I must says thanks to all for the support received in the last few months. I have avidly absorbed all and anything on this page and have found it very comforting to be around others with the same type of problem.

I was confused when I received my letter and I didn't know who to turn to. I decided that I couldn't face the bombardment of skillfully written intimidating letters (they are experts after all). I felt that if I didn't get help, I would deal with it emotionaly rather than practically. I was smart enough to search for help which I now know was the best thing for me! After a few calls to companies dealing with people with debt problems, I found Debt Help (www.debthelp.co.uk) I phoned Graham Eldred on the crisisline (0208 6861300) and we talked to for nearly 30 minutes. I am somewhat sceptical by nature so I decided to arrange a meeting with him at his offices and went along to visit him.

My case was clear to him. The mortgage was in my name alone, I am not married and do not have a job, I do not and have never owned a property since so I therefore have no way to pay back such a crazy debt of £33,000 going back several years!

With these basic facts, I entrusted Graham with this most serious problem, hoping for a speedy conclusion. Within 3 weeks, thanks to Graham (and a gift from my partner of £1,000) I have settled in full with 'all liabilities to the property ending and the case being now closed'.

For those of you who are seasoned fighters, tenacious, and ready to do battle, you may not need help but for those of you like me, who can't face a long battle, do not want to wake up with 'another dreaded letter' my advise is to take on a professional to take away the worry and the sheer effort, I can honestly recommend you to Debthelp. I was not promised the world but his best attention. Because the issues were clear, he was able to deal with the situation in a clear and professional way. (1000 times better than I could have done I'm sure). I also beleive that it was solved quickly because the building Society knew they couldn't play tactical games with a professional and got straight down to the nitty gritty.

Feel free to Email me if you are thinking along these lines. It is so much better to get a personal recommendation when dealing with such a sensitive issue.

Good luck to all & Happy Christmas!!

Gennie.

-- Gennie Blackman (gennie1234uk@yahoo.co.uk), December 20, 2001

Answers

can the site get an advertising fee for this (or am I just a cynic).

-- Jon S (jks_uk2001@yahoo.co.uk), December 20, 2001.

As a mortgage shortfall victim I have been a frequent visitor to this site (home-repo) and have read everything available here to help me deal with the problem. At the same time I have come accross 'debthelp' and have read their Q&A board entensively. In the main they deal with other types of debt i.e. credit card, overdrafts etc. From time to time questions have been asked by mortgage shortfall victims and I must say their advice seems pretty dubious. They have in the past advised filling in of I&E forms and making token payments to keep lender quiet. Not exactly sound advice from 'professionals' - have never read any advice about questioning the debt or demanding proof.

Obviously, I am pleased for you that you have resolved your problem so speedily. Your posting doesn't make it clear who got the £1000 - was it the lender or 'debthelp'?

Also for all our benefit here would you be prepared to say who the lender was and what debt collection agency they were using. It would help to know who were prepared to back down so quickly.

-- another cynic (anon@lineone.net), December 20, 2001.

Yes, I suppose that it should be expected for some to be cynical, being in a situation like this seems to make some paranoid..me included!

Yes, I was very uncertain about using a third party, especially when his advice was very different to all that I had read on this site. He was very straightforward with me and I was worried. He advised me against contesting the debt and serving SARN's etc, he went in to a negotiation to settle a horrible situation, as quickly as possible - with the facts presented to him, this is exactly what he did.

I cannot comment on any previous advice, except to say that I was very torn between following everything that I had read - and going for help. My mind was made up after speaking to various people on this site over the last few months who seemed lost, confused and very upset by each new part of thier negotiation. I decided therefore not to 'go it alone'.

I hope that it wasn't because the building Society buckled so easily, I think that most of them would welcome an opportunity to do thier job expediently to a satisfactory outcome with a co-operative opponent, call me naive, but it worked for me.

Just to make things clear, of course the £1,000 was for the Building Society, although Debt Help do make a charge.

I wrote this mainly for the other people out there that are so confused and feel that they need help, but it is also a thankyou to Debthelp as I clearly felt them to be very helpful.

Gennie

-- Gennie Blackman (gennie1234uk@yahoo.co.uk), December 20, 2001.

Well congrats Gennie. I am always pleased to see a resolution, howsoever achieved. Do you have the letter of discharge (full & final and all credit files clear etc)from the BS? If not, I'd get that pronto. They have been known to renege on agreements these Lenders....shock horror...

-- Too scared to say (iwasduped@yahoo.com), December 20, 2001.

Dear Gennie

Of course I am pleased if someone managed to settle their differences with the leaches to their satisfaction, but since I have started down this 'lets fight them' road I have found that there is a whole new world of different leaches waiting to jump on the back of the unwarey. A lot of people out there are willing to give up a 'good nights sleep' in order to make a buck from the less fortunate. I see a lot of these people as totaly immoral with the advise they give, this being more in their interests that the poor person who is at their wits end. As with all comodities it pays to know a little about the subject before you buy, this way you can be sure that you are getting what you pay for. You are correct when you say this site is supportive, there appears to be a limitless source of excelent FREE advise from people who have no interest whatsoever in boosting their own bank balances (I like to think of these people as real human beings)and i would urge anyone to take these peoples advise before contacting any outside agency.

I wish you well

Jon S

-- Jon S (jks_uk2001@yahoo.co.uk), December 21, 2001.