Mortgage arrears, debt advice, cheaper gas bills, reduce expenses

Mortgage arrears * debt advice * cheaper gas bills * reduce expenses * easy ways to make more money * reduce food bills * cut electricity costs * problems with bailiffs * lower mortgage payments

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d) CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELLING SERVICE (CCCS)

It's pointed out that a creditor may refer you to the CCCS although you retain the right to choose. You will not be charged by the CCCS.

A source which could be valuable to anyone deciding to tackle their debt problems without professional advice is the Debt Advice Handbook published by the Child Poverty Action Group. This is an encyclopaedic handbook for professional debt advisers. Drawing heavily on

the approach used by the many thousands of skilled CAB advisers throughout the country who are trained in money advice, as such it is a tribute to their experience and expertise, and it is to be commended to those attempting to deal with debt problems...At the moment, the free and independent advice offered by organisations like CAB stands as a fragile barrier between individuals and despair.

(Foreword to the 4th edition by David Harker, Chief Executive of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB))

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In Life after Debt Alex Keen points out that his book is offering general guidance only, and he urges his readers to seek specific financial or legal assistance elsewhere. In two places in the text he refers to organisations offering such assistance, such as Citizens Advice Bureaux, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service and the National Debtline, giving the relevant addresses and telephone numbers at the back of the book (information which may now, of course, be out of date).

In a special section he contrasts these organisations, whose services are free of charge, with professional debt management companies (DMCs), who typically charge a fee plus a percentage of your debt repayments. While pointing out that DMCs, like Citizens Advice and Debtline etc, will negotiate on your behalf with your creditors, he claims that some DMCs leave a lot to be desired in their performance. He alleges among other things that some DMCs

may focus on non-priority debts and leave you to deal with your priority debts
fail to properly assess your financial position
fail to forward your debt repayments promptly to your creditors.

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