I try to use Hanover Sterling to sort my debts. They got me to hand over £200 to apparently pay my creditors. They deallocated my money and then sent out my letters to my creditors 2 weeks after they said they would and only after i chased them to do so. They then told me after 6 weeks of me chasing to find out if they had paid my creditors that that £200 was a set up fee. I was shocked to say the least as i have called them to specifically ask them how much this was going to cost me and they said £40 per month which was to come out of my £200 and there was no mention of this set up fee on their website. I tried to complain but they will only communicate via letter apparently and after 4 months of writing letters to them they have yet to answer one. If anyone has debt use a charity debt couselling service or call the debt advisory service or citizens advice dont go with any debt managent companies unless you really really have to. This experience has done nothing but cost me money and get me more into debt.

Hi

Change your DMP over to Consumer Credit Counselling Service they dont charge you any money all your payments go to your creditors, visit them at www.cccs.co.uk.

Or try National Debt Line on 0808 808 4000 or www.nationaldebtline.co.

These two helped me out with my DMP and with cccs you can keep an up to date record of what is happening with your account on the net.

Hope this helps.

We're considering them at the moment so appreciate your comments. They also asked us for an upfront payment but it was for a higher amount than you paid. Needless to say, we're not going to be going with them. We're going to speak to the National Debtline and take it from there but thanks for putting your comments on the forum - you've saved us making the same mistake as you.

National Debt line and Citizens advice are the best way forward no one should get in to more debt by trying to get help. I cant understand how these companies think we can afford to hand over a huge set up fee when we are calling them to get help because we cant pay our debts off its silly! But i am glad i could help i have today written my 6th letter of complaint to them i am getting that money back come hell or high water!

I applied to them for a debt management programme 8 months ago after me and my ex-partner split up, I was left with all the debts after he left me!..........anyway I was reccomended by my accountant to use them as my situation was out of control.......I had over £40 thousand on mainly credit cards and simply couldnt afford them anymore, I run a hairdressing and beauty salon which is also struggling due to the credit crunch.....they took all my cards (7 of them) and spoke to the banks for me.... I now pay £350 per month and have no interest at all on these cards because it all stopped. I tried using the citizens advice bureau but couldnt get an appointment for 2 weeks and when I did they just filled a form in about my outgoings and told me to offer the banks a pound each....I'll never be out of debt that way.....I thought about going bankrupt but my accountant said it would affect my business account and I could lose that as well. Hanover charge me for doing this plan with them but without them I'd be up the creek without a paddle. My daughters using them too for her University debts as she simply cannot afford to pay everything off at the rate the banks want. It seems to me the banks will throw this money at you whilst the goings good but when it gets a bit tough they simply close the door on you....Whats happening with the banks anyway? The Governments taking them over according to the news.....How did it all get so bad so fast? Hopefully 2009 will be better.......