Please help

[vicxzy]

Please help me I need some advice I am at my wits end
I am currently pregnant & have been in & out of hospital over the past few months due to complications, I am being hounded by companies chasing debts, receiving up to 23 calls per day just from Barclays alone! Yesterday I recieved 106 calls in total on my mobile.
I was made redundant 2 years ago & have struggled to keep up repayments ever since as I had to take a much lower paid job.
Things went from bad to worse in sept 09 when I split up with my Husband, our marital home has been on the market for almost a year now & only 1 viewer
Despite this & the fact I had to rent another place to live & still contribute towards the mortgage on the marital home I managed to maintain payments for another 12 months until September last year when I fell pregnant & everything just got too much to handle, I'd been borrowing to repay debts & finally ran out of steam.
I'm more than likely being made redundant again at the end of March just before I would have taken maternity leave so am not going to be able to get another job, I'm being bullied by my Employer to return to work despite being signed off with pregnancy related complications & hounded all day every day by threatening letters & calls.
Please help me.

[swanfan]

Re: Please help

Hiya & welcome

First of all try not to worry you're baby is more important than what you owe, easier said than done i know.
\
Can you do a list of what you owe? ie

1. Lender name & Type of Credit (ie card/loan/bank account/other)
2. Date Account Opened (approx)
3. Amount Owed
4. Date last full payment made (before arrears started)
5. Date last payment of any kind was made
6. Have you been defaulted/ccj for the account
7. Who is writing to you about the debt? The lender or a DCA?

Thanks, then someone can advise what to do next.

[jen_br]

Re: Please help

Also int he meantime I want you to call the citizens advice make sure your getting allt he benefits etc that you are entitled too!

[Gerry]

Re: Please help

Sorry to hear about your problems vicxzy, you've certainly been through the works honey.

Your come to right place for advice and support. Hopefully that will take so of the pressure off. I understand its difficult when you've got so much to worry about however your health needs to be your first priority.


Gerry x x

[Elsie52]

Re: Please help

Hiya,

Well done for finding this forum.....its now going to get easier.!!

As the others have said, give a little more information on your debts and you will get good advice on what your options are. Don't worry, your health comes first, but once you have got control of your financial situation you will feel better.

Elsie

[LooLoo]

Re: Please help

Hi Vicky

First of all a very warm welcome and we are her to help and offer support to you.

As has already been said you are certainly in the right place, and if you can give some more info on your debt that would help.

Is you ex still living in your home? Just wondering if you are renting why you are stil paying towards the mortgage?

I know how the phone calls can get to you but just ignore them and if possible change your number.

Right now your number one priority is your health and that of you new babies, so please take care.

LL
x

[mk_chatham]

Re: Please help

Hi

Just could not read this thread and not reply. You have taken the hardest step by coming on here, I know how hard it can be to ask for help. Well done !

When my head was spinning with debt problems I tried to do one positive thing a day, that way I slowly felt like I was taking control, and not that the debt was controlling me.

The phones calls HAVE to stop, the stress is not good for you, or your little one. Can you not change your mobile number, this is really easy to do and would give you some peace and quiet. I'd change the landline too, just tell the phone company that you are receiving harassing calls, I think this should be done free of charge. Just remember never to ring the loan companies from the new numbers. This is one positive thing you could do, today.

I also found it a great help to talk to a friend or family member about what was going on. If you can't do that then why not use the chat room on here.

I'm sure you will get loads of help and support on here, don't worry about asking 'silly' questions, remember most of us on here were in your shoes once.

Wishing you the best of luck.

MK

[Pixie]

Re: Please help

Hi Vicky

You are certainly having a rough time of it. We've all had times when we've been at our wits end so we understand and will do our best to help and support you.

The most important thing is your health and that of your baby. Don't let your employer bully you into going back to work when your doctor obviously thinks that you are not well enough. Perhaps Citizen's Advice Bureau could give you further advice on that.

As for your debts, believe me, they're not worth all the worry. As the others have said, post details of them and then we know what help we can give.

Barclays are one of the worst for hounding you with phone calls. Either change your number or look for the telephone harrassment letter on the template letters board - it worked for me!

Pop onto the chat threaads where you'll get some light relief from the constant worry of debt. Taking your mind of it for a little while can really help.

