Hi Ryju and welcome.

It can take creditors a little while to update their systems once you've signed a trust deed. Until that happens calls and/or letters are likely as you'll be missing payments.

Your trustee will be able to help deal with any creditors that carry this on for too long.

Have you given your work number to your creditors?

Debt collectors aren't allowed to call you late at night.

It's highly unlikely that anyone will come to your door. That's usually just done to check whether someone still lives there when they aren't responding to creditor contact.

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Yes, I have (somewhat stupidly) given my work number to some creditors (i.e. one payday loan company that required it, and one credit card company). The only embarrassment is that all work calls go through a reception (filled with gossiping and nosy receptionists).

My only saving grace is that for the first time in a while I'm not afraid to answer my mobile phone (which I am usually able to do during work), and explain - as I have been informed to do - that the debt is now part of my Trust Deed which I have signed (or words to that effect).

Appreciate your advice - and it's been a help what you and your colleagues have posted on others' forums.

Hi Ryju

After you have signed the Trust Deed it is best to refer all matters to your Trustee. The calls are more of an annoyance than anything, but you should remember there is little to nothing the creditor can actually do.

Once notified of the Trust Deed you will find their interest drops.

One wee tip is they normally ask for a reference for the Trust Deed, but there is none as its not a court process. I normally advise people to make one up or give them your postcode.

Mark

I can't help with calls to work. I never got any and as I work shifts, they may have happened while I wasn't there. You could try by answering with the company name and ask who's calling if you share an extension. If it's your own extension, do the same but just say you aren't available. They won't recognise your voice. As for phone calls to the house, turn the ringer off your phone. Don't answer any number you don't recognise if you have caller ID. If you have an answering machine, take a note of who's phoning. Let your trustee know what calls you've had and let them follow up. Bundle the letters up once a week and send them to your trustee. They'll happily deal with it and that's included in the fees. You may get letters advising that someone will visit. Call your trustee with these as soon as possible if you get them. Should someone turn up (highly unlikely), politely tell them that you are in a trust deed and they have no right to come in then close the door.

The next couple of months will be the most stressful but to be honest you get quite hardened to it. Try not to worry about it. You've done the right thing and you're in a protected trust deed. They can harass you till they're blue in the face, there's nothing else your creditors can do.

Thanks again for the advice folks.

As I said, I am happier to answer calls on my mobile phone and let my creditors know of my situation (thanks for the advice on giving a reference number too Mark - if asked that off the cuff by a creditor I would have been thrown off track in my conversation)

According to the accountancy firm, my work have no real reason to know about my situation. However, if I receive calls at work from creditors, or if someone attempts to freeze my wages by going to my HR department (someone else posted about this much further down through the posts) should I have an informal chat with my boss prior to this?

Hi Ryju.

There would have to be a legal process before anyone could get at your wages. As you've signed a trust deed already there probably isn't time for this to happen before the trust deed is (hopefully) protected.

My understanding is that you're perfectly entitled to inform creditors that have your work number that they should not call it. Provided that you've given them an alternate number at which they can reach you it would become virtually impossible for them to justify calling your work number. This would be because their intention could only really then be seen to create embarassment for you.

Hi Ryju,

The phone calls and letters are one of the hardest things to deal with when entering into a Trust Deed. As everyone else has advised you, if you speak with a creditor inform them you have entered into a Trust Deed, take a fax number or email address and also a reference number and email/phone your case manager with the details. Your case manager should then arrange for a fax or email to be sent to that department which will help get that particular company off your back quicker.

Don't feel bad about being on the phone or emailing your case manager two or three times a day advising them of different creditor information. I always advise someone that if they don't tell me about the hassle that they are getting I can only assume that the paperwork we send to all the creditors has worked and they are no longer receiving phone calls/letters. A Trust Deed company is there to help you and deal with these problems so don't feel bad about contacting them.

It's very unlikely that someone would turn up to your door. If this happened just advise them you have entered into a Trust Deed, show them the paperwork that you should have to prove this and again take that persons phone number and let your case manager deal with it for you.

It's up to you if you feel that an informal chat with your boss would help matters. Normally employers don't need to find out about your Trust Deed and the firm that signed you up to a Trust Deed will be able to advise if they feel a wage arrestment could be in the pipeline.

That's a good suggestion by Mark re the reference number at the outset of the Trust Deed. If/When your Trust Deed becomes protected which should be roughly 7-8 weeks after you signed it, you are given a unique reference number from the Accountant in Bankruptcy which you can then give you creditors who call you. This reference number can be used to trace your Trust Deed on the Register of Insolvencies.

Hi Ryju - I work on a reception for a big company and get calls for staff - we are not the switchboard so we don't ask who is calling we just transfer them through to you. It is possible that your reception do the same. Thanks.

You could call the companies and advise them that you've changed jobs and to remove the work number they have and all calls have to be to your mobile [:p]

I like your way of thinking Neverendingstory...

We have an office in Ireland who deal soley with our claims from creditors and it works on 2 fronts. Firstly they engather all claims and agree then to allow an early interim dividend. However they will also contact creditors if people are being hassled and I'm sure the broad Irish accent is enough to frighten off most creditors.

Mark