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DROs – what if you have a car on HP?

You can't have a Debt Relief Order (DRO) if you own a car that is worth more than £4,000. But what happens if the car is on HP? A reader, Mrs T, asked: I am drowning in debts and only just under the total DRO debt limit. I have been advised that a DRO would be my best option. However I didn't tell the debt adviser that I have a car on HP which I still owe £7k as this would take me over the … [Read more...]

October 10, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, DRO

Section 13A – a little-known way to get Council Tax written off

Councils in England and Wales can reduce or write off your council tax under Section 13A (1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This has been called "the best-kept secret in council tax law". These Section 13A write-offs can be used if your house is uninhabitable because of flooding or fire. But you can also get a write-off if you have no money to pay your council tax after paying for … [Read more...]

October 2, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: council tax, For debt advisers, Priority debts

Car finance affordability – what you get if you win a complaint

Refunds for unaffordable credit are usually simple - you get a refund of interest paid and, if you still have the account, only have to repay what you borrowed with no added interest. And your credit record is cleaned. That is the basis for car finance affordability complaints too. But here there is an extra factor - what happens to the car? When you make a car finance payment, some of it is … [Read more...]

September 20, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: cars

Were you sold a car on unaffordable finance?

Was your car finance unaffordable? The FCA, who regulates car finance lenders. and the Financial Ombudsman (FOS) say: a loan is only affordable if you can make the repayments on time, without hardship and still meeting your other commitments. That means you need to be able to pay all your other debts, your normal household bills and expenses as well as the new car loan payments. You may … [Read more...]

September 15, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: cars, Refunds

“Can I switch from a Direct Debit to paying for energy by a monthly bill?”

jar labelled electricity with coins

A lot of people are asking about switching to paying a monthly energy bill instead of having a Direct Debit. Decided if they try to increase my direct debit to anything I can't afford I will tell them to cancel my Direct Debit and send me a paper bill. I will give weekly meter readings and pay for my usage AFTER I've used it, not a monthly amount ahead as a DD. Power companies hate when they … [Read more...]

August 30, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: energy crisis

Should I stop debt payments before my DMP starts?

A reader asked in mid August 2022: My StepChange DMP will start in October. Do I have to make the payments to my creditors in September? Because it's going to be a real struggle. Could I offer them less? I asked what her StepChange monthly payment will be, and whether that has taken into account rising energy prices in October 2022? It's going to be about £250. She said: I need to admit that … [Read more...]

August 23, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, DMP

Should you cancel your direct debit if you can’t pay your energy bill?

The situation in August 2022 The average UK household annual energy bill is now expected to jump 70% to £3,358 in October. Cornwall Insight predicts that in January 2023 there will be a further increase to about £3,600. That's almost treble what it was at the start of this year. The government's current help with energy bills, including £400 off everyone's electric bill this winter, and … [Read more...]

August 3, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: energy crisis, Priority debts

The Money Platform takes payments for loans already repaid

Some Money Platform customers had a payment taken from their bank account unexpectedly and incorrectly on 22 July 2022. This is what one customer said: Shocking from The Money Platform. They’ve made a massive cock up and taken money out of peoples accounts on Friday for loans they had already paid in March. She wasn't the only one. This morning there were over 25 people saying similar things … [Read more...]

July 25, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: High cost credit news/policy

Help with IVAs if you can’t pay because of the cost of living

Many people in an IVA are currently struggling because of the large rises in bills and prices in 2022. The Insolvency Service has now issued Guidance to support the IVA protocol. (That is confusingly laid out  - look for the section headed 60) Guidance to support the IVA protocol for existing protocol compliant IVAs: 26 June 2022.) This sets out what extra help IVA firms should provide … [Read more...]

July 4, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Insolvency news & policy, IVA

Provident is paying 4.2557p in the £

Quick overview Provident's Scheme of Arrangement is now in the final stages. The Scheme was proposed because Provident could not afford to carry on paying full refunds to customers winning affordability complaints. The Financial Ombudsman was upholding 75% of complaints against Provident. The FCA, Provident's regulator, said it did not approve of the Scheme. But as Provident has stopped … [Read more...]

July 1, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: High cost credit news/policy, Provident, Schemes of Arrangement

Guarantor lender TFS Loans goes into administration

UPDATE: FCA fines TFS £880,000. On 10 June 2022, the FCA announced: TFS Loans Ltd (in administration) has been fined £811,900 by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in relation to deficient affordability checks on 3,150 guarantors in its consumer credit business. The FCA has also imposed a requirement on TFS to redress the guarantors that were harmed by the firm not conducting appropriate … [Read more...]

June 10, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Guarantor loans

“A mystery CCJ on my credit record – I know nothing about it”

A reader, Ms J asked about a CCJ that suddenly appeared on her credit report. "I check my credit record a couple of times a year and there is now a CCJ on there. It looks like it was added 2 months ago at an address I left ages ago, possibly 8 years.   I don't even know if this is real or some sort of error. It's only a few hundred but I don't want to pay it if I don't have to and I don't know … [Read more...]

June 8, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, CCJ, Credit ratings

Zable – a “credit builder” card to avoid [updated]

UPDATE - August 2023 - Zable hikes interest rates for some borrowers Some people have been told that Zable is increasing their interest rate from 38.9% to 48.9%. The customers were told the rate was being increased to reflect changes in Zable's assessment of their credit record. 48.9% is now the "representative rate" that Zable quotes - this makes it one of the most expensive credit … [Read more...]

June 1, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, credit cards

Amigo’s new Scheme – approved by the Court

UPDATE the Scheme is now live After the court approved the Amigo scheme in May 2022, the Scheme is now live. The deadline for making claims has now passed. See Amigo’s Scheme – waiting for claims to be decided for details. UPDATE on the result of the voting Amigo announced on 13 May that c. 89% of people voting had voted in favour of the new Business Scheme. the next stage in the … [Read more...]

May 23, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Amigo, High cost credit news/policy, Schemes of Arrangement

Vanguard Insolvency closed down – a rogue IVA firm

On 13 May 2022, the Insolvency Service announced that Vanguard Insolvency had been wound up "in the public interest". Vanguard set up and ran Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs). These are long-term agreements between a customer and their creditors that are increasingly criticised as being mis-sold to vulnerable customers. However, Vanguard has not been shut down for mis-selling IVAs, … [Read more...]

May 17, 2022 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Insolvency news & policy, IVA

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