how can we keep paying the same with prices rising

[kallis3]

Don't forget that some people may qualify to have free cavity wall and loft insulation. You can find info out on t'internet.

We had it done at the end of last year and it made such a difference to our gas bills.

[Maz]

Yes, hi ladyh, I think that is a good order of living or at least existing. It's going to be tough but I might from now on keep my electric bills (I don't have gas TG) and track the increases in the future. I am one year into an IVA and if bills keep rising i may not get to 3.

[pixie]

I'm lucky in that I still live at home! Although with all the fuel rises, and it's me that uses most of the leccy, I want to increase bourd. They would never ask but it's not fair not to. They also insist on feeding the cats, which my boys greatly appreciate!
The iva diet is quite a good one though!! not that it's working at the moment....
If dfd ever deem me worthy enough to respond to, it'll hopefully be a mute point soon.

[Lisa2009]

Surely DFD's IPs are experiencing the same rises in costs of living??
They are not the best company when it comes to communication because aparantly their IPs "dont take calls" off the poor.
We had to send constant emails direct to hubby's IP and even got told off by another member of staff for emailing him. We were made to feel like naughty kids even though this was our life we were talking about.

I wonder if any of DFDs IPs ever read this forum? They would maybe then get to see that their junior staff talk a load of tripe and have no interest in helping THEIR clients who, afterall, pay their wages.

[pixie]

Mrs Skint, did you ever get hold of anyone helpful there? I havn't 'resorted' to emailing my IP yet but the customer service email goes to anybody and no-one ever responds! ok it's only been 2 weeks but it could go on forever!!

[MelanieGiles]

If you are not getting a satisfactory service from your IP, then perhaps a letter threatening a report to their regulatory body might speed up the response time. I have to say that most IPs are very busy at the moment, but that is not an excuse for poor customer service that they are getting paid to deliver at the end of the day. I suspect that your IP may not even know that you have been trying to get hold of them - so the personal e-mail link is a good one to use, and do not allow a junior member of staff within that organisation to tell you off for using it.

[Lisa2009]

We actually fount the direct email address of hubby's IP via the insolvency service website under "find an IP"
He didnt actually respond but we were contacted by another member of staff, who i have to say, after telling us off, FINALLY was helpful and made sure our every question was answered.
According to all the call centre staff "Mr Redmond does NOT take calls from clients"

It all worked out in the end but only because we emailed him direct.

Dont get me wrong, hubby's IVA couldnt have run any smoother from the start so i cant say DFD are all bad. Our only problem with them was the communication.

I would have to say to any DFD IP that may read this forum, please be a little more sympathetic to the GENUINE concerns and worries your clients have. They deserve it, they are human too.

[pixie]

my next plan of action was to send a 2nd recorded delivery letter this week directly to ip and follow it up with email next week.
I appreciate they are busy but a quick email to say they will look into and reply isn't asking too much!
I found them fantastic setting things up and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. I just found the staff on the other side to be the opposite! I don't like calling them and prefer to have everything in writing now.

[getting there]

Hi all,
I'am in totally the same position have been trying to get a variation from DFD since Jan..........I think they just ignore you and hope that you just keep paying.
It's now come to the end of the line, I have been paying 440 pounds but now that my contingency fund is now exhausted I have no other option but to reduce my payments to 330 from Aug.
I did e-mail them to inform of my impending actions, this was addressed to the person who I was told is PERSONALLY dealing with my case. Got a rather snotty reply telling me that the matter is being looked at and that I should send all e-mails to customer services (they have one? I'am amazed.)
I should think that very shortly after receiving the reduced payment that they won't be able to contact me fast enough.

[jojo]

Hi all, I'm with DFD and have had similar problems from the beginning. They take absolutely ages to get back to you.I've found that phoning is useless really because they just ask you to put it in writing. I've been waiting since I moved house at the end of May for some I & E forms they were going to send me when we'd settled in. In the end last week I just sent them a letter with copies of all the new bills etc. Still waiting for a reply! I will say one good thing though, when my OH changed jobs and got a payrise they said we would have to increase payments by £70 per month, but when I sent them proof of increased spend in petrol, food, bills etc they said we could keep our payments the same. Although it did take a few weeks to sort.
Mrs Skint - looks like we've got the same IP!