Debt collectors should be more helpful says single mum (From Essex County Standard)
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Debt collectors should be more helpful says single mum
10:00am Friday 26th October 2012 in News
Debt woes: Shona Rowland
A SINGLE mum being pursued by debt collectors says more should be done to help people make repayments.
Shona Rowland, of Stanley Wooster Way, Greenstead, is currently paying £90 per month towards two debts totalling around £3,600 owed to Colchester Council.
But Shona said the debt collection agency have been hassling her to up the amount she pays.
- Find out more including advice on what to do if you are being pursued for a debt in Friday's Gazette.
Comments(28)
wheelspin
says...
10:22am Fri 26 Oct 12
Don't buy what you can't afford in the first place is the first mistake, because the inevitable will happen.
IF you have made the choice to borrow, therefore making your situation even worse, you don't complain when somebody asks you, quite rightly, to pay back what you owe them.
Get real, please, and don't comlain to to the local press - it just makes you look stupid.
xxxdave
says...
10:59am Fri 26 Oct 12
wheelspin wrote:If the debt is with the council surely it can only be council tax arrears or rent arrears. I feel you are been abit harsh here at least the woman is making efforts to clear her debts that she has incurred....
For a single mother to get into debt and then complain is a farce!
Don't buy what you can't afford in the first place is the first mistake, because the inevitable will happen.
IF you have made the choice to borrow, therefore making your situation even worse, you don't complain when somebody asks you, quite rightly, to pay back what you owe them.
Get real, please, and don't comlain to to the local press - it just makes you look stupid.
hughie-s
says...
11:28am Fri 26 Oct 12
Should be thankful it's not London 50 years ago and it's Ronnie & Reggie's boys calling.
romantic
says...
11:43am Fri 26 Oct 12
Part of education has to include money management. That means getting an idea of what services cost, knowing about council tax, rent agreements etc. Loads of kids (and adults) are woefully unaware of this.
Probably it´s always been the same, but the difference now is that debt can be obtained very easily. All these companies like Wonga etc offer money on the spot - just don´t look at the small print for how much the APR will be. People can get into trouble very quickly and wind up paying thousands for what began as a small amount.
Debt was once something which people were ashamed of, now it is a national crisis if people are not spending enough on their credit cards in the shops. And why should youngsters consider debt as shameful when the banks themselves have to get bailed out to the tune of billions?
If somebody is being pursued by debt collectors, it normally means they have avoided the issue for too long. The first step should always be to contact the creditor and try to work out a repayment schedule with them. Make sure it is realistic! There is no point promising payments that you cannot keep up. If this girl is paying 90pm, her debt is clear in 3-1/2 years.
By all means, let´s all jump onto our high horses and say she should only spend what she has, but the brutal reality is that lots and lots of people out there are probably one pay packet from spiralling into the same sort of issues.
Joker50
says...
11:57am Fri 26 Oct 12
Joker50
says...
11:58am Fri 26 Oct 12
angryman!!!
says...
1:08pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Oh and why does the single mum tag have to be added, plenty of single mums out there working hard and doing great job looking after the kids, shame some are more than happy to sponge!
Smouldering Ewok
says...
1:24pm Fri 26 Oct 12
peachey
says...
1:27pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Joker50
says...
2:02pm Fri 26 Oct 12
peachey wrote:Now you have got us alls in tears, it's all so very sad.
It's so easy to slag someone off from the comfort of one's pc. Wonder if any of the posters who have been quick to judge have ever brought their children up alone. None of us know this lady's situation. Yes of course there are people out there that live beyond their means but for me being a single parent wasn't my choice, my husband left me and also left debts behind which I tried to pay off but then you realise the priority is feeding and clothing your children you have no choice when money is thin on the ground. When I was married we both worked but when he left I had no choice to reduce my hours. He then went on to have more children with someone else and never paid a penny so sometimes things aren't what they seem so please think before you judge you lot
crazy comments
says...
2:10pm Fri 26 Oct 12
peachey wrote:I agree 100% with that. My daughter is in much the same position. The husband sods off, and does not pay a penny towards the childern. What do the authorities do regards that. Sweet F.A.
