where to start so many problems

[Stormandsummer]

I am still thinking i would be better go bankrupt, but i neither have the confidence or the know how to know what exactly it would mean to me.

 

I was told 6 years ago to go bankrupt by the ccs how i have managed to keep going this long i do not know :o

 

I have still not been brave enough to call national debt line as advised by some of you on here, to see what they say but with owing so much and not be able to work again my situation will not get better It may be the best thing for me to do but can i ask some simple questions pls

 

what happens to my council home, will i lose it ? Will i have to re apply and move ? I am a little behind on rent and council tax

 

what happens to my utilities bills ? I am not in debt with this at the moment

 

I can't get a proper bank accounts anyway I have ccj's I don't want credit ever again, nor loans or anything

 

will ALL MY DEBTS BE WRITTEN OFF ? i have no assets, although i have a car for when someone comes and takes me out when i go will they take my car ? home possesions ?

[paulwlton]

I am still thinking i would be better go bankrupt, but i neither have the confidence or the know how to know what exactly it would mean to me.

 

I was told 6 years ago to go bankrupt by the ccs how i have managed to keep going this long i do not know :o

 

I have still not been brave enough to call national debt line as advised by some of you on here, to see what they say but with owing so much and not be able to work again my situation will not get better It may be the best thing for me to do but can i ask some simple questions pls

 

what happens to my council home, will i lose it ? Will i have to re apply and move ? I am a little behind on rent and council tax

 

what happens to my utilities bills ? I am not in debt with this at the moment

 

I can't get a proper bank accounts anyway I have ccj's I don't want credit ever again, nor loans or anything

 

will ALL MY DEBTS BE WRITTEN OFF ? i have no assets, although i have a car for when someone comes and takes me out when i go will they take my car ? home possesions ?

 

I suggest you talk to a debt councilor at your local CAB or contact debt advice uk. Bankruptcy is a very last resort, but it may be your best option considering the position you're in

[slick132]

Hi Storm,

 

You've asked a lot of questions which I'm afraid I don't have answers to.

 

When you feel you can do it, call the debt help line suggested earlier so you can get answers to the most important questions (like your house, etc). This may be a way for you to move forward when you are ready.

[paulwlton]

You will not lose your council home as long as your'e up to date with rent. So don't worry about that.

[rory32]

what happens to my council home, will i lose it ?

No.

Will i have to re apply and move ?

No.

I am a little behind on rent and council tax

The rent and the council tax will go in the pot with your other debts. Although the council can write off rent arrears due to bankruptcy it is better to keep up to date.

what happens to my utilities bills ? I am not in debt with this at the moment

These will be paid as normal.

will ALL MY DEBTS BE WRITTEN OFF ?

Effectively yes as you don't have any disposable income if you are on benefits.

will they take my car ? home possesions ?

No and again no. If the car is worth more than £2,000/£3,000 then it would need to be sold and replaced with a car of around the £2,000/£3,000 mark.

 

Regarding possessions:

a) You will be allowed to keep such tools, books, vehicles and equipment as you require for your personal use in any employment, business or vocation.

b) In addition you are allowed to keep such clothing, bedding, furniture, household equipment and provisions as are necessary to satisfy the basic domestic needs of yourself and your family.

What this means in practise is, that unless you have exceptionally valuable items of furniture, jewellery or excess equipment in whatever your trade or profession is, you will be allowed to keep most things.

[Stormandsummer]

Hello again and thank you for answering all my questions, I am still in a state of real stress about all this but the deciding factor may come really soon, and i may have to go bankrupt as emotionally i am not sure i can carry on carrying round the huge guilt of being in debt.

 

I have the application form for the natwest step account, might try and tackle that tonight and i think once that is done and my abbey account is closed i will be forced to face facts that i am serious, serious debt

 

oh this is going to be a bumpy road

[slick132]

Storm,

 

It may well be a bumpy road, but there are good people here who will guide and help you along it.

 

Slick

[ananya]

Hi Storm

 

It will be a bumpy road but can be made a little smoother by the help and support you will find on CAG. Also, dealing with one at a time will make it seem no where near as bad.

 

Good luck

[duncan_disorderly]

Hi Storm

 

I have been where you are right now. For a while I had thought that I had started this thread under a pseudonym .

 

My depression was so similar to yours, I couldn't go out across the door. I used to psyche myself up to try and even go to Tesco to get a few essentials. I would reach the door, and then couldn't face it. I would go straight to bed with my coat still on and pull the covers over my head, just wanting another day to go away.

