Debt Management Blog

Ashley Longmann Associates help emergency services tackle debt

2010-02-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

Ashley Longmann Associates help emergency services tackle debt in South Wales and West Midlands.

People in the emergency services despite their job are not excluded from the world of debt – especially those in the lower paid health sector.

Ashley Longmann Associates have been chosen to help those emergency services personnel in the areas of South Wales and West Midlands areas with their debt problems.

Debt knows no boundaries and can at times affect job progression, especially in sectors such as the emergency services. However unlike some jobs, personnel in the emergency services have to be seen to be whiter than white and that includes their finances.

At Ashley Longmann Associates we believe that people should not have to struggle with debt just because of their profession. People get into debt for all sorts of reasons, sometimes through no fault of their own. Common scenarios of people in debt include such things as; partners taking out cards in joint name, partners taking out a loan and securing the borrowings against their house, or even acquiring debt through separation.

Whatever the debt and whatever the amount, Ashley Longmann Associates can help.

There are many options for tackling debt however if, you are in the emergency services your options are limited.

Unlike other debt solutions such as bankruptcy and IVA’s, entering into a debt management plan cannot affect your future employability, or current employment status which means that you can enter into a debt management plan without any concerns that it will impact on your income or career.”

If you are in debt and are looking for a way out no matter how large or small the problem is, contact Ashley Longmann Associates today on 01291 671449 or visit our website at http://www.aladebtsolutions.co.uk/

Debt Management - Dictionary of terms.

2010-02-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

Debt and areas surrounding debt can be

Administration Orders: An administration order is where a County Court administers payments to all your creditors. Only applies if you have at least one County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you and the total of your debts does not exceed £5,000. One payment is made to the court and the court splits this between all creditors according to how much you owe. As long as an Order is in force, creditors cannot take further enforcement action and interest is stopped.

Surviving January – a debtors guide to surviving Bailiffs and Debt Collectors

2010-01-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

Surviving January – a debtors guide to surviving Bailiffs and Debt Collectors

Image the scenario - You’ve spent December’s wages and you have had a great Christmas and new year – now you are back to reality and face the threat of looming bills…. Problem is they are final demands and you have the threat of Debt Collectors and Bailiffs knocking at your door.

So what do you do? Here a few tips.

• Don’t spend all your money- leave an emergency reserve. Collectors will be knocking on your door and will want payment.

• Don’t think that just because the Bailiff and Debt Collectors have not been knocking over Christmas that the debt has gone away. Even Debt Collectors take Christmas off, but whilst Debt Collectors do, Bailiffs don’t, so you could see all those nice new gifts taken by them, to go towards the payment of your debts.

• Not answering the door will not make the problem go away – Certificated Bailiffs and court Bailiffs have the powers to peaceful entry to a property (via an open door or window) although if the Bailiff is dealing with a Distress Warrant (normally as a result of non payment of council tax, VAT or the Inland revenue) they can force entry into your property if given permission by the court.

• Don’t leave anything outside. It’s the Bailiffs right to take them away to either part satisfy or satisfy a warrant in full.

• If you have a car or a motorbike, make sure you keep them on private property and not on a public road. Bailiffs have the power to remove vehicles if kept on the roadside. If the vehicle is kept on private property a Bailiff can only clamp it.

• Be warned though – removing the clamp may result in a charge of criminal damage under the Criminal Damages Act 1971

Happy New Year from ALA debt solutions

2010-01-11T03:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Debt Free 2010. Its a new year and no doubt some of you are making your new years resolutions (or if you are like some of the team already broken them ;D ). Never the less one new years resolution that we all want is to become debt free.

So how are we going to acheieve this?

over the next month we will be focusing on a series of debt articles which will include new tips, tools and advice.

so , for now happy new year and here to a debt managed/ debt free 2010.

