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<copyright>Copyright &#169; 2012 Gary Sans</copyright>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 07:43:13 +0100</pubDate>
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<description>Lanyon Bowlder Solicitors blog.</description>
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<title>Lanyon bowdler Blog feed</title>
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<description>Lanyon Bowlder Solicitors blog.</description>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Christmas is Stressful Enough - Avoid Seasonal Debt]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/christmas-is-stressful-enough-avoid-seasonal-debt-349/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Everyone knows that Christmas can be stressful, and especially so from a financial point of view.  In the current tough times, many people may be worrying about finding the money to buy presents and go the extra mile with additional food and drink.  As a result, this can lead to Christmas debt problems which are still being paid off months into the New Year.  

It is always best to plan in advance a budget you can afford to spend, and stick to it.  There is no point getting into debt at Christmas and then struggling to pay it off for the rest of the year.  It is better to be realistic about what you can afford, and it will make for a much more enjoyable Christmas! However, if you do find yourself with a debt you can't manage, it's much better to acknowledge the problem and talk to a debt adviser, who can offer impartial advice to reduce the debt and get your financial situation back under control.


 ]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Debt Recovery]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:46:43 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/christmas-is-stressful-enough-avoid-seasonal-debt-349/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Reasons for Being in Debt]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/reasons-for-being-in-debt-311/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Here are some of the most common reasons people get into debt, with some hints and steps you can take quickly to try to improve your situation.
1. Unemployment and Redundancy
If you suddenly lose your job and all your income it is important to act fast to try and ease the situation.
Redundancy
If you havent already received your redundancy pay, check with your ex-employer whether you are entitled to any redundancy pay.
Benefit Entitlement
It is important to check what other benefits you may be entitled to.  Dependent on your circumstances you may be able to claim benefits such as jobseekers allowance, and also help with paying your rent or council tax.
Mortgage
If you are a home owner, check to see whether you are entitled to help from one of the numerous government mortgage schemes.
Payment Protection Insurance
If you have any of these policies with any of your creditors, check if you are entitled to claim on them.  This would mean that the insurance would pay your normal monthly payment for you, although usually for a fixed period of time.
2. Divorce and Separation
If you are going through a divorce or separation then this often means that your financial situation can be affected.
Joint Debts
If you have joint debts with your spouse or partner you will have joint and several liability to pay those debts.  This means that the creditor can claim the whole debt from you if the other joint debtor cannot or will not pay.
Renting a Property
If you rent a property in joint names you can ask the landlord if they would be prepared to transfer the tenancy into your name only.  One benefit of doing this is that if you are the tenant intending to occupy the property it will take away any legal rights the outgoing tenant would have to occupy the property in the future and would stop them from being able to re-enter the property.  However, if you are the outgoing tenant, although there is one benefit of being taken off the tenancy as from that date you will no longer be responsible for any further rent arrears.  However you should take legal advice before you agree to have your name taken off the tenancy as the local authority are likely to take the view that by agreeing to take your name off the tenancy you would have intentionally made yourself homeless which would mean that they would not have any further legal obligation to re-house you. 
Impact on your Income
If your separation or divorce has affected your income, check to see what other benefits you may be able to claim, such as income support, housing benefit, council tax benefit, tax credits or child maintenance.
3. Health
If you have been ill, or have suffered an injury that affects you for any length of time then this can have a big impact on you financially.
Benefit Check
Check your benefit entitlement, as depending on your circumstances you may be able to claim benefit such as statutory sick pay or industrial injuries disablement benefit.  If your condition is long term, you may be able to claim disability living allowance.
Renting or Mortgage
If you are renting your property check to see if you are entitled to housing benefit towards your rent or if you are a home owner check to see whether you are entitled to help from one of the numerous government mortgage schemes.  
Payment Protection Insurance
If you have any of these policies with any of your creditors, check to see if you are entitled to claim on them.  This would mean that the insurance would pay your normal monthly payment for you, although usually for a fixed period of time.
4. Maternity
When you have a baby it can put a big financial strain on your family.  This may mean that you are struggling to pay your debts and household bills.
