New to DMP

[gericke]

A big hello to everyone on the forum.
Just entered a DMP with CCCS as needed a leg up on the long road ahead.
Most of my creditors are now aware, with my dmp starting 1st Feb. Only the Halifax & Santander to inform - closing both bank accounts at the end of the month, so will inform them after this.
Only paid Santander a credit card payment of £20 (should be £204) as not much funds available this month. Phoned me up on Sunday morning requesting the full payment, but i said i couldn't/wouldn't and would not be making another payment until the end of the month, but would not give them a figure, as its mostly likely going to be only £20 again until they are included in my dmp.
My question is - should i struggle with this £20 payment or let the dmp take it's course when they are included - most likely by March.

Many thanks
Gericke.

[MrsD]

Re: New to DMP

CCCS usually supply you with a letter to send to your creditors telling them you are on a DMP and giving them your ref. If you have decided to go down the DMP route, only pay a token of one pound, trust me it will make absolutely no difference to the way you are treated and you need to try to build up an emergency fund for your DMP. So one pound only to all creditors from now on in, any more you might just as well throw it away. Welcome to AAD by the way, you'll find support here whatever you decide to do to handle your debt. Have a good read around and feel free to ask any other questions. How old are your debts?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: New to DMP

Let the dmp take its course. Don't pay the £20. You'll be fine.

[BBoo]

Re: New to DMP

You should certainly pay no more than you can comfortably afford, whether that be £1 or £20. Do not overstretch yourself.

Make sure, if you're going the DMP route that they get ALL interest and charges frozen, and that they make sure you are defualted as soon as possible. The sooner you're defaulted, the sooner it comes off.

If some creditors are awkward about freezing interest and charges, don't let CCCS accept no for an answer. They can and should get this done for you.

[gericke]

Re: New to DMP

Many thanks for the replies / advice. The CCCS are holding back including the Halifax & Santander in my dmp until I have closed my bank acounts with them. My salary is being paid into my new bank account (Yorkshire bank) on the 25th of this month. So as soon as i have confirmed my company HR department have done the simple task of paying my salary into my new account, letters will be dispatch to the Halifax & Santander.
I think i will will not bother with token payments as the Santander have been on the phone this month about the below minimum payment i made this month. They are only interested in the full minimum payment and nothing else - well wake up and smell the coffee beans Santander, I'm in money trouble.
Will kept my post updated as events unfold - many thanks again everyone.
Gericke.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: New to DMP

Best of luck mate

[gericke]

Re: New to DMP

Well I have received my 6th phone call and x1 text from Santander in 5 days. One of these phone calls being after 9 o'clock at night and god knows how many calls they've made when i've been out. I informed them on the second call to contact me in writing from now on - should i be penning a harassment letter ???.

Cheers for all the comments so far everyone
Gericke

[BBoo]

Re: New to DMP

It sounds as though CCCS are being sensible which is good.

Personally if the phone calls are getting to a ridiculous level, which it sounds as though they are I would send them this:

Our Templates | Harassment & Intimidation Templates | Harassment by Telephone

Once sent, log all phone calls from them - time, date - refuse to go through security and ask for everything in writing for the avoidance of doubt.

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: New to DMP

Well I have received my 6th phone call and x1 text from Santander in 5 days. One of these phone calls being after 9 o'clock at night and god knows how many calls they've made when i've been out. I informed them on the second call to contact me in writing from now on - should i be penning a harassment letter ???.

Cheers for all the comments so far everyone
Gericke

Hi Gericke

I'm afraid that Santander can be @holes to agree to a DMP. It took me almost 12 months for them to agree to mine.

As you're with the CCCS I would like to think they may be more reasonable.

Send the letter that Bboo has mentioned and then you must start keeping a log of calls you receive from them. Keep a notepad and pen by the phone so you can write down time/date and name of the person calling you.

When they call, refuse to answer security questions, tell them you are on a DMP with the CCCS and give them your CCCS reference number and then inform them politely that are ending the call as you have asked for all correspondance to be placed in writing.

After a month or so you should have a good record of all the calls they have made, dates/times and who by.

You can then write to them detailing all of these calls and demonstrating harrassment and start quoting OFT guidelines and BBA guidelines which they will undoubtedly have breached with the evidence you have collated.

Best

SnV

[BBoo]

Re: New to DMP

Hi Gericke

I'm afraid that Santander can be @holes to agree to a DMP. It took me almost 12 months for them to agree to mine.

As you're with the CCCS I would like to think they may be more reasonable.

Best

SnV

Yep, Santander can be pigs. If CCCS have difficulty, tell them to send a letter quoting Santander's breaches of almost the entirety of Section Nine of the Lending Code. They don't like it, but they'll agree your DMP!

Also make sure that all charges and interest are frozen, and that you are defaulted as soon as possible. This has two benefits, one is that the sooner the default gets onto your CRF, the sooner it will fall off; the other benefit is that once defaulted they usually pass it to a DCA, and DCA's are much easier to deal with.

[gericke]

Re: New to DMP

Many thanks for the useful information everyone.
Just received a letter from Santander regarding my January Credit card payment requesting the shortfall of the minimum monthly payment.
On the bottom of the letter, it states that if i do not make the payment (no time limit), they may taken the money from one of the other accounts that i hold with them !.
My bank account with them should be closed as soon as i receive this months salary - 1st Feb by the latest.
Will they take funds before i can close the account or are they just talking rubbish ??. Surely they must give people a period of time before they resort to this under the counter method of getting a payment ?.
I have my mortgage and a secure loan with them too, surely these are safe from them trying to recover the credit card debit.

[oscar]

Re: New to DMP

They can off set you credit card balance against your bank account yes.

BUT they CANT pay say £200 from your bank account onto your credit card if it will make you £200 overdrawn. You have to have cleared funds, and your account in credit for them to be able to do so.

[gericke]

Re: New to DMP

Many thanks for the quick reply oscar, can they touch my mortgage and secure loan accounts ???? - this is what has me most worried now.

[oscar]

Re: New to DMP

Many thanks for the quick reply oscar, can they touch my mortgage and secure loan accounts ???? - this is what has me most worried now.

Not to pay your credit card no - as they are debts themselves. They cant increase the value of one debt to pay another off.

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: New to DMP

They can off set you credit card balance against your bank account yes.

BUT they CANT pay say £200 from your bank account onto your credit card if it will make you £200 overdrawn. You have to have cleared funds, and your account in credit for them to be able to do so.

Don't want to be the bearer of bad news here but unfortunately just because they shouldn't it doesn't mean they won't.

It is not unheard of for this to happen (especially if there is an agreed o/d limit in place that is not being used) leaving people to then have to argue the point afterwards and generally requiring a complaint to the FOS to get a resolution.

I have also seen Northern Rock customers have money offset from mortgages where overpayments have been made........................

Gericke - You say you are closing the Santander account as soon as you get paid this months wages?

But you also say that this months wages are getting paid into your new bank account on the 25th?

So I'm a little confused

Personally I would have already withdrawn any money thats in the Santander account already so that balance is zero (unless you have an O/D).....................