A reader, Mrs H, asked: I am thinking of applying for a Debt Relief Order (DRO) but I have made some payday loan refund claims. If I win these will I still get the money if I have the DRO? This article looks at the general problem of getting this sort of refund. It also applies to PPI refunds and to other refunds such as from Provident or catalogues. If you get a refund and you still owe … [Read more...]
A reader asks ...
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.
“Can mortgage lenders see old debts, no longer on my credit record?”
A reader asked: I know a debt drops off my credit file 6 years after it was settled or defaulted. I just want to ask when I apply for a mortgage, can the lender dig up unpaid debts if they are no longer showing on my credit report? This is a common question. The answer is Yes, sometimes because a lender can see other information that may show the debts. Let's look at what the lender can see, … [Read more...]
“Can I get a debt consolidation loan with a bad credit score?”
A reader asked: Are there debt consolidation options for really bad credit? I have a lot of debt and I'm not sure how to start getting out of it with a suitable loan or a credit card. A credit card won't work There are a couple of "bad credit rating" offers at the moment (October 2019), but they are only for 6 months and you will only get a very small credit limit. And after the six months, … [Read more...]
“£20,000 credit card debt due to gambling – what should I do?”
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...]
“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...]