A reader asked: "I have nearly £20,000 in credit card debts due to 8 years of gambling addiction. I asked several times to lower my interest, defaulted a couple of times and also they could see gambling on my account yet they still increased my credit limits. I was taking cash advances to pay for food. I have not gambled for 18 months now, but I am left with this horrible debt that I cannot … [Read more...]
Readers have asked a huge variety of questions in the comments below Debt Camel articles. From credit ratings and mortgages to payday loan refunds and IVAs...
Some of them needed such long replies that I have turned them into the articles that are gathered here.
“I have a CCJ for a guarantor loan – is it too late to complain?”
A reader asked: I agreed to be the guarantor for a loan for a friend, but he lied to me and couldn't pay it. Amigo were very difficult, wanting me to stop paying other debts so I could pay them, and got a CCJ. Is it too late for me to complain and ask to be removed as the guarantor? Guarantor lenders have a reputation for being very fast to go to court when a guarantor doesn't pay them. People … [Read more...]
“When I am made redundant, should I go for a Debt Relief Order?”
Ms G asked: I have about £18,000 of debts which I can't afford to pay after my partner left. I am part-time at work, with very little money and renting, but I have been told I will be made redundant in November. I should get about £2,500 redundancy pay and I will need that while I look for a proper job - I won't get Universal Credit straight away. So is it best to wait and apply for a Debt Relief … [Read more...]
“Will settling defaults help me get car finance next year?”
A reader, Mr W, asked: I had credit cards and got myself in a mess when getting balance transfers but keeping the old cards. Then I lost my job last year, but I am now working again. I have defaults ranging from 2015 to last month. All my debts add up to about £6,500. Many of them have offered me a discount if I clear the outstanding balance. I have been offered a 20% discount on a £3,500 … [Read more...]
“What if I forgot to put a debt on my bankruptcy application?”
A reader asked: I am thinking of filing for bankruptcy. Some of my debts go back quite few years. I tried a DMP and an IVA that failed. I’m behind on my household Bills too. I’m single mum and find hard to cope with all this stress. I finally plucked the courage to do the form. I have at least 13 creditors, some of these details I took off my IVA creditors list but some have passed the debts … [Read more...]
“My overdraft limit has gone up & I don’t want any more debt”
There are thousands of people in Britain in 2020 who will know how Mr D feels when he asked: We moved into our own place 18 months ago. I have have had to ask for my overdraft limit to be increased several times when I can't afford the bills. It is now at £2,000 and I am paying more than £60 a month in fees. I am trying to reduce it but really struggling as I am the only one working while my … [Read more...]
“What happens to a DRO if I move in with a new partner?”
A reader asked: I’m a single parent and have had about 10k of debts in a debt management plan for several years. I’m on low income and it looks like it will never end plus I have got some further debts. Now I’m considering a Debt Relief Order (DRO). But I met someone and I’m thinking about starting to live together. I don’t want to tell him about my debts and really want to sort this out … [Read more...]
“Can I transfer a loan to my partner? It’s car finance.”
A reader asked: I got a car loan last September because I had better credit than my partner. She has been paying it off since the start by transferring the money to my bank account. Now the question is, would it be possible to transfer the loan to my partner so it's completely in her name? And if so would it move off my credit report? You can't "transfer" a loan The simple answer is No. … [Read more...]
“Is it too soon for low settlement offers to be accepted?”
A reader, Mr P, asked: I have debts of around £30,000 on five credit cards and loans, which I couldn't pay from last summer. A Debt Management Plan (DMP) was set up a couple of months ago. This will take about ten years to pay off. The DMP firm suggested an IVA or bankruptcy as I'm not a homeowner but I do not really want to get into an IVA or bankruptcy as these will affect my credit score … [Read more...]
“I really want to get a mortgage but my credit score is very poor”
A reader asked: I really want to stop renting and own my own house. But I'm in my mid thirties and my credit score is very poor. I've been careless and sometimes stupid, there were two defaults in 2018 and several more before that. None of them yet repaid. I've not used my credit card since January but the balance is huge. Can this be done? Is it worth trying to fix this? You have to decide … [Read more...]