It's so easy to slag someone off from the comfort of one's pc. Wonder if any of the posters who have been quick to judge have ever brought their children up alone. None of us know this lady's situation. Yes of course there are people out there that live beyond their means but for me being a single parent wasn't my choice, my husband left me and also left debts behind which I tried to pay off but then you realise the priority is feeding and clothing your children you have no choice when money is thin on the ground. When I was married we both worked but when he left I had no choice to reduce my hours. He then went on to have more children with someone else and never paid a penny so sometimes things aren't what they seem so please think before you judge you lot
Joker50
says...
3:30pm Fri 26 Oct 12
xxxdave
says...
3:31pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Maybe it is a private company working on behalf of the council concerned, and if so they will take action to try and clear the debt ASAP, by way of asking the customer to increase their payments. I just can't believe some of the comments on here from very sad people I hope you all never fall on hardship yourselves.
Hampton23
says...
4:39pm Fri 26 Oct 12
.......
FormerColchesterGirl
says...
4:48pm Fri 26 Oct 12
xxxdave
says...
5:05pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Hampton23 wrote:Hampton23 how do any of us other people know that she is not working and only receiving DWP Payments ?. Maybe she is trying her best and working within the law to earn money for her child. You are a small minded **** with nothing better to do, than put people with hardship down, Pratt.
urmmm £90pm of tax payers money I think...............
.......
Hampton23
says...
5:52pm Fri 26 Oct 12
xxxdave wrote:Bit harsh dave.....I can give you 3600 reasons why she isnt doing the best by her child,oh and thats Mr Pratt to you.
Hampton23 wrote:Hampton23 how do any of us other people know that she is not working and only receiving DWP Payments ?. Maybe she is trying her best and working within the law to earn money for her child. You are a small minded **** with nothing better to do, than put people with hardship down, Pratt.
urmmm £90pm of tax payers money I think...............
.......
Mr Honest
says...
6:25pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Justice79
says...
7:23am Sat 27 Oct 12
Why do the Gazette always fail to investigate the whole story rater than opting for the easy one sides sob story? Still I suppose it leave the door open for a further story a couple of years down the line as to how what started as a small debt ended up costing thousands.
Joker50
says...
9:16am Sun 28 Oct 12
G.Speel
says...
6:54pm Sun 28 Oct 12
Steve86
says...
2:33am Mon 29 Oct 12
romantic wrote:I wouldn't blame education here, secondary schools already teach it, but it's up to the parents to help manage their kids money not the teachers. Parents should be teaching their kids about the importance of saving money, and earning a living. Because that's how I was brought up. I'm sorry, but I hate it when people blame the education in schools, and not themselves.
jammin, wheelspin, you are of course right, but the reality is that debt is far too easy to obtain in the first place. People leave school with little concept of what it costs to live, and then get offered debt almost immediately. When my son was 18 and unemployed, he was still bombarded with credit card offers.
Part of education has to include money management. That means getting an idea of what services cost, knowing about council tax, rent agreements etc. Loads of kids (and adults) are woefully unaware of this.
Probably it´s always been the same, but the difference now is that debt can be obtained very easily. All these companies like Wonga etc offer money on the spot - just don´t look at the small print for how much the APR will be. People can get into trouble very quickly and wind up paying thousands for what began as a small amount.
Debt was once something which people were ashamed of, now it is a national crisis if people are not spending enough on their credit cards in the shops. And why should youngsters consider debt as shameful when the banks themselves have to get bailed out to the tune of billions?
If somebody is being pursued by debt collectors, it normally means they have avoided the issue for too long. The first step should always be to contact the creditor and try to work out a repayment schedule with them. Make sure it is realistic! There is no point promising payments that you cannot keep up. If this girl is paying 90pm, her debt is clear in 3-1/2 years.
By all means, let´s all jump onto our high horses and say she should only spend what she has, but the brutal reality is that lots and lots of people out there are probably one pay packet from spiralling into the same sort of issues.
Steve86
says...
2:34am Mon 29 Oct 12
jut1972
says...
7:39pm Mon 29 Oct 12
The old see dog
says...
10:07pm Mon 29 Oct 12
jammin
says...
8:23am Tue 30 Oct 12
ColchesterBelgian
says...
12:56pm Tue 30 Oct 12
jammin says...
10:13am Fri 26 Oct 12