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debt & CAB - pls help

Does anybody have any Info on the help the CAB can give you for debt?? I have been trying to get out of it but feel like Im drowning in redreminders and 1 debt iv even faulted on the payment scheme as i cant afford the minimum payments. its really depressing me. I am on income support and have heard there is something that the CAB can do to help you to manage your debts? Is this true? The reason I ask is I dont want to go to the CAB with 3 kids in tow if there is definately nothing they can do. I really need some help. I am getting desperate now. I dont want bailifs knocking on my door! please help! :\(

Replies

  • Elaine i just posted a reply on the other forum xx
  • Whatever you do, DO NOT use Eurodebt, I have been using them for 2 years, and was promised that my debts would be cleared after 5.. I still get court threat letters from companies Eurodebt are supposed to be paying (I pay them ??100 a month to do a job they cant seem to manage), I'm now getting phonecalls demanding a higher payment, and have just been made redundant and am going to have to claim benefits. Im amazingly low about it, and short of winning the lottery, its not going to get any better. Good luck with CAB.
  • Not sure if this will help you at all but saw Martin Lewis on GMTV this morning talking about Crisis Loans available from the Job Centre.

    Here's the link for you to take a look:

    http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=33544

    Hayley xx
  • Hi, you need to make sure you pay your priorty debts like rent and council tax (if they are not covered by your housing or council tax benefit) and utility bills.

    Debts like catelogue and credit card bills are classed as non priority and you need to try and get a payment arrangement through your local CAB or your local Law Centre to make payments and get the interst suspended. The usual course of action would be for your creditors to pass the debt onto a debt collection company once you have defaulted. These are not bailiffs and do not have powers of entry. Once the matter has been passed onto a debt collection company the interest would usually be suspended. Bailiffs would only be instructed on non-priority debts if you had defaulted on a Country Court Judgment. However, priority debts listed above can instruct bailiffs this is why they must be paid first. If any of your creditors issued Court proceedings you should reply giving your income details and make a nominal offer of payment (such as ??1 per month) and the Court wil consider your offer therefore you should not ignore Cuort proceedings as can actually be of assistance.

    You can also speak to a qualified legal advisor at CLS direct who are the people who deal with Legal Aid on 0845 345 4345.

    Hope this helps xx

    [Modified by: littlemo on March 03, 2009 05:00 PM]

  • Also not sure how much you owe but there is IVA's for those with 15k or more owing to 3 lenders or more.
    Good luck
  • the worst thing you can do is put it off as the debts still mount ( am struggling myself) I don't know if cab can help directly but they should be able to sit down with you and talk through your options. Definitely worth calling them up if you can't get in. Best of luck it really is awful I know, could you maybe get someone to mind the children when you go, it would mean you would
    Have more
    Chance of taking in whatever they tell you
  • check out cccs online, just go to Google & type in cccs, it is a government run budget website, which once you add all your incoming & outgoing budget details, give you a plan, including the name & numbers for places to contact to help you get back on track.
  • hey - u sound like ur in same position as me. im 22 and iv got ??26k debt. im now 30+2wk preg n about to go on maternity leave.
    i currently pay harrington brooks (consolodation group) ??100 per month n they distribute that between my creditors BUT they do charge me 20%!! SHOCKING! so really - my creditors only get ??80 distributed between them - thats what - a fiver per creditor!!! .. anyways..
    i went to CAB and they gave me afew numbers for government backed companys such as payplan and national debtline.. they DO NOT charge u. BUT because i have no disposable income (nothing left after iv paid bills, food, travel, debts and rent) they cannot deal with my creditors for me becuase they would be seen to be taking my money wen i cant afford them to do so (in other words- they actually have a consciense!! whereas harrington brooks dont - they just wanna earn their money!!).. anyways .. with the government backed ones (the free ones) i would have to write to each and every creditor myself offering a reduced payment (say ??5.00 a month) and deal with their refusals etc - whereas Harrington brooks - (the one that charges me) dealt with all that for me!! .. so no stress!! ... i cant get wrapped up in akward letters etc to all my creditors - not wen iv got a baby on way - WAY to stressful!! ... so this makes me think i want to stick with the company that charge me ... because... 20% is a lot - but wen u think about all the stress they take away from u ... its prob worth it.. maybe??.
    HOWEVER wen im on maternity leave and struggling like hell to pay ??100 per month- i might have to consider bankruptcy. i have no valuable assets (i rent not buy , my cars worth didly squat , my tv is on its last legs etc) so nothing to loose.... just it costs ??495 to declare bankruptcy... its a big decision but im 22.... the sooner i get a fresh start tthe better....
    hope things pick up for u x
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