UE - SIX Years On!

[samsmum]

Re: UE - One year on

As a late starter to UE i'd just like to say how inspiring your year on stories are. We were on a DMP for 8 years with the prospect of at least as long again and no life to speak of. It didn't give us any peace of mind whatsoever. Well not me anyway. Most things just go over hubby's head!! I think i actually envy him that now. It's all very scary cos it's new and unknown but i think for me the key is just putting total trust in you guys and knowing that everyone starts out the same way. Hopefully the s*** wont hit the fan too much and in a year i'll be writing how it's changed our lives. Many thanks but mainly big congratulations on what you've achieved so far x

[Pixie]

Re: UE - One year on

Thank you for this roomtobreathe.

You're not the first person on this forum (and probably not the last) who has tried to do the 'right thing' and start a DMP only to realise later that it was a waste of time and money. You still get hassle and, in your case, judgements against you.

I've come to realise that, where debt is concerned, there is no room for morals. The lenders certainly don't have any so why should we (and this is coming from someone who was from the 'I've borrowed it so I should pay it back' school of thought.)

[roomtobreathe]

Re: UE - One year on

Been just over a year since we admitted that the incomings weren’t exceeding the outgoings, and hadn’t been for a long, long time!

£55k over 9 creditors so we initially went down the DMP route in the vain hope that we could keep things amicable and professional. What was left over was split between the creditors whether they liked it or not. Some have bullied and badgered us, phone calls at work, phone calls at home, phone calls on the mobile day and night and a personal visit for good measure. Most creditors have continued piling on interest and in cases increased it ( +30% rate after they find out I’m in financial difficulty! ) and only two have even accepted the DMP. And a fair few trees have been expended to satiate their wrath as well. Two creditors didn’t take kindly and used the courts to guarantee their debts and land us with a CCJ and a Tomlin Order. As has previously been said, the court’s aren’t frightening, just a tadge embarrassing!

Now those two are out of the way I’ve cancelled my direct debit with the CCCS and am setting up direct payments with the remaining enforceable debts at the affordable level that we had with the CCCS. Those which aren’t enforceable (or haven’t been checked) will notice that come the end of October they won’t have had their money so we’re looking forward to hearing from them some time soon.....

What you might notice is that it’s taken me over a year to even look at unenforceability. I was living in some strange moral alter universe where people were decent to each other and one always paid ones debts. Throw in my usual procrastination and a fear of this big unknown terror called ‘indebtidness’ and perhaps you can understand why I took this path.

Now with the benefit of hindsight I can see where Niddy and all the other people around this forum are coming from. If I could do it all over again I’d stop paying each and every creditor immediately. In terms of defaults and CCJs it makes more sense to get things moving quickly. The quicker you are defaulted, the quicker it comes off your credit records. And non payment does encourage the creditors to take stock when it comes to F+Fs. Remember I’ve spent a year trying to satisfy the creditors and in reality it’s come to nothing. Yet if I had stopped paying then I’d likely have 12 months of repayments squirreled away and got to the same result.

So if you’re reading this and are just getting to grips with understanding your predicament then I would implore you not to procrastinate or prevaricate but to let the team here have a look at your circumstances. I’ll never trust a bank or financial institution again, but I do trust the team here with their advice.

[Susie]

Re: UE - One year on

Anyone else done a year cycle and want to share their experiences....?

Feel free

Well its a bit more than one year on for me, but like everyone else I really wish this site had been around earlier and that when I was made redundant I knew what I know now.

Over a year into this, my credit rating is shot to hell but since I don't ever want a card again thats only a mild annoyance and not a worry.
I still have some sleepless nights worrying about the debt, but its only perhaps 2 a month rather than 3 or 4 a week which in itself makes me feel better.
I stopped my landline which helped by stopping the phone calls, and the 2 that had what was my mobile number had it removed by me online - shame I did not replace it with one from a DCA but hey we all make mistakes
Letters are opened without me feeling sick every time, and I do try to reply to all my fans as they have taken so much trouble to sit and personalise their templates - not! I seem to be better at reading between the lines now, and words in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS seem to be there to detract from the fact that they have nothing substantive to put around them.
One creditor is getting a small amount each month that I can afford (will take 45.8 years to pay off at the current rate) this is keeping them off my back which is worth the money at the moment. At some point in the future I may stop paying but I would want a couple of personal things to change first which will take a few years.
Again through this site my shopping habits have changed and I do stick to the lists now, I also only buy treats (chocolate!) if some things on the list are reduced or BOGOF so I am only spending what I saved I have not used a credit card in 2 years, the overdraft that I had is being repaid, I have a small emergency fund and the bank account that I use has a little bit left in it at the end of the month, ok so its not a huge amount but its far better than being in almost permanent overdraft. So all in all I think that being here has had a pretty good effect on me.
Big thanks to Niddy (and everyone else) for everything thats done to make this site what it is

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: UE - One year on

Anyone else done a year cycle and want to share their experiences....?