Debt and Money Saving tips for Christmas

2009-12-14T02:54:00.000-08:00

Its that time of the year when our spending seems to spiral out of control and our debts mount up. With that in mind we asked our team to give us a few ideas on how to have a great christmas without piling on the debt and spending too much money. Here's what a few of them had to say.

Paul says - "My wife and I normally put away money each month in a gift voucher scheme - you would be surprised how much that soon amounts up. Its great as we dont have a big bill a the end and we can keep a track on our spending."

Carole says - "I'm always looking at ways to entertain the kids over christmas without having to spend too much money or rack up debt. One of our favourite activities is making home made christmas crackers. It keeps the kds entertained, allows us to do it as a family and gets everyone in the festive spirit. we have done it since my eldest was 6 and it has become a real tradition in our house. We collect the insides of toilet rolls, get a little craft set from somewhere which has glue, coloured paper and glitter then decorate them and put them on the tree and when it comes to christmas day we open them"

Henry (our residential scrooge) says "I recycle last years unwanted gifts - that way I save loads of money and i dont have to go out and get more presents."

Here are just a few things that we hope might be useful for you over the festive season in order to help with your spending.

Remember - if you feel that you need help with your debts, why not call the team at Ashley Longmann Associates on 01291 671449 or take our 60 second debt solutions test

FSA Annouce mortgage affordability test plan

2009-10-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

The FSA, in its mortgage market review, today outlined a series of proposals for increasing regulation in the mortgage market including mortgage affordability tests.

Borrowers face a Mortgage affordability test from lenders amid plans by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to step up the regulation of home loans.

Self-certification mortgages will be banned under the proposals with lenders required to verify borrowers' incomes.

Read More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8313853.stm

If you have Mortgage Arrears and dont know where to turn, Contact Ashley Longmann Associates today on 01291 641774 or request a callback

What our Cients Think

2009-10-12T04:10:00.001-07:00

View our profile in the FreeIndex Debt Management Directory.

Debt and credit ratings - does it affect other people?

2009-10-12T01:45:00.000-07:00

Debt and credit ratings - does it affect other people?

Q: Can your poor credit rating from debt impact on other people in your house and if so what can i do about it?

A: As a rule yes, if someone living in a house has a poor credit rating, then it will normally affect everybody else in the house. This typically happens in flats because when firms carry out the credit check, it’s on the address not the person. Therefore, if previous residents have had bad credit ratings, it will affect everyone else in the whole block. Don’t despair though, as with all things there is a way around it.

Q: Surely its done on the individual not the property?

A: You would think this would be the case and in a way the answer to this is yes – checks are done on the individual as well. However, when taking into account the suitability of an individual for credit, creditors will take into account the address lived at for a person for the last 3 years.

Q: What Happens if i am in this situation as described above?

A: For those of you who have a good credit rating but live in houses or flats and are either affected by either the previous occupants or those living with you, then to help yourself with credit applications, Contact the Data Protection Registrar (DPR) in Cheshire.

Write to him asking for a Notice of Disassociation from the person or persons that are blighting your application. What this means to you is that when a company does a credit check on your address – they will see all the adverse information, but as long as none of it has your name on it, they will ignore all the other named people – you will not be blighted by those before you.

Before writing to the DPR, get a print out from Experian, so that you can list all the names of the people who blight you, so the DPR can put all the names on the Disassociation list.

If you have a problem with Debt, and need advice, find out your options instantly at: http://www.aladebtsolutions.co.uk/60secsurvey.aspx or Call us on 01291 671449

Debt management firms to be regulated

2009-09-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

According to news, Debt Management Firms are to be regulated. We At Ashley Longmann Associates Welcome this move.

For Further information on IVA's , Bankruptcy , Debt Management Plans or other Debt Help please call us today on 01291 671449 or Fill in our 60 Second Survey for instant Help.

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The government has proposed a consultation to look into the regulation of debt management companies, the number of which has grown significantly over the past years but are still largely unregulated.

