Monday, February 15, 2010

Ashley Longmann Associates help emergency services tackle debt

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/

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Debt and credit ratings - does it affect other people?

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

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Debt management firms to be regulated

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.

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

How to keep yourself out of debt.

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

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Debts: Getting Your Debt Written-off

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

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Understanding Bailiffs and Bailiff Powers

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.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

debt problems: money saving tips

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

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Friday, April 17, 2009

Getting Out Of Debt My Options

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

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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Getting Going

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.

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