To expect more help than this?

[iwillnot]

Went on maternity leave in October, have a new job in starting in July.

I’m struggling with making payments on my car. Contacted the company to explain this and just got told it was a priority debt.

AIBU in that given how temporary this situation is they should have been a bit more helpful? (I’m not asking for advice as such just wondering if I’m being U.)

Also have you checked of you're entitled to any child tax credits etc?

squirrels is rather not disclose personal info if you don’t mind (not meant snarky just don’t want to get into very personal stuff)

I don’t have any family but my husbands family aren’t rich.

My car is leased, I was contacted last year by the finance company stating that if I was struggling with furlough or redundancy due to Covid, my payments could be reviewed and adjusted if necessary.

OP is definitely not unreasonable to ask

I’m not I’m normally very well paid.

^What’s the deal with your overall household income?

Is your DC’s father expecting you to cover all bills on maternity leave as usual? What’s your set-up^

Yes, if you're like this with the car company, it's not surprising why they won't agree to your request. You've given next to no information about your circumstances except 'I want to pay less for three months because I'm between jobs'.

@iwillnot

squirrels is rather not disclose personal info if you don’t mind (not meant snarky just don’t want to get into very personal stuff)

I don’t have any family but my husbands family aren’t rich.

One qn.

Do YOU have no money left or do you BOTH have no money left. Don't even have to answer out loud but Def answer it to yourself. If he's still got cash and you're borrowing from your baby, think about if that's fair on you

As I asked previously can you go back to work sooner? Or take on temporary work until your new job starts?

Fair enough iwill but we see it a lot on here - woman on maternity leave expected to magically bear all the costs of a child (including loss of income) whilst not much changes for the bloke in the scenario...

How about namechanging and starting a thread in Money Matters with your income/outgoings for ideas? Or money saving expert is good at this if you want to try a different site.

I ask because if you genuinely can't work at the moment for a particular reason then they might be more lenient than if it's just because you want longer on maternity leave.

barbara I didn’t exactly replicate my conversation with them, if you note my OP I did say I wasn’t really looking for advice to try to avoid comments like this as you do get pushed into revealing more than you’re comfortable with.

I can’t go back to work sooner as it’s a new job.

They don’t care about your financial situation. They want their money as agreed. Harsh tho it seems when you’re struggling and trying to avoid a crisis.

Covid related payment holidays are a thing for car finance too (according to a quick Google search).

The deadline is imminent, 31st March. So yes, there is more they can do.

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-car-payment-holidays

I think your are not unreasonable to ask, and it would have been nice if they had said yes, but at the same time it is also okay that they said no. I have asked my bank about similar regarding my loans over the years. Sometimes they have said yes, sometimes no. That's just the way it goes.

@iwillnot

barbara I didn’t exactly replicate my conversation with them, if you note my OP I did say I wasn’t really looking for advice to try to avoid comments like this as you do get pushed into revealing more than you’re comfortable with.

I can’t go back to work sooner as it’s a new job.

July is a few months away though, they definitely won't let you start sooner if you asked?

If not, then I would explain to the finance company that you had to leave your old job, you have a new job but the start date is fixed for July. Don't give maternity leave as a reason, concentrate on your new job starting.

The car company will ask the same questions that we are. If she is on maternity leave then why can't the father help pay the bill. If he is using the car then surely both of you should pay for it.

dishwasher surely you appreciate the difference between a confidential conversation between two people and posting on a public and busy website? I don’t think it’s DHs responsibility to pay my debts.

[quote Wallabing]Covid related payment holidays are a thing for car finance too (according to a quick Google search).

The deadline is imminent, 31st March. So yes, there is more they can do.

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-car-payment-holidays[/quote]
Thanks, I’m going to contact them again with this.

This may be a case of “computer says no” that can be overcome with persistence - asking to speak with a manager etc.

Or it may be that you just don’t fit the criteria for reduced payments/refinancing for some good reason - we just don’t have the information.

And what you should do now depends on whether you need to keep the car and all sorts of questions you’re not going to answer.

I would say - MN is anonymous and most posters have seen it all and no situation is terribly unique. There’s plenty of great advice to be had if you want it and can say a bit more. But obviously no obligation on you to do that. But down to a £10 with a baby and no job for 3 months sounds extreme so I think advice would be useful?

@iwillnot

dishwasher surely you appreciate the difference between a confidential conversation between two people and posting on a public and busy website? I don’t think it’s DHs responsibility to pay my debts.

I'm in favour of split finances etc but actually, I do think its your husband's responsibility to help and support you, and vice versa. The idea that you're borrowing money from the baby to cover basic expenses whilst he has plenty of disposable income actually reflects really badly on him. Esp of he's also expecting half the bills covered as normal. What happens next month op? May? June? July before you get paid?

I’ll have a bit more next month, it’s not until July!

No he’s paying all bills. He’s very good really.

I don’t think it’s DHs responsibility to pay my debts.

You’re a family now, though.

Does he contribute enough to the expenses for the baby? Extended maternity leave is an expense for the baby, it’s not about “paying your debts” it’s about not being penalised unfairly for having less income because of childbirth/childcare.

Good luck with the car finance company, fingers crossed they can work it out for you.

Oh yeah I’ve no complaints. He does buy all the groceries nappies etc ... but I do have some debts that are just mine and I don’t want him to feel like he has to spend loads on them.

It's really sad reading such negative, offensive and nasty advice that isn't based on the reality of financial institutions and the support they are obliged to offer struggling customers.

OP, you absolutely deserve to be treated better, to have the options detailed and have the impact of these decisions pointed out to you. This is what lenders sign up to that allows them to lend.

You deserve to be supported through a temporary period of financial hardship and it sounds like the lender are not taking their vulnerable customer obligations seriously.

There's different action you could take but I'd start by asking to see a copy of their vulnerable customers policy and ask if they've taken your position as a vulnerable customer into consideration in their commutations with you.

Keep copies of your communications with them.

Thanks big I appreciate that!