Debt management companies act as a go between for customers who have debt problems with their creditors and come up with debt solutions such as reduced repayment terms and Individual Voluntary Arrangements.

The insolvency sector has also been widely criticised for charging customers large additional fees for their services and misleading consumers by claiming to be able to write off debts that were taken out before April 2007, under the 1974 Consumer Credit Act. However, in most cases, the credit agreements will still be valid unless certain information is missing.

Government officials have stressed that this is not a crackdown on debt management practices but, realises the need to monitor the sector closely, in order to check if customers are receiving the help they need to manage their debt problems.

The consultation is likely to go ahead in December and will look at whether the sector will remain as it is, or whether to implement a new code of practice for companies or to bring debt management under a formal regulation service.

The government is expected to make a statement about its decision in January 2010 after the conclusion of the consultation.

Personal insolvency at new record High

2009-08-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

According to the BBC published article Personal insolvancy has reached an all time high.

"The number of people being declared insolvent has hit a new record in England and Wales.

There were 33,073 personal insolvencies in the second quarter of 2009, said the government's Insolvency Service.

That was a 9% rise on the first three months of the year, and 27% more than in the same period last year.

The number of companies going bust in England and Wales continued to fall, down by 14% on the previous quarter but still 23% higher than a year ago.

"Overall [personal insolvency] levels will continue to increase throughout 2009, with a record level of 140,000 or more expected by the end of the year," predicted Mark Sands of the insolvency experts Tenon Recovery. "

the full article can be found here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8189053.stm

What are your options?
below are some of the options you can explore if you are facing debt.

Debt Management Plan:
Bankruptcy: The traditional way of escaping overwhelming debt. Ends after one year, but you are likely to lose all your assets including your house to pay something to the creditors

Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA): A deal between you and your creditors, overseen by an insolvency practitioner. Less stigma, less chance of losing your home, but involves paying some of your debts in one go or over a number of years

Debt Relief Orders: Introduced in in April 2009, these allow consumers with debts of less than £15,000 and minimal assets or surplus income to write off debts without a full-blown bankruptcy

How to keep yourself out of debt.

2009-07-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

latest article on how to keep yourself out of debt.

“… Income twenty pounds, expenditure £19.90, result happiness,” declared Mr Micawber in Charles Dickens’ book David Copperfield. “Income twenty pounds, expenditure £20.10, result misery.”
This was written 150 years ago in pounds, shillings & pence and it referred to a reasonable annual income at that time. Today, we may be amused that anyone could live on £20.00 per year and, as Mr Micawber attempted, keep his family and a servant too, but the sentiment of the statement remains true to this day. If your expenditure is greater than your income then you will be in debt and anyone who has experienced debt will vouch that it is misery.

http://www.articlesbase.com/debt-consolidation-articles/how-to-keep-yourself-out-of-debt-the-debtors-top-ten-countdown-906746.html

Debts: Getting Your Debt Written-off

2009-07-03T02:16:00.000-07:00

Getting Your Debt Written-off

We are constantly asked by clients about getting their debts written off. This is usually as a result of some advertising campaign or from being personally contacted by a firm that claims that they can write-off all or most of their debts.

We wish to give you an insight into debt writing-offs to prevent you from being mislead or fooled by any company claiming that all or most loans, credit cards, overdrafts and debts that originate in a 6 year period prior to April 2007 are not enforceable and therefore can be written off.

“It’s a no-brainer,” claimed a salesman from one such company to one of our clients recently. “I will guarantee to you that we can get all your debts written off if you took the loan or card out before April 2007.”

Many such companies are charging clients around £500 for a client’s first debt and a further £100 per debt thereafter. So, for example, if you have 6 debts you could pay nearly £1,000 before that company starts work on any of your cases. But what happens if you never hear from them again or if 6 months later they inform you that there is nothing that they can do? Clearly, you will have spent all that money for no benefit.

