Steps towards financial recovery

[Md3003 uk]

Good afternoon,

 

 

Having just joined the site I wanted to introduce myself.

 

 

I've just turned 35. Am married with 3 kids. This is important because I nearly lost them.

 

 

I am a recovering compulsive gambler. This isn't seen as an illness to anybody except another compulsive gambler. My last bet was march 2014. I actively attend GA meetings to prevent relapse.

 

 

Its taken me this long to rebuild trust in my family. My life is miles away from the despair it was in when I gambled, but I still have evidence of my problem in the form of a mountain of debt.

 

 

Although I signed up to a dmp with stepchange in july 2014 my head is still firmly in the sand when it comes to finances.

 

 

I have joined this site to gain control of my finances having gained some kind of control over my gambling. I haven't looked into reclaiming bank charges or PPI or anything so I guess that's where I'll start.

 

 

thanks for listening, i'll keep you 'posted'

[fkofilee]

Welcome. Could i possibly suggest you sign up to Noddle

 

Its free credit reporting through Callcredit and will given you the chance to see how bad you CRA is!

 

Also once done, please tell us what debts you have. We will help as best we can.

[Md3003 uk]

Hi, I did post a reply with all my noddle info on it, I'll wait to see if it turns up before I send it again. I'm guessing this isn't the place to post it though?

[citizenB]

Hi, I did post a reply with all my noddle info on it, I'll wait to see if it turns up before I send it again. I'm guessing this isn't the place to post it though?

 

 

Where did you post your noddle thread ?

 

Any document you post on the forum should have all your personal identifying information removed before uploading to a thread.

[Md3003 uk]

citizenB,

 

 

I responded to fkofilee's post and sent it to this thread, I can do it again if its ok to post it here.

[citizenB]

citizenB,

 

 

I responded to fkofilee's post and sent it to this thread, I can do it again if its ok to post it here.

 

Well as you can see, it isn't on the thread, and it would be automatic - there is no delay in posting.. so I think something must have hiccupped !

 

For sure it is ok to post it up, but please, do make sure you edit any personal information - account numbers, name - etc.

 

Follow the instructions in the link below for uploading.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?431533-How-to-Upload-Documents-Images-on-CAG-Immediately-(you-do-not-need-10-posts)

[Md3003 uk]

Here is my noddle information..

 

Original Creditor: MBNA

DCA: LINK

Amount OS £ 4970

Start Date 28/09/05

Default Date 29/11/14

Arrangement to pay? £28.55 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Natwest

DCA:

Amount OS £ 7865

Start Date 02/06/12

Default Date 16/05/14

Arrangement to pay? £33.05 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Tesco

DCA:

Amount OS £ 2762

Start Date 10/09/12

Default Date 26/06/14

Arrangement to pay? £10.73 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Bank of Ireland (Post Office)

DCA:

Amount OS £ 6375

Start Date 02/11/11

Default Date 16/08/14

Arrangement to pay? £44.47 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Barclaycard 1

DCA:

Amount OS £ 12223

Start Date 20/01/11

Default Date Listed as Late payment but received letter recently saying defaulted

Arrangement to pay? £70.08 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Barclaycard 2

DCA:

Amount OS £ 4218

Start Date 21/01/05

Default Date Listed as Late payment but received letter recently saying defaulted

Arrangement to pay? £23.19 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Santander Loan

DCA:

Amount OS £ 9831

Start Date 04/11/11

Default Date 19/08/14

Arrangement to pay? £83.93 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Lloyds Overdraft

DCA:

Amount OS £ 653

Start Date 25/08/06

Default Date 30/10/14

Arrangement to pay? £ 6.58 Stepchange

 

Original Creditor: Santander Overdraft

DCA: Westcot (not listed on Noddle)

Amount OS £ 983

Start Date 22/10/09

Default Date 10/10/14

Arrangement to pay? £ 8.31 to westcot from Stepchange

 

There is an HSBC overdraft as well that isn't listed on noddle for circa £700

[citizenB]

Righto, well it looks like they mostly defaulted fairly recently.

 

Do you know if there are any penalty/default charges on any of these accounts.

Was there any Payment Protection Insurance that might have been mis - sold ?

 

IMHO, you need to take this slowly as there are quite a lot and sending away for information in one go is likely to swamp you with data.

 

Individually you need to send to each company a request for a copy of the agreement (CCA). You can do this by using the draft letter from the link below. You will need to enclose a Postal order for £1.00 for each request. Obtain a free proof of posting from the post office and keep it with your copy of your request. Also photocopy the postal order before enclosing with your letter. Keep the Postal Order receipt - just in case you need to follow up and they say they didn't receive it. This request should go to which ever company is the current owner of the debt. They have 12 working days + 2 for posting in which to comply with your request.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?387435-CCA-Request-Consumer-Credit-Act-1974-**Updated-January-2015**

 

Then - if you establish if there was PPI on any of the accounts, you should send a Subject Access Request. This will cost you £10.00 per company, so cost alone means that you should send these out one at a time. This should provide you with all the data the company holds on you in respect of your financial history with them. They have 40 calendar days in which to comply with your request. You can use the draft request from the link below. Again, obtain proof of posting and photocopy your postal order before sending. This request should go to the Original Lender/Creditor.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?387306-Full-Subject-Access-Request-**Updated-January-2015**(1-Viewing)-nbsp

[Md3003 uk]

CitezenB,

 

 

Thank you for your post. I'll get on the CCA's straight away. I don't believe I have had any charges or been mis sold PPI, I shall check what statements I can find, and the SARs as and when they come in.

[Conniff]

You are paying out in excess of £300 per month, can you afford that with certainty, or is the amount leaving you with no spare funds so that something unexpected happening could make you default ?

 

And, congratulations in standing up to and beating your habit.

[citizenB]

Just send out the CCA requests in the first instance - lets see what responses you receive to those first

[Md3003 uk]

You are paying out in excess of £300 per month, can you afford that with certainty, or is the amount leaving you with no spare funds so that something unexpected happening could make you default ?

 

And, congratulations in standing up to and beating your habit.

 

I used to pay 726 but that was in my previous job. In order to stop gambling i made some big life changes and one of them was changing jobs. I work for a limited conpany now in my wifes name for obvious reasons; bad credit in my name and to limit my access to sums of money.

 

I only get minimum wage and so does my wife with the odd dividend. One of the conditions on me not getting kicked out (at least to start with) was that the debt was my fault and therefor my problem. Technically i cant afford any repayments but i didnt want to not repay as it was my own doing. So we set it at 321 a month.

[i hate bailiffs]

You need to look at finances and adjust your repayments to suit

If you are managing with priority debts council tax rent or mortgage and utility bills all is well

 

If you need to reduce payments so be it,your credit rating won't get any worse than it already is!

There is light at the end of the tunnel

Keep going