www.iva.co.uk

Hi. I've just been advised by Vincent Bond that a DMP would be my best option (rather than an IVA). I agree with this and am waiting to receive the application pack from them. However, I've just discovered CCCS's website (a registered charity) and found that they can adminster a DMP for free. They claim to have a good relationship with most creditors. Has anybody had any experience with CCCS?

Hi Debs

CCCS are funded by creditors and therefore the cost of the DMP is met by creditors rather than you. There is some debate about impartiality and quality of service in light this funding as opposed to companies who charge the individual, but nothing conclusive.

There are several threads on here about CCCS if you look at previous posts.

Good luck,

What has happened to CCCS Counsellor who made a few posts a while ago?

Have we lost him/her or is he/she on holiday?

Does anyone know?

Regards.

I'm not sure Size5, but hopefully s/he'll be back soon.

On another post a client mentions being with the CCCS and interest has not stopped. If you use a fee paying company you have at least comeback if creditors continue to charge interest whereas companies paid by the banks to collect debt may not have the same incentive to do their best for you.

I'm with VB and the service has been fantastic, the lovely patient Louise has been dealing with my case and has got all interest and phone calls from creditors stopped for an initial 12 month period, They [VB] always answer the phone, and send me an online statement every month, as well as text me when the statements done, i would recommend them to anyone [;)]

In general the non fee payers will never get anywhere near the level of service that you get from a fee paying organisation, so although you pay for the service you do tend to get a lot from it to justify the fees charged.

Regards.

I can only echo what Bitshort says.
We are still fairly early on in our DMP, but VB have been fantastic so far. Yes they have had quite a bit of money from me at a time that i am having to justify every penny spent, but seeing the results already achieved and always being able to speak to someone is well worth it.

ATB Jon

I am in early stages on arranging a DMP with VB and have to say they are wonderful, could not ask for a better service. They are always an email away, I have been worried to death over last few weeks about our situation and just being able to email VB and get a reply within the hour most times, has been a such a relief, I dont feel like I am struggling alone now, if you know what I mean. I did speak with CCCS and Payplan but felt more confident in VB. I know it is still early days for us, but I do not think that I would have got the personal service that I am currenlty getting from VB with CCCS of Payplan. However, there are posts on this site that are really happy with the service that both of these companies provide. I think you have to go with the company that you feel most comfortable with. Good Luck.

I'm still here!

It's difficult to know when to contribute on this forum. Whilst I'm prepared to do my best to answer any questions in relation to CCCS, I'm wary of not wanting to come across as simply as simply advertising.

So feel free to direct any questions in relation to CCCS and I'll do my best to answer. Just please remember that I am a debt counsellor and not an insolvency practitioner!

Briefly in relation to 'Debtwitch's' point: Whilst there will always be an element of scepticism when it comes to the funding of CCCS, I can assure that all advice we provide is impartial. There is no benefit from a counsellor offering one solution to a client over another. I can wholeheartedly confirm counsellors receive nothing in the form of commission from offering a DMP over and IVA or bankruptcy for example, so I’m unsure why anyone would think that advice would not be impartial.

To reiterate though, my main purpose of my contribution is to answer and specific questions about CCCS. I’m certainly not here to defend the morals or ethics of the charity.

Regards,
Matthew.

Welcome back Matthew! Please feel free to answer as many posts as you want, it won't come across as advertising.

Thanks everyone...I have a lot of decisions to make!!

Matthew

From my point of view as a practising IP who has been posting on this forum for nearly three years, I am delighted to have you here representing an organisation that has helped many people over a number of years to deal with unaffordable debt.

As forum members, we recognise your position within your organisation, and acknowledge that there are certain issues which should/could be answered by parties much further up the "food-chain".

I think that you will be able to contribute an awful lot to the many members of the forum who are current and potential clients, and we will all benefit from learning a little more about your sector as I am sure you may from ours.

Please stick around and join in any of the posts that you feel able to contribute to. You are most very welcome here.

Hi Matthew,

I think it's great that you are contributing to the site and hope that you continue to do so. There have been arguments on the site before that have become a bit one-sided and unbalanced without CCCS having a voice.

I'm curious to know whether the existing CCCS debt management client base has been reviewed to see whether an IVA might offer a better solution now that CCCS has the capacity to handle this for them in-house?

Absolutely. We aim top provide all DMP clients with an annual review. The review aims to look at whether any changes have occurred to their income/expenditure and also to see whether other options can be explored if necessary. It’s not a case of looking at turning DMP’s into IVA’s specifically, as bankruptcy and more recently DRO’s now have to be taken into consideration.

Hope this clears things up,
Matthew.