Thank you bank

Some good news. Earlier today I had received a text message from the bank asking me to call them. This always fills me with a sense of dread, makes me feel ill and is normally to do with the fact that I owe them so much money. I did call them when I returned home from my support group meeting. It was, as I suspected, to do with the mortgage as the arrangement we have for the mortgage is about to run out. I wrote a while back that we had asked the CAB to intervene and send a letter on our behalf pleading for them to see sense and extend the arrangement until the end of February next year, when the rate changes significantly. This will mean us paying half the contracted amount, though we will just be paying the interest. It will though help enormously.
When I spoke with them, they did acknowledge that they had received the letter and after a brief chat with their manager, it was agreed that my account would be given the category of 'sensitive' and that we could continue paying the reduced amount.
It is difficult to convey the relief I now feel. This had been worrying me significantly and the fact that I can now spend Christmas not fretting over the mortgage is fantastic. It should be noted that my wife is equally relieved as me, particularly as she has to live with me and my fluctuating moods.
So thank you Halifax. It's a shame it had to take a letter from the Citizen's Advice Bureau and this long to sort out. It could have saved me a lot of unnecessary stress and anguish. But it's done now.
For others out there in a similar dilemma and unable to meet their mortgage payments, don't despair. You are not alone, there is always room for negotiation and if you need help, contact your local CAB. They are brilliant.

A Quick Catch-Up

A few days since my last post. The fact is I've been quite busy with the support group, specifically our funding bid and other paperwork that needed completing. It's all getting quite serious now. Tomorrow morning we have an appointment with the NatWest to open an account for the group for any funding we're lucky to receive and fundraising monies. We have formed a committee, of which I am membership secretary. I really didn't want too much responsibility and I'll be quite happy sending out welcome packs and newsletters. That'll do me just fine.
Yesterday, we spent several hours at our secretary's home completing the funding application form. What I thought would take a couple of hours ended up taking more than five! In truth we did keep deviating from the task in hand but we managed to complete it in the end.
Another task has been putting together the costs for our project and activities. We are aiming to provide various art and craft related activities as well as computer skills training and Internet access. I'm managing to keep the cost of the computers down by using refurbished laptops and I have managed to keep the cost of everything so far to about £1.5k. With the art and craft materials, we are currently up to £2,800.
I really hope we are awarded some funding, though it would be brilliant if we could get the full amount we're requesting. We'll be able to provide so much for our members.

Last Thursday saw our first parent's evening with my son's new teacher. To be honest we had our doubts about her but came away feeling quite reassured and confident that our son was being taught well. I felt strangely odd sat on a chair built for a five year old and confess to feeling a little intimidated, much like the way I felt as a school kid.

A small computer job locally brought in a little money which paid for an urgent replenishment of my e-cig liquid. I just wish I could get a few more jobs like this to provide a meagre income.

We had to visit the bank today to discuss our own mortgage which we've had problems paying since I fell ill. We are currently on a high interest rate with them (6.9%) and this changes in March next year to (3.9%) which will reduce our payments considerably. We've been told we can switch to interest only which will bring our payments down further to a manageable level which will be great and will take enormous pressure off my wife who is struggling to pay everything from her tiny part time wage. The arrangement we currently have with the bank ends this month, so we asked if this could be extended until February. Sadly they have refused despite knowing our situation. This means we will have to go back to the Citizen's Advice Bureau to get help to plead our case to the bank in the hope they will see sense. Three months will make very little difference to what we owe and our mortgage arrears, and I would have thought it would make more sense for the bank to show a little leniency, but they've chosen not to.
There are other options open to us but I'm hoping we can avoid them and with the help of the CAB come to some agreement for the next three months.

Despite the worries with the bank, I seem to be holding up quite well. I've been on a 'high' for a few weeks now which has enabled me to produce a lot of documentation for the group. Whatever chemical that keeps my mood in the right place seems to be topped-up at the moment. I wish I knew what keeps it regulated.

As I'm typing this, I hear on BBC Radio 5 that the last typewriter to be produced in the UK will be in Wrexham by Brother. The electric typewriter is being given to the Science Museum. How sad it is that something that revolutionised the way we communicated has been relegated to a display cabinet in a museum. I still feel determined for my son to have one.

Finally a little tip for motorists at this time of year. Do take a few minutes to check your tyre pressure. I did and found to my amazement that each front tyre was 10 PSI lower than they should have been. Now that I've corrected this, steering is feather-light and more importantly, we are saving fuel!

The CAB

It's comforting to know that when life throws up problems, there are people out there to help. I'm referring of course to the Citizen's Advice Bureau. I am in a good position to praise them - I've called upon their help, more than once in fact and I was there earlier today with my wife. We needed help with a debt plan. Of course, it isn't a completely stress free experience. You have to lay yourself bare and be honest about everything. Your income and outgoings are scrutinised so there can be no hiding anything. But it's all worth it. They are helpful, they listen, they are sympathetic and they do not judge. They see thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty, many worse than us. We were told this, of a client who has a mortage three times the size of ours. Ours is £111,000... Of course it's not over, it won't be for a long time. We have a lot to pay back but we have to justify what we can afford to pay our creditors and that's the purpose of the CAB in helping to draft a new financial statement.
So, to anyone out there needing help, I say turn to your local CAB. You're not alone and they really help.