It is evident, from what we have seen, that the claims of many such companies appear unrealistic and unachievable as they exaggerate the number of unenforceable debts that can be written off and the number of accounts that could be subject to compensation.

The Ministry of Justice, who is responsible for regulating such companies, now appears to agree and has recently issued warnings. In a statement Justice Minister, Bridget Prentice said,

“We have produced guidance to protect innocent customers from being misled by businesses advertising easy and quick arrangements for outstanding loan, credit card and other similar debts to be written off and compensation to be obtained. We would urge anyone who is considering using a business offering such services to think carefully and seek independent advice before making any final decisions.”

The suggestion that debts can be written off is naturally attractive but what you may not be made aware of is that the route to achieving this is through the litigation process and achieving success through litigation is not an exact science; it can sometimes be nearer to a lottery. Besides, this whole process can take between 12 and 24 months to complete.

You also need to be aware that with litigation there can be a downside as well as an upside. For example, it is estimated that there is little more than a 60% chance of success for even creditable cases and, should you loose the case, you could be liable for the defendant’s costs and disbursements in defending their position. These can amount to anything from £500 to £800 (plus VAT) for each side in such cases.

Even with “no win, no fee firms” where they take their fees out of any compensation won, the compensation may not be sufficient to cover all their costs in which case the claimant may be responsible for the balance. Depending upon what you are claiming for, this means that it is rarely worth undertaking this process on any account where you owe less than £2,500.

Our advice is to be very cautious and think very carefully before going down this route and always remember, “If it looks too good to be true, then it normally is!!”

If you want any further advice about getting your debts written off, please contact your account administrator at Ashley Longmann Associates.

With best wishes
FROM THE ASHLEY LONGMANN TEAM

Understanding Bailiffs and Bailiff Powers

2009-06-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

This not an attempt to understand the persona of a bailiff because, after all, how many people would really want a job where people are likely to be abusive to you all day long and to treat you as if you are a pariah of society who is possibly even more hated than a taxman or estate agent.

The aim here is to give a basic understanding of the powers of bailiffs even when different types of bailiffs have different powers. However, there are certain rules that apply to all bailiffs.

Basically, the job of a bailiff is to recover, on behalf of the creditor, funds, goods and/or assets that have been proved through the Courts to be owed by a debtor. Additionally the Inland Revenue has powers to do similar; so do landlords for rent arrears.

Bailiffs may take “walking possession” of your assets including your car. This means that your goods have been legally seized and they now belong to the bailiff until such time as you have paid or satisfied the warrant. He will allow your furniture to remain in your home and you can continue to use it provided you make the agreed payments. However, if he takes walking possession of your car it is likely to be wheel-clamped. If you do not keep to the agreement made with the Bailiff, he can remove your goods at any time.

To obtaining walking possession, bailiffs (in most cases) must gain peaceful entry into your property. It is not enough for bailiffs to list items that they have seen through a window and to push a walking possession order through the letterbox for you to sign and return.

You should never sign a walking possession order in these circumstances. However, they are permitted to enter your property via a door or window that you have left open.

If your possessions have to be sold by the bailiff there will be a daily charge for the walking possession order that you must additionally pay. You will also be charged for the bailiff’s costs in removing items from your house. In general, goods recovered by bailiffs will be sold at public auction for around 10% of their original cost so, if you owe £100 on a warrant, bailiffs will probably try to seize goods to the value of at least £1,000. Hence bailiffs will look to take those articles that are usually most valuable and likely to realise a higher price at an auction, most notably electrical goods like hi-fis and televisions.

Bailiffs should only take goods that belong to the person who owes the money this being the person whose name is on the warrant that the bailiff holds. However, any goods in your house are likely to be seized for what bailiffs call “distress” (essentially, council tax and magistrate court fines) or when collecting rent arrears. Either way, it will be up to you to prove someone else’s ownership of any item that he wishes to take. If you cannot then he is likely to assume that it belongs to you. Sometimes this can even be done after the event by producing receipts showing that someone else bought the items.