Benefit Entitlement
You should check what benefits you may be entitled to, such as child benefit and tax credits.  Also check with your employer as to what maternity pay you can claim.  You may also be able to claim a maternity grant so you should check this with your local benefits office.
5. Bereavement
Not only is it a very difficult time when you are dealing with the death of a spouse or partner but it can often cause you to go into debt especially if it means your household income is reduced.  You may also find it daunting if you are left to deal with all the debts on your own.
Partners Assets
If your partner had assets such as equity in a property, or other valuable assets, it may be wise to seek legal advice as soon as possible to check what their creditors may be able to claim.  If your partner had no assets, any debts in their sole name should be written off, as you are not legally obliged to pay these.
Joint Debts
If you had any joint debts then you will be responsible for paying them.
Insurance Policies
Also check to see if your partner has any insurance policies you can make a claim on such as life insurance to cover the mortgage.
Pensions
If your partner was working or had contributed to a pension, check whether you are entitled to any death-in-service benefits, or whether there is a widow/widowers pension which can be paid to you.
Benefit Entitlement
Check what benefits you may be able to claim as you may be entitled to a bereavement payment or allowance or a widow/widowers parent allowance if you have children.  You may also be able to claim such things as council tax benefit, housing benefit and other tax credits.
6. Retirement
For lots of people retirement can mean a reduced income.  You may have problems in paying your household bills, debts or both.
Benefit Entitlement
Check to see what benefits you may be able to claim such as pension credit or council tax benefit and you may be entitled to help with your winter fuel payments.
Pensions
If you have contributed towards any private or company pension over the years, you should check with them as to how much you are likely to receive and when the payments are due to start.
Free Entitlement
Once you reach retirement age you are entitled to such things as free prescriptions and free eye tests in England.  You may also be entitled to free bus pass.
 ]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Personal Debt & Insolvency]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:37:09 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/reasons-for-being-in-debt-311/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Debt Crisis in Shrewsbury?]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/debt-crisis-in-shrewsbury-308/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The Shrewsbury Chronicle recently reported that Shrewsbury is on the brink of a debt crisis.  
Numerous debt agencies are already working to maximum capacity and one has seen a 100% rise in calls since January.  It was also reported from the national debt advice charity, Consumer Credit Service, that in 2010 levels of personal debt in Shrewsbury were 14% higher than the national average.  It is thought that part of the problem is due to the high unemployment in the West Midlands which is now having a knock-on effect across the county.
The availability of free legal aid for debt advice is also becoming a major problem.  There have been recent changes to how legal aid can be obtained for work such as debts,  housing and welfare benefit problems, and as a result of the changes there are now only a few agencies in Shropshire that can offer such legal aid.  This is also set to deteriorate even further over the next few years as the Government have published further likely changes to legal aid.   For people trying to seek help for their debts if the changes are adopted it will mean in future that unless they are at an immediate risk of losing their home, legal aid will no longer be available.     As most advice agencies rely upon funding from different sources to be able to offer free debt advice, often including legal aid,  pressure on funding and legal aid cuts is likely to lead to more agencies having to charge for debt advice.]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Personal Debt & Insolvency]]></category>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:19:06 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/debt-crisis-in-shrewsbury-308/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Have Home Repossession Fears Been Exaggerated?]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/have-home-repossession-fears-been-exaggerated-307/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
  This week, the Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King, has said that in his opinion fears of a wave of home repossessions have been overstated as UK interest rates are set to remain low. 
  He made the statement in response to recent comments made by the head of UKAR (UK Asset Resolution), Richard Banks, which holds mortgages once owned by Northern Rock. Banks claimed that a "tsunami" of home owners would lose their homes once rates increased. He went on to say that a number of families faced being repossessed unless lenders prepared them for the impact of higher rates. He also said that some 23,000 of the 750,000 mortgages UKAR owns are at least six months in arrears. 
  His warning comes on top of others, including from the Council of Mortgage Lenders earlier this month, which forecast that repossessions will rise to 40,000 this year from 36,000 in 2010. Sir Mervyn added that consumer borrowing charges such as mortgages, which are generally already several percentage points higher than the base rate, were unlikely to rise as quickly and that when there was a rate rise there would be a delay in it feeding through to other borrowing costs.
