone in the know to confirm it. I shall phone him now and let him know. Many thanks for your reply
  24. I have a question for you lovely, knowledgeable people. My brother phoned me this afternoon, quite irate. He had gone to his local Nationwide Branch to pay money into the accounts of our young nephews whose birthdays are coming up shortly. It was £25 into each account. This is something my brother has done for years. He is not on the internet as he refuses to get a PC. Long story short, teller refused to do this and all but accused my brother of money laundering - infront of other customers. She did say that if he'd had his passbook with him there wouldn't have been a problem but he's done this before many times and has never needed his passbook to do it until today. He's fuming and wants me to draft a letter of complaint for him. I want to know if you think the teller was right or wrong. As an aside, he's been with this branch for 50 years so not someone they don't know.
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