Help with Equita!

[Jimbo1982]

Hello everybody, im new here so please be nice!!

 

Im not going to sit here and yabber on about how i got myself into debt, the short version is....bad luck and bad decisions have lead me to where i am!

Im in the process of trying to get back on my feet, im currently living at several adresses (mainly friends) becuase i had to leave my old flat when i lost my job and was unable to find another in time.

I use my mums adress for post, mainly bank statements etc, i hadnt been over in a while coz shes quite a way away from where i am usually.

When i went over ealier today, there were sever letters from a company called Equita saying i owe them 245 pounds for an overpaid housing benefit. I called them to try and explain and was pretty much insulted over the phone and the woman refused to even hear what i had to say.

I only have one bank card, which is a cash card only...i am unable to get a debit card becuase the council lost my birth cetificate and it was one of my few forms of id so paying via direct debit isnt an option becuase i cant get a direct debit card!

I am on job seekers, and i fully understand i owe this money, and as soon as i can get myslef another job i will pay it, but im terrified that baliffs will show up at my mums and try to take her things. Aside from clothes and a few odds and ends...i have nothing of value. I was feeling pretty low about my situation before i found out about this and now i feel even worse.

Some of the things the woman said on the phone really did scare me, i really dont know what to do about it.

Can somebody help me?

Jim

[cerberusalert]

If you get in touch with the DWP or your jobcentre+ you can arrange for it to be deducted from your befefits.

[Kraken1]

they can only take your stuff, not your mums, and only after a court has been involved.

 

Not sure I get your point about birth certificates and cash cards, but not sure it is really relevant. A CAB might be able to help you sort your affairs out.

[cerberusalert]

I only have one bank card, which is a cash card only...i am unable to get a debit card becuase the council lost my birth cetificate and it was one of my few forms of id so paying via direct debit isnt an option becuase i cant get a direct debit card!

 

Have you asked the council to pay for the cost of a replacement? They cost £17 and can be ordered from UK Birth Certificate or your local Registry Office.

[Kraken1]

do you need a swtich or maestro or other debit card to set up a direct debit? To be honest, that never even occured to me.

 

I understand that you can't get them with certain accounts though.

[cerberusalert]

You'll have to ask your bank, different accounts have different facilities. Though usually you have to have a 'current' account rather than a 'savings'.

[Jimbo1982]

Hey there guys, thanks for the advice

I went to my jobcenter today, who told me i had to talk to my local council office.

I went there, but their computers were down and was told it could take up to two hours before they could do anything. Im going to go back tomorrow, but they seemed to think that if my account has been passed to the baliffs, theres nothing they or i can do...aside from pay which is impossible at the moment.

I dont understand why i cant keep paying the council through my jobseekers.

 

Sorry if my last post was a bit unclear, my situation is a bit complicated to say the least!!

Basicly, i suffered from depression the past couple of years after my relationship with my fiance ended, i kind of let things slide a bit and ended up in a very bad place. Im trying to put my life back together and so far its not going too badly, i have been getting interviews for jobs which i never used too, i quit smoking and started getting healty etc

I have no problems paying this debt off, but ,my only income right now is my jobseekers and i need that to survive, obviously i dont mind having some off it directed to the council to pay off my debt.

Im not declared as living at my mums adress, and i only stay there a few nights every other week.

 

And yes i did ask the council and lodged a complaint when they lost my birth cetificate, but it pretty much went nowhere. I need to get a new one i just havent had the money to do it. I have a Nationwide cash card account, which means you have a card you can put in a cash machine but not a cheque book and it cant be used for direct debit.

 

Anything else you want to know, ask and i'll let you know, any more advice would be really helpful.

Thanks again

Jim

[cerberusalert]

For bailiffs to be involved you would have had a CCJ (County Court Judgement) against you & for that to have happened you would have had court papers sent to you.

 

Obviously you'll find out tomorrow when you go back to the council what the situation is.

[Jimbo1982]

Thanks cerberusalert, i've just spent the last few hours routing through my old mail and documents, i have never recived court papers.

Im so confuddled its not even funny!

Well as you said, i'll find out all tomorrow, and my CAB is open on thursday morning, i think it's about time i went and got everything sorted once and for all.

I'll let you know what i find out tomorrow.

Thanks again, i really do appriciate it

Jim