Another step forward

Yesterday saw me take another step forward in my plan. I visited the local Citizens Advice bureau to get help with the legal action I'm taking. I didn't actually learn anything new, other than the fact I will need to take out an enforcement order. Normally this would cost a further £200 as was my gripe, but it's possible I may be able to get the fees waived. It does though mean loads more form filling but if it gets me my money back - which I consider as stolen - then that's a good thing.
I also completed my application to the bank for a PCDL (Professional Careers Development Loan). I had to visit my training provider who are in Peterborough to get them to stamp my form. Having filled in the rest, it's now on its way in the post so I'm hopeful I'll hear back from them soon. There is of course the very real chance they will reject my request, in which case I do have a contingency plan. Full of plans me!
So now I do what I'm good at - waiting. It does though make me feel I'm a little closer to my goal...

Rhubarb crumble

Yesterday was a 'good day'. It was one of those days when things got done and we came out of it a little better than when we went into it. An insurance policy I had to cover my finances while I was poorly paid more than was needed into an account so that I am now in credit by a tidy sum. Being the honest guy I am and fearing the wrath of God should I just decide to take it, I called them to check that it was in order and to ask whether the money was legitimately mine. I was pleased to be told that it was and that I could do with it whatever I pleased.
Hoorah! That now means I am about half-way to funding the training I need for my CPC. I just need to raise the remaining funds through my request for a Careers Development Loan and I should be behind the wheel of a coach in no time.
The other minor, but by no means insignificant success yesterday was with the Citizens Advice Bureau who have agreed to support my case against 1st Class Trucking Ltd to get my money back - which they've already been ordered to do by a Court of Law - an order they have chosen to ignore. After a discussion yesterday afternoon, it's been agreed that we'll go back next Monday afternoon to see their legal person. Any movement in this area is fantastic as I've felt so literally powerless, despite the fact that the Courts had ruled in my favor. As I've mentioned previously, there is simply no help or support available to Joe Public and you're required to fork out money hand over fist to get anyone to do anything. Everything it seems boils down to money - even the Law - which has to be wrong.
So, all in all I'm quite chuffed with yesterday - hard work but worth it.

As I type this, my darling wife is making an apple and rhubarb crumble - one of my all time favourite deserts. I can smell the rhubarb now and look forward later on to enjoying it with a little custard. Oh blow the Diabetes!
 So, I'll end this entry on a high - the sun is shining, things are moving in the right direction and my wife's making apple and rhubarb crumble... things are good.

Consumer rights

If you've bought something and it hasn't arrived or you've paid for something you didn't receive, you don't stand a chance. At least that's what I've discovered so far. I've mentioned previously my mistake of paying £1,140 for a course I never received. Well to take legal action and get a court to rule in my favor, I had to pay a further £1000. I am sill no nearer getting my money back as it turns out the guys who took my money don't have to pay my money back - despite being ordered to do so by the court. I was told this when I spoke to someone at the court. I now have to take out an enforcement order. This instructs the court to send in their bailiffs to get the money back in person. But again this has no guarantee of success as they can't force the issue and for this pleasure, I need to fork out another £200 in fees. Now, call me Mr Picky but isn't there something wrong with all this? Are we the only country where you have to fight tooth and nail until you are sick through stress to get back what is rightfully yours. Does this happen in the US, in France or in Italy? Why do the courts have no powers? I am bewildered by the whole thing. There has to be an easier way. I wonder if I'd be treated like this if I was an imigrant...?  So it looks like we'll be calling on the help of our local CAB once more. I hate doing it, but having followed what I considered to be sound legal advice, we've got nowhere and I'm now over £2,000 down and unable to complete the training I need in order to work and provide for my family. And people wonder why I'm in a bad mood sometimes...

Wedding blues

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm a little tired of the upcoming royal wedding already. I know this sounds very anti-monarchy of me but it's all over the TV already and shops are already stocking the most tacky of royal wedding souvenirs. I'm sure it'll all be very nice on the day. I know most of the country will come to a standstill huddled in front of huge TV sets, presumably to keep warm rather than squint - given the fact no one is able to afford to heat their homes anymore. But I do know those who steadfastly will be working.
A far better day today. My head wasn't being squeezed. A visit to my parents earlier did provide a degree of stress but it could have been worse. I've learnt to deal with it better over the years. They're lovely of course, but in small doses.
A note for TV buffs - The final ever Waking The Dead tonight on BBC1. A very British drama serial, dark and miserable, but very well made and acted.
I'm doing the house-daddy thing tomorrow as the kids are off school for the Easter break. He's not much trouble but getting more and more interested in computers...
Back briefly to the 'plan' and I have decided to apply for a 'warrant of execution'. This is provided by by the court who apparently send in their own bailiffs to demand the return of my money. I can see no other choice, but we are having to plead poverty and request that we are spared the fee. As with everything, this is far from an easy thing to do so we are requesting the help of our local Citizen's Advice Bureau on Wednesday. I'm determined not to let them get away with it. They have my money and I want it back... soon.