Completely stuck in a rut

[sybtik]

Hi,

 

I posted a few times last year re debt but since then my mental health has taken a bit of a battering and now I feel swamped and don't know where to start....

 

Bit of background info - my partner left me last year with a lot of what was meant to be 'our' debt, approx 16k altogether, including a loan from RBS, cc with barclaycard, 2x catalogues and car finance. I feel like a complete idiot now, as all the debt was in my name but when we were together we did split it.

 

Anyway, since he left me I have had a mini-breakdown, have been extremely depressed, paranoid and over-anxious.

 

I do have a full time job, for which I get paid relatively well, but due to cuts etc there are no jobs in my field in my area so I am currently commuting 140 miles per day. I tried moving closer to my job but this proved to be more expensive and I became even more depressed living on my own. Due to all the travelling, I am spending approx £360 a month on petrol (at the moment, but god knows what it'll be if petrol goes up again).

 

I am always skint by the time I pay that, my car (the only thing I havent defaulted on as I need it so desperately to get to work) and various other things i.e insurance, bills, food etc. I never go out, or buy things for myself as I never have spare cash.

 

I am constantly getting harrassed by DCA's via letter and phone. I just don't know what to do. CAB sid they would write to them but when I went back and said they're still as bad as ever all she said was "thats just how they are!"

 

I was starting to feel more like myself again but recently had another load of letters and can feel all my hard work slipping away.

[BankFodder]

Two thinkgs you need to start doing.

 

Put together an income and expenditure schedule and organise your own DMP.

Uou can download iManager through this site and that might help to get you going.

Listing all of your debts will be painful to begin with but great when it is done.

 

Start writing to all of your creditors with the plan that you come up with.

They have a legal duty to deal with you and to accept a reasonable plan.

 

second thing you can do is to start looking at the enforceability of the debts and see if there is anything which has not been properly executed which might give you a negotiating lever when it comes to dealing with hardnosed creditors.

 

When you have a clear idea of your situation then come back here and discuss further.

Is the car you have the smallest and cheapest you can get or could you economise that way?

 

CAB are OK in that they are well-intentioned but they won't really fight your corner. You have to do that for yourself

[rebel11]

sybtik

 

When you've gained control, you can also look at reclaiming Penalty Charges on your various accounts. You can claim these back with contractual interest. Also have you been mis-sold PPI that you can get

refunded. This can all add up to quite a bit. Keep your head up.

[rebel11]

sorry broadband problem.

[sybtik]

Thankyou for quick replies. I had PPI on barclaycard card but that was cancelled when card was cancelled. I still dont feel strong enough at the moment to face these people. I am doing well to be back at work and coping but feel completely exhausted at the end of the day.

 

Bank fodder - I did an income and expenditure sheet that I got from CAB (they gave me a template) but all I have left when everything is paid is £5.13 - not sure I'm going to get very far with that offer!

 

My car is very small and relatively cheap to run. I need the car to get to work obviously, but also for work.

Edited July 1, 2010 by sybtik

[rebel11]

sybtik

 

Basically you could claim back all penalty and PPI charges going back 6 years plus. You can get hold of all the statements from the creditors.

I'm probably talking out of turn hear, but maybe a couple of weeks off

work, just to get a grip of matters.

 

It doesn't matter if the accounts are closed, you can still claim your money back. You've nothing to lose.

 

All template letters and spreadsheets are near the top, scroll down.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/

[sybtik]

Thanks rebel. I havent paid anything for a long time as I have been so ill. I've had so much time off work, my job is in jeopardy if I have anymore time. I have 2 weeks booked off on annual leave soon though so will be able to relax then and know my job is safe, and I am going to have enough money to get to work next month.

 

I suppose my main problem is no matter which way I look at it, I just dont have the funds to actually pay any of these people. They keep threatening legal action but haven't actually taken any, but how long does this go on for?!......

[landy_alert]

Hi sybtik:)

 

Sorry to hear about your situation - I can totally sympathise as my OH suffered a similar breakdown. As rebel rightly says it makes no difference whether the accounts are active or not or indeed if there is still an outstanding balance - you can still reclaim charges on your credit cards etc (bank ones are more difficult these days although not altogether impossible) as well as mis-sold PPI.

 

I have reclaimed several lots of mis-sold PPI on cards/loans which were repaid in full some years ago (as much as 9 years) as well as charges and PPI on accounts which are currently in default and which have not had a payment made on them for a couple of years............

 

..........so it can definitely be done! It takes a bit of hard work - you will need to do plenty of reading around the various sub-forums and you must be well-organised, keeping everything in writing, starting folders for each complaint etc. You are unlikely to get your money back over night and sometimes refunds are used to lower the balance (which isn't always a bad thing), but the satisfaction you will get is well worth the effort.

 

As you are no doubt totally exhausted (both mentally and physically) after a long day's work/commute you could maybe set yourself the target of starting on this when you are on your 2 week break - but don't spend all your time on it though or it won't seem like a break at all and you'll need another holiday to get over it

 

Hope this helps and Good Luck,

 

Landy x

[rebel11]

Hi sybtik

 

Thats excellent advice. Basically your tackling the debt from different angles. Sending CCA's, Claiming back charges, Claiming back PPI, charging

them interest etc, There's a lot of stuff you can do to gain control, it is possible. The guys here will help.