 

My debt situation was similar also. I too had just taken a £17k loan before the illness hit me, and I too was in a well paid job.

 

The good news is, even though it may seem far away, you will get better. The creditors have probably tried to grind you down, make you feel ashamed etc about your debt. The best piece of advice I got when I was in that situation was:

 

"Remember that you cannot go to jail for owing money, it cannot kill you, and you haven't done anything wrong." REPEAT AS NECESSARY.

 

Once you accept this, you will not only be able to start dealing with these people, YOU WILL ACTUALLY FIND THE RESOLVE TO START FIGHTING THEM.

 

After 4 years, I am still not totally cured, but I know one group who will never again cause me the slightest anxiety.

 

Just do what you can on a daily basis without it stressing you. If you feel stressed, STOP and wait until you feel better. You will get all the advice and support you need to tackle the issues from the good people on this board.:grin:

[duncan_disorderly]

Storm

 

I have just re-read your story. Firstly, and most importantly, get your new account opened so the Shabby Sharks cannot hit you with any more charges. As already advised, get your benefits paid by Giro until you can get the new account opened. Worst case scenario, if you cannot get a new account with a debit card, then open a Post Office account and consider a pre-paid credit card as advised earlier which will allow you to shop online etc. A good one is operated by tuxedo and there is also another one run by them in conjunction with The Sun newspaper here.

 

You can choose to pay £4.99 per month with reduced fees, or pay as you go with transaction fees. You can top the card up anywhere that does mobile phone top-ups etc. You could authorise someone to go to the Post Office for you when your benefits are paid in and then use the money to top up your card.

 

Don't worry about anyone else at the minute. You keep thinking about how much you owe, and it must be a cloud hanging over you. To lift that cloud, just keep thinking that all you owe is £4 per month - £1 to each of your creditors!

 

While these payments keep the wolves at bay, just continue to send them your payment! They have agreed to them as they are accepting them, and when it boils down to it, what else can they do to you that they haven't already done?

 

There really is no better feeling than taping a £1 coin to a payment slip, sealing the envelope and then letting out the broadest smile you can muster across your face!

[Stormandsummer]

Sorry I have not been about, but i have been busy trying to sort things out

 

Firstly my bennifits now go into a post office account, thanks for the advice on that one

 

I have opened a llyods basic account now too, and i have moved all my direct debits/payments to this account, that so far is in the black long may that continue

 

I think the final push happened when the abbey even though i was within my o/d limit, charged me another £105.00 for not having enough funds to pay me dd when i was within my limits they refunded some of it back to my account but i decided enough was enough and they were pushing me into further debt i called them and accused them of being modern day dick turpins

 

now i am asking for all your help again pls

 

I need the letter template for the request for the orginal credit agreement my dad said you sent off a £1.00 postal order or something and the companies stop harrassing you but i can't find it on the forum can someone tell me where it is and explain what it is all about pls

[slick132]

Hi Storm,

 

You can send a CCA request to anyone you have a credit agreement with (credit card or catalogue companies) to see if they have the proper doc'ts to make the debt legally enforceable. If they don't, they cannot pursue you to recover the debt.

 

See letter N here - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html

 

This can't, however, be used in the same way with bank overdrafts.

 

The big loan you have with Halifax for £17K - is this a bank loan for which you currently pay £1 per month.

[Stormandsummer]

Yes the big loan is with the halifax and yes i pay a 1.00 per month.

 

now that i am no longer using my abbey account, they are still adding charges i need to deal with that now

[slick132]

Hi Storm,

 

If you're ready to d/w reclaiming the Abbey a/c charges, you need to ensure you have all the nec'y bank state's. Go through them carefully and put all unlawful charges onto your SOC (Schedule of Charges) spreadsheet.

 

See Link No1 in my signature below.

 

If you don't have all the bank state's, you must send of for them using the S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letter which you'll also see mentioned in Link No1. There is a £10 fee for this.

 

If you want us to keep track of the Abbey claim and advise if nec'y, go to the Abbey forum and start a new thread in there. Use that JUST for the Abbey claim.

 

Are you ok about the CCA letter I mentioned in post #37 above.

[Stormandsummer]

Slick thank you for the link for the letters have saved them on my pc but I am unwell again and can't get my head into them just now I have to take things slowly, so please don't give up on me, i am not a hopeless case just ill right now but i do appricaite the help, thanks

 

funny i have changed bank accounts and it looks healthy for once

[slick132]

No probs - come back when you're ready