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Topic starter
09/07/2021 11:02 pm
Hi all,
I'm having some trouble with a DCO at the moment with my trustee.
Can anyone give me a list or link me to what is deemed as essential expenditure when it comes to calculating a DCO.
Our household expenditure is £1800 based on all the fields I filled in with the trustee. (I personally deem them all as acceptable, nothing stupid bills that need paid, no hobbies or gifts in at all)
I recently got a full time job that pays me £1800 a month and my partners is also £1800.
My partner is not bankrupt or part of my DCO in anyway.
But my Trustee is claiming that any income of mine over £450 is deemed as surplus which I need to pay them based on my their calculation.
I tried to explain that by their calculation my partner (girlfriend non-married) would then be caused to pay £1400 of the bills and I would only be contributing £400.
The trustee basically said "That's what our calculation has determined is the right DCO amount, unless you have any other bills that are missing I'm going to have to adjust the DCO to this amount"
I tried asking what expenditures were and were not included in the calculation but they would not disclose this to me.
I asked "based on my basic bills of Rent, council tax, gas, electricity and hire purchase payments alone they total to £1100+ I don't understand how you can say my income over £450 is deemed surplus, when it doesn't even include food and milk"
They said food and milk was not included in the DCO calculation [B)]
Can anyone advise was is and isn't included as an acceptable expenditure as part of a DCO (after the 12 month discharge)
Thanks.
10/07/2021 10:40 am
Hi Justaman23,
I think it's entirely reasonable to request that they provide you with a copy of the income and expenditure so that you can assess whether it is fair.
If you each earn a similar amount I'd expect each of you to be responsible for covering half of the household bills and half of the other reasonable expenses (such as food for example).
Your surplus would then be paid over and your partner should be able to use their fair share of the surplus as they wish.
Qualified Debt Adviser & Forum Administrator - Ask me anything about Trust Deeds 
12/07/2021 10:16 am
Food most certainly is included in the DCO calculation, as are many other living costs - from your essential household bills to your travel costs, to hobbies/leisure etc. There are guidelines that trustees must follow as to how much would be seen as reasonable in many of these areas, however we aren't allowed to share those figures with you.
It sounds like something is seriously wrong with the way they are calculating your contribution, Justaman23. I would request a breakdown of how they are working out your DCO as a starting point. If there is no allowance for food etc then that cannot be correct.
Scottish Debt Solutions Expert - Ask me for help setting up a Scottish Trust Deed or Debt Arrangement Scheme plan.
Topic starter
08/09/2021 1:46 am
Thanks for the replies.
After speaking with them a few more times to query the calculation, they accepted there was no additional income at this time.
08/09/2021 9:35 am
That's excellent news Justaman23.
I did think this would all work out OK for you and I'm very glad that it has.
Qualified Debt Adviser & Forum Administrator - Ask me anything about Trust Deeds
