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Original poster

Severn Trent, a deceitful DH, a CCJ and ongoing debt...I just found out

20 replies

WashedAway · 05/10/2013 13:19

So I opened my mail the other day (DH not around) to discover I have a CCJ and a charge on my property from Severn Trent - a utility account in my name. Further investigation led me to numerous letters addressed to me, that had been 'put aside' by DH, informing me of ongoing debts. He says he hid them as he knew how I would react....so he was doing me a favour...yeah right!

It sounds silly but I have been at home not working to look after our children and have had little to do with family finances (very 1930's housewife I know). This wasn't entirely my decision, DH is very controlling with money.

DH keeps saying he'll sort it but won't even speak to Severn Trent as he says we have no money for them. ST say they'll agree a repayment plan if we make a substantial payment and agree a monthly amount. I'm not in a position to do this; I have no income of my own and have no idea what income and outgoings we currently have.

These debts (now two accounts) are now spiralling out of control and I'm not sure what I can do about it. Can anyone offer any useful advice please? I always had a good credit record and worked hard so I'm quite upset about finding out about these debts in my name.

Now the children are getting older I am starting to look for a job again so hopefully I can retake some financial control in the future.

Tension at home is high at the moment as a result of this too so really want it sorted out :(

OP posts:

LIZS · 06/10/2013 12:09

If the account is in your name , only you can sort it out . Presumably your dh also uses water so you will jointly have to make some money available whether he likes it or not. tbh I think your issue is more with your husband and he really needs to face up this , what else might he be hiding ?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 06/10/2013 14:11

I agree with the above. This is a deeper issue that is highlighting a serious problem in your relationship. Secrecy, irresponsibility & deception together with unreasonable financial control is disrespectful & totally unacceptable. I would be insisting on full financial disclosure starting straight away, not waiting until you get a job

PAsSweetOrangeLurve · 06/10/2013 19:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gallicgirl · 06/10/2013 19:38

Surely thats fraud and you should be talking to police?

JustBecauseICan · 06/10/2013 19:39

Once you've sorted the water and CCJ out, you are going to kick your lying scumbag of a husband out I hope?

JustBecauseICan · 06/10/2013 19:40

I suggest you start looking at what else he might be doing in your name as well.

babybarrister · 06/10/2013 19:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Damnautocorrect · 06/10/2013 19:46

I've been in your situation, it ended with over 40k of debt in my name and a loss of around 35k of equity that should have been mine.
Do an experian check find out what's in your name, speak to your creditors and work out your repayment plan. They won't care it's not yours and you didn't know. Your names on it, also anything in joint names, your jointly or solely responsible so shut accounts etc anything you can do to separate it.
CAB debt advisors are really good

gallicgirl · 06/10/2013 20:06

Www.stepchange.org are really good too.

wheredidiputit · 06/10/2013 20:48

I think now is a perfect time to go through all banking/financial things to get a clear idea of what is going on.

Do a credit report find out what is owed by you and your husband.

You need to know what else he hasn't paid and what the money being spent on.

RedHelenB · 07/10/2013 11:33

Who supplies your water now & whose name is it in?

Do you own your own house?

debtcamel · 08/10/2013 22:31

"I have no income of my own and have no idea what income and outgoings we currently have"

eek.

To be blunt, you can either kick your husband out (it sounds as though you own the house) or he HAS to sit down and cooperate with you seeing the full picture. You need to see his payslips, bank accounts, and all the information about his debts , "your" debts and "joint debts". And you need to do an experian credit check on your name and on his name. If he won't co-operate fully with this, then tell him to leave.

This website has a lot of good information on how to tackle debt problems debtcamel.co.uk/snapshot/ but it has to start with a complete picture of your income, expenditures and debts. Without that you just can't make any plans at all as you don't know what your REAL options are.

Original poster

WashedAway · 08/10/2013 23:37

Wow i didn't expect so many replies! (I haven't been on MN for ages and ages)

I spoke to CAB last week - they were nice but essentially said they didn't think I needed them. They did recommend the Stepchange site though.

Hmm not sure on financially abused comment-although have thought about it before; DH only behaves like that with money when he's financially stressed.

It's the lying and hiding it all under the excuse it was to stop me getting upset that's upset me IYSWIM...well that and the debt....

We had a row over the weekend after I tried to talk to him again about it, he's very defensive about it and can't understand why I'm upset.

Tomorrow I aim to speak to ST again to sort some kind of payment plan so I'll let you know how that goes!!

OP posts:

NotDead · 08/10/2013 23:48

Seven Trent are universally acknowledged as being CCJ bastard s. They often don't notify people of the case and regularly have thousand strong lists rubber stamped through the Court.

I had one that was successfully withdrawn because of this. You have the right to go to the rubber stamp case but won't be properly invited.

Find out what they should do and then ask for docs notifying you to attend.

internal jargon splits 'can't pay' from' won't pay' so when you have your info about what's expected talk to them.

FWIW I was told that ST are so notorious, its worth mentioning that your CCJ is Severn Trent as some lenders disregard ST CCJs for this very reason.

JustBecauseICan · 09/10/2013 06:14

I don't think Severn Trent are the problem here.

Perhaps start a thread in Relationships OP.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 09/10/2013 08:02

Lying is a serious matter and saying 'I didn't want to worry you' is really no excuse. Stress is no excuse. You do have to take responsibility for yourself here. It's basic stuff that you should know how the finances are organised in your own family, especially when you are 100% reliant on someone who lies, hides things and is clearly incompetent.

LIZS · 09/10/2013 08:07

How can you negotiate with ST if you don't know what your collective financial situation is ? Sorry but it seems as if you are trying to divert your relationship issues into their problem. Burying your head in the and won't really wash with them.

tribpot · 09/10/2013 08:11

How was this account opened in your name in the first place?

The fact that your DH only financially abuses you when he's stressed doesn't make it not abuse. It's the exact excuse that people who are physically abused make - I wound him (or her) up, I didn't walk away, he (or she) is very stressed by work etc etc.

If my credit rating had been fucked up like this by DH, I wouldn't be upset, I would be absolutely furious.

ZiaMaria · 09/10/2013 08:12

They won't care it's not yours and you didn't know

Actually they will care. Because if you are not the person who sets up the account/takes out debt - it is fraud and you have a basic defence which has a long Latin name but translates as 'it is not my deed'. Which means - I didn't make the contract, I didn't sign/call, so I am not responsible. So if e has taken out loans, etc in your name and you did not know or sign the papers, you are legally not responsible.

It usually takes a few times of pointing this out to companies/making them drag up the call recording and loan papers, and you sending a copy of your actual signature to show it is not on the papers.

debtcamel · 09/10/2013 08:16

"Tomorrow I aim to speak to ST again to sort some kind of payment plan so I'll let you know how that goes!!"

Sorry to repeat the point, but you can't make an offer of a payment plan unless you know what your overall joint financial situation is.

Although CCJs for utilities are quite common it is pretty unusual for a debt to a utility company to end up in a charge over your house. This isn't a minor "hide a few letters which might worry her" situation. Your partner has had to consistently conceal things from you and almost certainly forge your signature for this to have occurred.

The chances of this ST debt being the only debt he has done this for is extremely small. You need to assume that there are other problems hiding away that you don't know about yet so you have to find out what other debts he has and whether you have any in your name that you know nothing about. And until you know this, you can't sort out a payment plan.

It must be very scary facing not only financial problems but the relationship implications as well. So sorry...

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