County Court Bailiffs are also responsible for evictions for landlords, mortgage companies and creditors who have obtained a Possession Order. Here County Court Bailiffs can force entry and will change the locks on the property preventing your further use of it. Certificated Bailiffs collecting unpaid Magistrate Court Fines & Council Tax, and Bailiffs acting on behalf of Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs “HMRC” are also able to force entry.

Frequently, debtors will avoid bailiffs, or fail to pay the bailiff, or even frustrate the bailiff’s attempts to gain peaceful entry. In such circumstances a bailiff can seek permission from the judge to force entry or he can return the warrant to the claimant as “unsatisfied”. This can be risky because an unsatisfied warrant returned to the creditor can be as lethal as an unsatisfied Statutory Demand. In both cases it gives the creditor the right to petition for the debtor’s bankruptcy without any further reference to the debtor.

IVA's: a cautionary tale

2009-06-03T05:33:00.001-07:00

IVA's: a cautionary tale

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debt problems: money saving tips

2009-05-20T00:59:00.000-07:00

If you are in Debt you know how hard it is to control it. so whats the remedy?

1. Aim to save not borrow;
2. Don’t smoking
3. Reduce the number of times that you go the Pub etc.

For more information on money saving tips why not read our article.

http://www.articlesbase.com/debt-consolidation-articles/how-to-keep-yourself-out-of-debt-the-debtors-top-ten-countdown-906746.html

or if you are in debt and need advice, find out your options instantly at:
http://www.aladebtsolutions.co.uk/60secsurvey.aspx

Misleading the public: crack down on businesses who say they can write off unpaid loans, credit card debts or other consumer debts.

2009-05-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

Businesses that mislead the public by claiming they can arrange for unpaid loans, credit card debts or other consumer debts to be written off have been told to stop or face action Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said today.

read the full article here dated 17th feb here : http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease170209a.htm

or if you are in debt and need advice, find out your options instantly at: http://www.aladebtsolutions.co.uk/60secsurvey.aspx

Getting Out Of Debt My Options

2009-04-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Debt: we all have it in some from or another, but its how we handle it that counts.
believe it or not there are ways to out of debt.

There are four main types of debt solution for people suffering with debt and financial problems:

Debt Management

Debt Consolidation

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

Bankruptcy

Debt Management :
Debt Management is the most flexible and efficient way of helping your sort out your debt.
As well as helping you sort out your financial budget, It usually help save you money by getting your creditors to freeze the interest mounting up on your debts as well as prioritising your debts to ensure that they are dealt with in the order of importance.

Debt Consolidation :
Debt Consolidation is one type of way you can manage your debt. Instead of paying different bills off at different interest rates you can consolidate your debt and arrange a loan at one APR rate. This is normally achieved by taking out a secure loan against your debts.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) :
An IVA is a formal agreement that a debtor makes with their unsecured creditors whereby they make agreed monthly payments over a 5 year period. In exchange for maintain the agreed level of payment, the creditors undertake to write off all amounts outstanding at the end of the 5 years.

Bankruptcy :
Bankruptcy is a last resort for people who have very severe debt problems and where other debt solutions cannot save you.

Although Bankruptcy will protect you from your creditors and will write off debts that you owe to them, you need to think very carefully before taking this course of action because of its implications to you in the future. While protecting you, the Official Receiver may still instruct you to make payments to your creditors. Remember: NONE of your assets will now longer belong to you.

If you are not sure about what the best option to help you with your debt is why not try our free debt solution to help you get out of debt.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Getting Going

2009-04-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Blog.

Welcome to the Ashley Longmann Associates Debt Blog. This Blog has been set up to help people who are looking to get out of debt.

This blog contains hints, tips and news articles that surround the topic of Debt and Debt solutions.

we hope you find the site helpful.

Ashley Longmann Associates.