Feel free

[Elsie52]

Re: UE - One year on

Well done Helmsman........

Like you, and others on here, our lives have become worth living again instead of worrying constantly from pay day to pay to day on how we were going to survive. And that's thanks to Niddy and this forum.

Enjoy your year anniversary.

[helmsman]

Re: UE - One year on

Hi Everyone
The Helmsman is 1 year old today on AAD. After the initial letters to creditors asking for ccas it has been a life changing year. Several years paying over a £1000pm to creditors via cccs and debt increasing all the time, they now get sweet FA. Well almost, the enforceable ones get a reasonable affordable payment as long as they stop the interest which they all have now, we have 2 confirmed no cca £12000, many more incomplete ccas which with Niddys help we fend off with templates £1000s. Like all on here life is much better (still have my doorstep) can live a decent life again, dont give a toss about what I owe anymore (have paid £1000s in interest and charges) have been to court a couple of times affordable payments have been set, (dont worry about going to court with debt, it isnt that bad, just a bit embarrasing) have had a visit from Power 2 contact, told him to clear off, wont be talking to him or pay them any money that seems to have worked. All of this happened when a huge loss of income in 2006, from being thrown money at nonstop including when I was in trouble, I am now one of the (dont touch with a bargepole) and now only have what we can pay for with cash or debit card, anyway sorry for the long post, MANY THANKS NIDDY and all the MODS.

[Slickfm]

Re: UE - One year on

Hiya gang,

It's now 16 months since I sent off my CCA requests to my 6 creditors and so far 1 isand 5 are so far with one taking me to court looks like I have a good chance of defending this

Prior to starting this UE journey I was on a dmp with cccs for 4yrs, then one day last year whilst browsing the net looking for other stories of people in the same situation as me I stumbled across threads and posts from our NIDDY on a previous website. From that point on I plucked up the courage to contact NIDDY with my story and from that moment iI found an inner strength to fight back.

Over 1 year on and no payments made either I'm a different person with regards to all this and no longer worry about mail dropping through the door because I feel with NIDDYS help and support from all my fellow posters on here I can see this through to the end.

A great big and THANKYOU to each and everyone of you!!

Cheers Slickfm

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: UE - One year on

Log in using top right corner and tick "remember me". It's not like remembering your login but your session so you won't time-out

[5corpio]

Re: UE - One year on

Oh Bollocks - typed an essay, and was locked out - Right click copy just incase - Oh Bollocks - by the time i done that, i had alread - Right click copy something else

Will have to come back to it again, another time

[5corpio]

Re: UE - One year on

Lots of birthdays just passed, so come on guys - how's it been for you over the last year? These entries will make their way onto a new "UE Tales" section on the new website so tell us your story...

Thanks

will this evening -

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: UE - One year on

Lots of birthdays just passed, so come on guys - how's it been for you over the last year? These entries will make their way onto a new "UE Tales" section on the new website so tell us your story...

Thanks

[garlok]

Re: UE - One year on

Very eloquently put Allan. I would second everything you have said there. Yes we do poke a little fun at each other and have a laugh, but that has to be part of the return from the despairing times that most of us have been put through. It helps to restore some of the confidence need to deal with the malignant subculture that surrounds the "debt issue".

best regards
Garlok

[alland]

Re: UE - One year on

Hi Malamute,

Thank you for your post, many of us here can fully relate to the feeling of despair and little self worth that you have previously experienced, and we all have different stories of how we got ourselves in the financial mire.

Whatever the reason is totally Irrelevant, and on this site you don’t even need to explain how you arrived there. That’s your business and if you don’t wish to share it, then fine, no one will ask or judge you.

The sole purpose of this site is to help support and guide you through whatever process you decide to pursue in getting your life back on track, both financially and mentally from the feeling that you are alone in your financial plight.


However bad it appears, believe me, there is a way back. And joining us here will help give you the strength to face the journey back.


I promise you. As long as you are here, you will never be alone on that journey.


Take a good look around the site, join us on the social threads, we have fun (even debtors are allowed to do that you know) , and we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and remember "laughter medicine" is better than anything the doctor can prescribe.


Thanks

Alland

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: UE - One year on

I wish I'd found this site years ago! I've been struggling with DCAs, and their associated law firms since 2008. I'm not proud of the situation that I'm in but reading the posts I'm relieved to have found this site as it has no signs of people judging others - just an atmosphere of people helping others.

I've learnt how to survive on no credit and still managed to keep my home. Like the original post says - you honestly feel like you're the only one struggling but of course you aren't.

My credit file is shot to pieces but i no longer feel that that makes me a "bad person."

Great site, lovely people and finally I feel like I'm heading in a better direction

X

Hiya

If I (or any mod) sees anyone picking on a debtor then they'll be kicked out - we will not stand for it, rest assured you are number one here - those that pay are number 2 - the debtor is more than welcome here, unlike most other forums.

You'll not see any cases of bullying, which is what we're proud of - ie we will offer you a safe haven in which to rant, moan or just chatter with other likeminded people...