Take care hun xx

[MustGetStraigh]

Re: Please help

Vicky,
Just wanted to echo what others have said here - there are things you can do to stop the quantity of calls you've been getting. You've got other things to worry about. There's great advice on these forums and I'm sure you'll find a way through all this.
You're not alone here - there is always someone who will help you.
Keep strong!

[caspar]

Re: Please help

Hi,

I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through. I know exactly what it feels like as I, like many others on here I suspect, have been in exactly the same position.

Barclays could be easily stopped by sending them a harrassment letter. I can happily post one up for you if you'd like. As regards the mobile, unless it's on contract I'd simply change the SIM card and only give the number to those you trust / want to have it.

For what it's worth I think you've done brilliantly coping so well for so long, and you've done just the right thing by coming somewhere you can share your difficulties and seek some advice.

Swanfan is right though, at some point (sooner rather than later) you need to do as he suggests in his post, then we can actually begin to offer really constructive help. Once you begin to feel more in control again you'll be surprised how much better you feel in yourself.

You take care, and keep posting!

Caspar

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Please help

Barclays could be easily stopped by sending them a harrassment letter. I can happily post one up for you if you'd like.

Hiya

Just a polite reminder that we have a database of templates here, we tend to use those unless you have anything you can add to them, then please link to our own templates.

I suggest you send me a PM to discuss any templates that you may have that we could use, obviously we'll not have them all because we tend to stick to unenforceability here so you'll probably have others, which could come in handy! But in the main please lets not confuse people, refer to our own templates first and foremost!

---> allabout | TEMPLATE LETTERS

[vicxzy]

Re: Please help

Hello everyone thank you for your replies, I am sorry Ive not been back on but Ive been in hospital again
Thank you for all your support. Im very grateful.
Re the actual debts info:

1) Barclays O/D £2300 opened when I was at school many years ago have no idea when sorry.
Last paid Approx October/November.
Not defaulted yet as far as I know
The lender.
2) Barclaycard CC £1100ish opened 2009 last paid around November.
Unsure if defaulted not had a default notice.
just 100s of phonecalls.The lender.
3) Halifax O/D £3375
opened approx 2003 last paid Dec. Only communication is your are over your overdraft letters EVERY day.The lender.
4) As above amount £250.The lender.
4)Halifax opened 2003 ish CC £3500 last paid Nov, constant calls, & you need to pay letters, think they have defaulted me.
5) as above opened 2004ish £2000.
6) Egg CC £8000 not paid since sept, had default notice & further action letter threat opened around 2001/2002.
7) Northern rock loan approx £3500, not paid since Nov, heard very little from them.(I also have the mgt for the marital home with them) opened around 2003/2004.
8) Pier collections contacted me about ground rent payments on marital home for past 6 years which they have never asked for before, this is the first communication I've had from them & amount is for £600.
9)Halifax loan approx £7500 not paid since Nov, creditor chasing taken out 2009.
10) Natwest CC £300 last paid Nov, creditor chasing me again dont think theyve defaulted me yet taken out maybe 2005?
11) Next storecard, approx £300 not paid since Sept, still send me statements but not heard anthing about default.
Sorry Im a bit wooly on dates amounts but Im trying not to speak to the companies on the phone so cant even call to ask.
thank you once again x

[vicxzy]

Re: Please help

I still pay towards the mgt as he lives alone & cannot afford the full amount, plus the house is 85% mine as I got him to sign a document from the solicitos when we bought the house as I put 60k down on it from the sale of my prev house & he put nothing down as he was a first time buyer so I have more to lose if its reposessed x

[LooLoo]

Re: Please help

Hi Vicky, really glad to see you back and so sorry you have been poorly.

Someone will be along soon to give you some advice on what is your next best move with regards to you debts.

Sorry to be a bit nosey, but it the house is mainly owned by you how come you moved out (sorry if it is personal you don't have to say) I am just worried that you are struggling to pay rent and then also part of a mortgage on a house you no longer live in but have a large interest in. You say you have only had one viewer - is the because the house is on for too much money? Are you and your ex divorced or just seperated (sorry just trying to get a bit of background - I know all cases are different but I am going through a very acrimonious divorce... and know how hard it is to cope with it all - esp with debt added into the mix)

Take care

LL

[jen_br]

Re: Please help

I would be inclined to know the same as sunny.

I would get yourself back in there (sorry did you say you had other children?) and he may need to find a flat or bedsit of his own or a room to rent which could be anywhere from 40-60 a week.