Scooby's Diary

[Scooby25]

Hi All,

Just joined the forum after reading here for a few months. Looking for a bit of guidance. Hope I posted in the correct place.

I acquired quite a large amount of debt which came to a head in 2018, approximately 40k in total. Since then I have been on a DMP with step change which was happily quite affordable until now £400 a month. I have now have approx. 25k outstanding.

This year I have had 2 unexpected events, one which everyone is enduring at present.

1. I need to move house I the next few months and it seems rents have increased in my area by another 50% on top of what I am currently paying so I am pay £600 now and will need to probably pay £800 to £900 a month going forward. That's if I can find anywhere as rental properties seem in short supply.

2. Obviously all the costs are rising quite significantly, petrol, gas, electric, food etc.

The result, this has made my current DMP quite unsustainable going forward. I need to come to some for of resolution in the next few months, or at least be working towards one.

After doing a bit of research it occurred I have never really looked into the enforceability of these debts, so I fired off some letters requesting the CCA. So far I have received some documentation from Capital One, to which I have no idea of the validity and a fob off letter from Nationwide about a missing signature, I did it seems make the rooky error of not sending the original letter recorded delivery, should I resend to the creditors that have not acknowledged the request? I have told Nationwide that I have no obligation to sign the request and since I have heard nothing. The capital one document appears valid to me, and the letter is insistent that it is!

Below current debts:

HSBC 10k (taken out approx 2002)
Intrum (formally Ratesetter) 6k (2012)
Lowell 4k (formally Great Universal Catalogue) (2005)
Capital One 2k (2002)
Nationwide 2k (2006)

To be honest since I have been on the plan they have all not bothered me. I expect the ratesetter one should be valid as its quite recent.

What should I do next, is renegotiating the payments a better solution or should I go down the validity route, assuming that maybe a few are not valid which would help tremendously at the current time.

Thanks

[The Tech Clerk]

Diary do for each debt most are early ones so actual copy originals. Have any CCAs be obtained against you? More details each one

[Night Monkey]

Hi Scooby,

It would be worth creating a diary entry for each debt so that those that know more than me can offer advice with some relevant background.

Preferred format, one post in the diary for each debt:

Type of account (credit card/loan/overdraft)
Date commenced
Approx balance
Date last paid (approximate date you last made a FULL payment)
Are you on arrangement or not paying
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date)
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser)

Requote the post (or C & P) each time you need help with a question or get correspondence etc.

Good luck...

[Night Monkey]

And send a copy of the alleged CCA from Cap One to webmaster@all-about-debt.co.uk for an assessment of its validity, with a link to this diary. No redactions, only Niddy will see it.

[Scooby25]

Diary do for each debt most are early ones so actual copy originals. Have any CCAs be obtained against you? More details each one

Ok thanks. When you say CCAs obtained against me, do you mee CCJs sorry, nothing like that just defaults. Will fill in as advised.

[Scooby25]

HSBC Mastercard:
Type of account: Credit Card
Date commenced: Sometime in 2002/3 not sure of exact date
Approx balance: £10022
Date last paid: (approximate date you last made a FULL payment) November 2018
Are you on arrangement or not paying: on arrangement
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date): default
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser) HSBC

[Scooby25]

Great Universal Catalogue

Type of account: Catalogue
Date commenced: Approx. 2005
Approx balance £4141
Date last paid (approximate date you last made a FULL payment) November 2018
Are you on arrangement or not paying: on arrangement
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date): in arrears
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser): Now with Lowell originally Great Universal, Shop Direct

[Scooby25]

Ratesetter Loan
Type of account: Loan
Date commenced: Approx 2012 think they topped it up in 2016
Approx balance: £5939
Date last paid (approximate date you last made a FULL payment): November 2018
Are you on arrangement or not paying: on Arrangement
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date): Default
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser): Now with Intrum UK from Ratesetter

[Scooby25]

Capital One:
Type of account: Credit Card
Date commenced: June 2002
Approx balance: £2,865.58
Date last paid (approximate date you last made a FULL payment) November 2018
Are you on arrangement or not paying: On arrangement
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date): Default
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser): Capital One

[Scooby25]

Nationwide:
Type of account: Credit Card
Date commenced: June 2006
Approx balance: £2,143.43
Date last paid (approximate date you last made a FULL payment) November 2018
Are you on arrangement or not paying: On arrangement
Status (default/in arrears/up-to-date): Default
Account owner (who is writing to you, a DCA or the lender or a debt purchaser): Nationwide

[Scooby25]

Will get the stuff capital one sent scanned in on Tuesday when back at work. Thanks all.

[Still Waving]

Hi

Another possibility while you are looking into enforceability/unenforceability (an interim measure, perhaps) - You have been in a DMP since 2018, bur circumstances have changed, and what was affordable then is no longer affordable now. You could approach Stepchange saying you need to work out with them a new level of repayment. This could give you a bit of breathing space while you look at your longer term options.

[The Tech Clerk]

Sorry CCJs

[Scooby25]

No CCJs

[Scooby25]

Hi

Another possibility while you are looking into enforceability/unenforceability (an interim measure, perhaps) - You have been in a DMP since 2018, bur circumstances have changed, and what was affordable then is no longer affordable now. You could approach Stepchange saying you need to work out with them a new level of repayment. This could give you a bit of breathing space while you look at your longer term options.

It is something I have considered, I just wasn't sure what the creditors would accept. I think at the moment the payments will be greatly reduced. My energy bill has increased by 50% a month, my Petrol bill has almost doubled, obviously food is rising too, with the rent increasing as well but I don't know how much until l find somewhere. I would be generous in estimating them getting half what they do now. Maybe a pause until I know my rent? I will call them to discuss.

If I was lucky and found somewhere the same or not too much more than I am paying now it wouldn't be so much of an issue, I can reduce energy consumption and petrol a little by other means.