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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Shit load of debt - AIBU to think this can be sorted?

155 replies

justthesky · 15/12/2019 09:47

Surely?

The total is about £5000 which probably doesn’t sound too bad, but the issue is that it is priority bills I’ve fallen behind on and the companies aren’t prepared to wait, so huge interest charges are being added on top of the original debt.

I’ve contacted CAB who have just told me not to open the doors and to park cars away from the house.

Does anybody have any suggestions, at all?

OP posts:
MrsJoshNavidi · 15/12/2019 11:30

Can you tell us what your monthly/weekly income(from where) and outgoings (what on) are? Someone may be able to see where you can free up some money.

Are you on your own, or do you have a partner and kids?

BarbaraofSeville · 15/12/2019 11:31

OP, no-one can give suitable advice without a full analysis of your budget and circumstances (income, whether you rent or own, whether the situation is likely to be a short or long term issue, assets, etc etc).

Have a look at the Moneysavingexpert money makeover to draw up a full budget, which is necessary in order to get the right help and also signposts you to appropriate solutions to your debt problem, which will be somewhere between bankruptcy and just cutting back a bit and correctly prioritising your spending, which is dependent entirely on circumstances which you have given no details on up to now.

Teachermaths · 15/12/2019 11:32

OP you are being incredibly obtuse. If this is how you are dealing with the council and bailiffs no wonder they are frustrated.

The time to sort your budget is NOW. You can then prioritise your debts and get sorted. You need to work out what is the level of affordable repayments for you. Then you can begin negotiations.

Being so obtuse and not giving more financial information means the advice can't be tailored to your exact situation.

Original poster
justthesky · 15/12/2019 11:32

It is no ones business about my personal circumstances.

I posted asking for help with this immediate problem.

Let’s leave it there. Merry Christmas.

OP posts:
Original poster
justthesky · 15/12/2019 11:32

Of course I haven’t teacher Hmm

OP posts:
IndecentFeminist · 15/12/2019 11:34

How did you expect people to help then? You've made your finances people's business by posting them here 😂🤦‍♀️

Binting · 15/12/2019 11:35

@OP, being on benefits or on a low wage is relevant to the type of plans you can make to sort out your debt, e.g taking out a DRO for £90 and effectively wiping out your debt in one fell swoop. Just think of the relief that would bring if it’s an option.

If you own your home you could lose it- it’s relevant to know that.

Stepchange advisors on MSE forums often despair at the the advice that their colleagues give people - they get it wrong quite a few times (not the people on the forums - they really are excellent).

I know that it seems horrendous at the moment but you need to take a breath and heed some of the advice people are trying to give you in good will. I do know what I’m talking about as I’ve been in a worse position than you and it is people on the MSE forums and the Debt Camel website that helped me. In 3 weeks I will be completely debt free, you could be completely debt free in 12 months from now too.

Teachermaths · 15/12/2019 11:36

Op: Please help me with a situation
Posters: we can but we need more info
OP: no

We'll just magic up the advice from thin air then 😂🙄🙈

Flapjackninja · 15/12/2019 11:37

My Council Tax went to bailiffs a few years ago. I refused to engage with them, locks your doors and windows, do not let them in the house.

I sent a template letter which I got from the Martin Lewis website to both the bailiffs and the council. It showed my ingoing and outgoings and the minimum payment I would be able to make. I then made my payments as I had set out in the letter direct to the council. The council complained a bit saying the debt was no longer theirs, the bailiffs still chased up payment. I resent the original letter plus proof that payment was made direct to the council. Eventually the council took the debt back and never heard from the bailiffs again. Plus all the fees the bailiffs added were removed so that reduced the amount a bit.

This worked for me but that was a few years ago. I would advise looking at the the Martin Lewis website they have forums just for debt management advise.

BlueCornsihPixie · 15/12/2019 11:38

How can anyone help if you won't tell them your income/personal circumstance?

You earn 100k a year, own 6 Ferraris and a 7 bed mansion is very different advice to unemployed, no car or house

Lou898 · 15/12/2019 11:39

Do an honest income and expenditure. You can find a template online. Include the normal monthly repayments for everything. Include reasonable amounts for food, travel etc. Think about cancelling payments for non essentials unless you’re in a contract you can’t get out of.Then see what you have left each month to put towards clearing arrears. You will need this whichever route you take. It’ll also highlight where you can cut down and where your money goes. Then send this with an offer of what you can afford towards the arrears whilst keeping up with the normal repayment.
This is also a useful thing to have if bailiffs do turn up as they can see what you can/can’t afford.
Don’t bury your head in the sand...act now.