  If you are having difficulty paying your mortgage at the moment or are worried about whether you will be able to do so in the future when interest rates ultimately increase, you should speak to your lender as soon as possible to try and come to an arrangement and also check to see whether you are entitled to help from one of the numerous Government mortgage schemes that are on offer.
   ]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Personal Debt & Insolvency]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:52:17 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/have-home-repossession-fears-been-exaggerated-307/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Trouble On The High Street]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/trouble-on-the-high-street-306/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
There are further bad times on our high streets this week with the news that some big names such as Jane Norman, Habitat and JT Hughes have all gone into administration.  
Other big names such as HMV, Thorntons and Carpet Right have all said that they intend to close a large number of stores across the country.  This is bad news for the people of Shropshire because most of these names have a large presence on our local high streets, which will mean the possibility of further job losses, pushing more people further into debt.  
Unfortunately, as the consumer squeeze continues it is likely there will be further casualties to come on the high street before this recession is over.]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Personal Debt & Insolvency]]></category>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:44:28 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/trouble-on-the-high-street-306/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Consultation by the Office of Fair Trading into the Debt Management Industry]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/consultation-by-the-office-of-fair-trading-into-the-debt-management-industry-304/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
For some time, there has been concern over how some debt management companies have not always been looking after the best interests of their clients.  The Office of Fair Tradings guidance on debt management was first published  back in 2001 and further updated in 2008.  However, in 2009 the Office of Fair Trading launched an in depth investigation into behaviour across the debt management sector and found widespread evidence of non-compliance with their guidance, including numerous incidents of lack of competence among debt advisers and examples of licensed businesses lacking integrity such as passing themselves off as free advice providers when they were not. The Office of Fair Trading has just entered a new consultation period which will end in September of this year with a view to the Office of Fair Tradings proposal to publish a revised version of their guidance as to how organisations offering debt counselling and debt management services should operate in the future.Gary Sans, debt advice expert at Shropshire and Herefordshire law firm Lanyon Bowdler says Most people who turn to these organisations for help already have serious debt problems, and many of them will already be feeling very isolated, and even frightened, of seeking help for a solution to their debts, so any improvement in how these organisations are required to operate and look after their clients is to be welcomed.If you require any advice with regards to your debts, then please contact Gary Sans in our Dispute Resolution Department. 
]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Personal Debt & Insolvency]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:32:59 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/consultation-by-the-office-of-fair-trading-into-the-debt-management-industry-304/</guid>
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<title><![CDATA[Debt Advice for the New Year]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/debt-advice-for-the-new-year-253/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
With the Christmas and New Year festivities over, now is the time when people review their spending habits and take stock of the true cost of Christmas. With the increase in VAT, and rises in fuel prices, the financial forecast for 2011 is cautious, with the government already warning of a difficult financial year ahead.  Come January, people find themselves in a situation where previous financial worries are amplified by the bills arriving from the festive season. Piles of unopened envelopes, ignoring the phone, constant worry and sleepless nights - these are just some of the symptoms of debt denial.  
Naturally the credit card bills start to arrive from January and people enter into the New Year burdened with debt as a result of overspending at Christmas time.  Each month brings new reasons to hide further under the duvet and simply hope for the best.  
You are not alone.  The UK debt help market has never been busier, as a massive percentage of the nations consumers continue to struggle to cope with their finances in the wake of the credit crunch. 
However serious your debt problems are, you need to be proactive in sorting them out.  Sitting at home worrying isnt going to fix anything and neither will denial.  If you have serious debt problems then you have to take decisive action.   If you find yourself in this black hole and seem to be falling deeper and deeper you need to seek advice from an experienced debt professional.  Lanyon Bowdler have the experience to guide you through this difficult time and help you to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Lanyon Bowdler are currently offering 30 minutes free debt advice, and an appointment can be arranged by contacting Gary Sans on 0800 6523374 or gary.sans@lblaw.co.uk. ]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Debt Recovery]]></category>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:45:39 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/debt-advice-for-the-new-year-253/</guid>
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