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Update #4 - The Council, Debt Advisor and Business Account
12 years ago
Okay so once again I need to thank everyone for the amazing help and support you have been offering Charlie and myself. I can't believe how great you all are <3 It's really helping knowing that I can lean on you all a little for support whilst I get myself sorted.
I'll have to think of a way to make up for it, not sure yet!
Court Order - Update
So we went into the council offices at the time of our court summons with our youth worker and he helped us a lot. They took a look at our letters and said that they had sent out previous warnings and bills regarding council tax. We hadn't received a single thing.
We think it might be because 1) we are a new build 2) we have both English and Welsh addresses and 3) the postcodes of the two addresses don't match. Plus Charlie's initial was incorrect, though he admitted forgetting to change that.
We have no fricking idea where the rest of the bills went, but they insisted they sent us them. THEN they said it was an error anyways and we should have been getting benefits but there was an error on the system. We went in and SORTED THIS in MAY. They said it was our fault for not following up on the changes after 3 months, but 1) we're new to this 2) we were told it was sorted so we kinda put our faith in them.
I got a bit anxious and worried about the address thing so they said they are going to email us the bill instead. So that's much better. They cut the council tax bill from £600 to £270 for a period I wasn't claiming JSA, so we have to pay this but the council guy advised we can pay £30 a month, which I think we can manage.
In the end we didn't even have to go INTO the Law Courts as it was sorted beforehand. I got sick and worried for no reason. Everyone told me the court summons was just a scare but well, it worked.
So today I got the email bill, told them I want to pay £30 a month and hopefully soon they will confirm that. So that's one thing sorted for now.
Debt Advisor
As I am being completely open and honest here, I calculated my total debt to be £4500.00+ This is hugely scary for me but I know there are people worse off... This is manageable I hope.
On Wednesday we went to the Citizen's Advice Bureau as many of you suggested and they looked at my bills and such. They forwarded me to a debt advisor who we'll see Monday in Deeside. I'm to take all my bills and incomings/outgoings/budgets and with luck, he can help.
He rang this morning to confirm the appointment but of course I got the whole 'Is this Matt?' 'Speaking' 'Matt?' 'Yes, speaking' *silence* 'Is this Matt Jones?' 'YES'. UGHhhh. Voice, break already.
Business Bank Account
I have no idea what the fricking balance is as they have FROZE it!
Update #2: I called them just now (2pm) and they said my account is frozen because it's overdrawn, it's -£215 or something, and I can't access it or anything until it has funds in it.
The payments that went out to make it overdrawn were one direct debit for £255 which I have NO idea what that was - I have opened an investigation, and a second one for £80.00 (same).
Hopefully I'll find out what the heck is going on sooner or later.
Hopefully shit will be ok on Monday. I'm nervous about that... .being open about my debts is a HUGE, HUGE step for me. This is scary as hell. I know I will be judged, and this probably seems a bit like attention whoring.
I just want to put things out there to show that I AM trying to help myself, and get this sorted.
Thanks for everything, guys
<3
I'll have to think of a way to make up for it, not sure yet!
Court Order - Update
So we went into the council offices at the time of our court summons with our youth worker and he helped us a lot. They took a look at our letters and said that they had sent out previous warnings and bills regarding council tax. We hadn't received a single thing.
We think it might be because 1) we are a new build 2) we have both English and Welsh addresses and 3) the postcodes of the two addresses don't match. Plus Charlie's initial was incorrect, though he admitted forgetting to change that.
We have no fricking idea where the rest of the bills went, but they insisted they sent us them. THEN they said it was an error anyways and we should have been getting benefits but there was an error on the system. We went in and SORTED THIS in MAY. They said it was our fault for not following up on the changes after 3 months, but 1) we're new to this 2) we were told it was sorted so we kinda put our faith in them.
I got a bit anxious and worried about the address thing so they said they are going to email us the bill instead. So that's much better. They cut the council tax bill from £600 to £270 for a period I wasn't claiming JSA, so we have to pay this but the council guy advised we can pay £30 a month, which I think we can manage.
In the end we didn't even have to go INTO the Law Courts as it was sorted beforehand. I got sick and worried for no reason. Everyone told me the court summons was just a scare but well, it worked.
So today I got the email bill, told them I want to pay £30 a month and hopefully soon they will confirm that. So that's one thing sorted for now.
Debt Advisor
As I am being completely open and honest here, I calculated my total debt to be £4500.00+ This is hugely scary for me but I know there are people worse off... This is manageable I hope.
On Wednesday we went to the Citizen's Advice Bureau as many of you suggested and they looked at my bills and such. They forwarded me to a debt advisor who we'll see Monday in Deeside. I'm to take all my bills and incomings/outgoings/budgets and with luck, he can help.
He rang this morning to confirm the appointment but of course I got the whole 'Is this Matt?' 'Speaking' 'Matt?' 'Yes, speaking' *silence* 'Is this Matt Jones?' 'YES'. UGHhhh. Voice, break already.
Business Bank Account
I have no idea what the fricking balance is as they have FROZE it!
Update #2: I called them just now (2pm) and they said my account is frozen because it's overdrawn, it's -£215 or something, and I can't access it or anything until it has funds in it.
The payments that went out to make it overdrawn were one direct debit for £255 which I have NO idea what that was - I have opened an investigation, and a second one for £80.00 (same).
Hopefully I'll find out what the heck is going on sooner or later.
Hopefully shit will be ok on Monday. I'm nervous about that... .being open about my debts is a HUGE, HUGE step for me. This is scary as hell. I know I will be judged, and this probably seems a bit like attention whoring.
I just want to put things out there to show that I AM trying to help myself, and get this sorted.
Thanks for everything, guys
<3
Hopefully the debt advisor appointment will go OK for you too, I have my my fingers crossed :3
In regards to your bank; would going in to a branch and speaking to somebody in person help? I can't do phones either - I just get too scared - but somehow seeing people in person is OK for me.
I'm very glad to hear its starting to work itself out a little, keep us updated :)
I hope the advice from my boyfriend Nacht helped too, told you I'd poke him for you :P
I'm gonna echo what
Good luck for sorting it out! If your bank is Natwest, they're really good at sorting out random payments, someone used my name and details for a Wonga loan and they stole £600 (which I'd just been paid) out of the account, and within 3 hours it was back in there (they'd refunded me, I don't think they were able to reverse the payment) and a police report had been made for the fraud.
Fingers crossed that everything gets sorted!!
*hugs*
And the debt advisor will be able to help I am sure, they are good at this sort of thing helping people to get thing back under control and sorted out.
*hugs a possum and offers you a n