Daisydoola · 15/12/2019 11:39

To give you the best advice we need the full circumstances.

People aren't being nosy they just want to help, there's stuff you can do but things like if you are on benefits/own a house come into play.

Squirrelblanket · 15/12/2019 11:40

What a bizarre thread! Confused

Puzzledandpissedoff · 15/12/2019 11:41

I’ve contacted CAB who have just told me not to open the doors and to park cars away from the house

No they didn't Hmm

The worrying thing on this thread is that any number of kind MNers have probably already contacted OP with offers of money ...

PBo83 · 15/12/2019 11:41

I posted asking for help with this immediate problem.

So you wanted a bailout then?

Listenkid · 15/12/2019 11:42

I also am in debt with council tax, made one payment late and they took me to court and bailiffs are pestering me. I pay them £15 a week and have done since they 1st contacted me, i also made this offer of £15 a week which they refused as they wanted the full amount. I cant afford the full amount then or now so 3 months later i still pay £15 a week. They have come to my home a couple of times and i refuse to let them in they ring and i just make the same offer everytime while still paying them weekly. There is not much they can do if you make an offer of replayment and then stick to it even if it is just a few quid.

madcatladyforever · 15/12/2019 11:43

I ended up with £20,000 worth of debt after my divorce and no job and my only option was to sell my house to pay off the debt and I relocated to a much cheaper part of the country and found a new job there.
I've bought another house which is MUCH bigger and MUCH cheaper than the one I had in the south east and I'm never getting into debt again. My life is 100% better now with manageable monthly costs and I stick to a strict budget.

BarbaraofSeville · 15/12/2019 11:44

OP, you can go to prison for not paying your council tax and being obstructive with anyone trying to recover the debt or giving advice is not going to help you avoid it if the situation gets that far. That's why it is vital that you co-operate and try and resolve the situation.

If you aren't getting sensible advice from CAB, try stepchange or CAP. If you can't get an appointment with them, then try the MSE debt advice forum, it really is top notch.

But you must draw up a budget of incomings and outgoings, otherwise the bailiffs and the courts if relevant will simply assume that you are a 'won't pay' rather than a 'can't pay' and will treat you accordingly. If you are a 'can't pay' and are suitably co-operative and get proper tailored advice, and you are eligilbe for a DRO, you could make all your debt go away for a one off payment of £90.

Getting behind with your council tax for whatever reason, has made it other people's business. But it's up to you to sort it.

Binting · 15/12/2019 11:51

@Puzzledandpissedoff - CAB gave exactly the same advice to my friend when bailiffs were hassling her due to a debt that her arsehole exh had run up (he’d stopped paying water rates without telling her). CAB told her to park her car well away from the house and preferably in a car park and not to open the door to bailiffs in any circumstances.

This was back in 2012, so it is pretty standard advice from them.

Seriouslyconfused3 · 15/12/2019 11:52

Honestly op I’d evaluate if I had any assets at all that could be sold and try and get rid of the bailiffs. The rest can be negotiated.

chomalungma · 15/12/2019 11:55

step change can’t help with debts like council tax

But they can offer advice.

As I said up thread, you have to engage with the creditors.

You don't want to lose your home or get evicted. You need to keep a roof over your head and to have the basics.

Ignoring things won't make them go away. It will escalate and charges get added to charges so the debt you owe will escalate.

category12 · 15/12/2019 12:05

Very bizarre. You've let it get to bailiff stage, presumably by burying your head in the sand or by being obstructive - and you're demonstrating the same attitude on here. There are no miracles. Of course the debt can be sorted, but if you want advice you have to explain the circumstances and your financial situation otherwise it's just basically you going "aaaaah" which is OK if you need to, but a bit pointless for us to try to answer.

CJsGoldfish · 15/12/2019 12:11

Join this group on facebook OP. They're incredibly helpful

Don't join it OP, it's not a nice group. Run by a twat and full of anti vax conspiracy theorists whose only goals seem to be getting out of ever paying anything. Really makes you feel dirty.

People have honestly tried to help you, please listen.

JorisBonson · 15/12/2019 12:14

Brilliant.

"Help me MN I need your help"

"No I don't like this help, bye".

inwood · 15/12/2019 12:25

Why are you so cagey? What a bizarre thread.

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