Quick Question Thread

[Shandon Par]

2 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

 

 

I don't actually have any debt as such, save for the stuff in my Debt Arrangement Scheme, which finishes next December. I was absolutely fucked mentally when I did it and was pretty much talked in to it, mainly to make the problems go away. Wish I'd done something else though as it's been pish. So 5 years for that to f**k off puts me at 42, and how likely is it I'd get a mortgage long enough to be affordable at that age? Especially given my salary is pretty limited and very unlikely to go up much.

I had a lot of paydays loans. All were paid back but I hear even just a couple will absolutely f**k your credit record when lenders look at your borrowing history, and I had quite a bit more than 'a couple'. Haven't taken any out since 2019. Paid off the two credit cards I had as well.

My rent was, until COVID, always paid cash in hand, and although I have all the hand written receipts for them, I doubt that means anything.

My sister in law is a mortgage broker and has sorted out all manner of scoundrels, waifs and strays if you’d ever like put In touch. As others say, don’t write yourself off. Certain mortgage products may be off the table for you but i don’t see why you couldn’t find a suitable one. 

[SANTAN]

32 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

As I say, honestly, give that clearscore website a bash. See what it says your credit is at. Takes about 5-10 minutes to check.

I'm going to give that website a check. I'm not after a mortgage but I'm willing to bet I've got one of the worst credit scores on this website, should probably try and do something about it...

[Shandon Par]

2 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

I'm going to give that website a check. I'm not after a mortgage but I'm willing to bet I've got one of the worst credit scores on this website, should probably try and do something about it...

I did one recently as someone had stolen my details and gone on a phone-buying spree around Edinburgh. First I knew about it was a pile of “welcome to Vofafone, o2, Virgin.. “etc letters through the door. They had cctv of the dashing criminal but wouldn’t show me. Like Baracus, I’d used payday loans when younger but it turned out my score was near perfect. 

[Shandon Par]

Someone should start a go fund me for Baracus so he has the money for a deposit on a house. He’d then hopefully spunk it in one weekend on pot noodles, puggies and hookers.

[SANTAN]

1 minute ago, Rasputin said:

I did one recently as someone had stolen my details and gone on a phone-buying spree around Edinburgh. First I knew about it was a pile of “welcome to Vofafone, o2, Virgin.. “etc letters through the door. They had cctv of the dashing criminal but wouldn’t show me. Like Baracus, I’d used payday loans when younger but it turned out my score was near perfect. 

Aye I rinsed the pay day loans about 5 years ago and never paid them back. I've always naturally avoided using my card anaw and generally just use cash. Can't say it's bothered me too much but probably will in the future. I once got a job offer withdrawn after the check so I know I'm not in a strong position

[SANTAN]

1 minute ago, Rasputin said:

Someone should start a go fund me for Baracus so he has the money for a deposit on a house. He’d then hopefully spunk it in one weekend on pot noodles, puggies and hookers.

I'll kidnap his dog for twos. 

[dysartrovers]

I just tried clearscore out of interest as I have also had a bad history. Not as bad as I thought [emoji23]

[Derry Alli]

@Dee Man, where you at bruh? 

[GordonD]

14 hours ago, Rasputin said:

Someone should start a go fund me for Baracus so he has the money for a deposit on a house. He’d then hopefully spunk it in one weekend on pot noodles, puggies and hookers.

And completely waste the rest of it.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

With a long weekend coming up I decided to spend a few bob on Tequila and Triple Sec (couldn't find any so got Cointreau instead).

Looking round I can't find measures for Margaritas that agree with one another.

What's your recommendations for my delectations on Saturday night?

[Granny Danger]

3 minutes ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

With a long weekend coming up I decided to spend a few bob on Tequila and Triple Sec (couldn't find any so got Cointreau instead).

Looking round I can't find measures for Margaritas that agree with one another.

What's your recommendations for my delectations on Saturday night?

Decided last year to have a go at Margaritas, give up after a few attempts because they were all too strong regardless of the mixture/proportions.  If you find an acceptable one please let us know.

 

[alta-pete]

Whatever happened to @Bambino7 anyway? 

[Shandon Par]

7 hours ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

With a long weekend coming up I decided to spend a few bob on Tequila and Triple Sec (couldn't find any so got Cointreau instead).

Looking round I can't find measures for Margaritas that agree with one another.

What's your recommendations for my delectations on Saturday night?

Been a while but I used to go 2 parts Tripe Sec to one part tequila. Maybe freeze some glasses too and then salt the rim before pouring the drink in. Plenty of slices of lemon. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

7 hours ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

With a long weekend coming up I decided to spend a few bob on Tequila and Triple Sec (couldn't find any so got Cointreau instead).

Looking round I can't find measures for Margaritas that agree with one another.

What's your recommendations for my delectations on Saturday night?

Ditch the margaritas, get some vodka, Bacardi, blue bols, coke and your above ingredients bit of lime and destroy your liver in a weekend of Long Island Iced Teas.

 

[BFTD]

@DA Baracus - I was fucked financially just over a decade ago after an extended period of ill health, and ended up entering a Debt Arrangement Scheme to pay off about £10,000 that I was only just able to pay the interest on. I was screwed enough that I was advised just to declare bankruptcy. It was absolutely miserable, as you say, but it was all paid off after five years of being utterly broke. I just tried that Clearscore thing and apparently my credit score is higher than the national average now; I'll take that.

Thankfully, the wife and I had managed to take out a mortgage right before that, and just before the credit crunch. I was (still am) on minimum wage, and the wife can't work due to disability, so we didn't have much money. We had enough for a 10% deposit due to an inheritance, which I think might have taken us about five years to save for (assuming the shit hadn't hit the fan). I'm thankful for that every day, as the mortgage payments are less than half of what it would cost to rent our place. We got lucky.

I'm by no means a success story, but if you can get that DAS finished and spend six years rigidly putting money away, your bad debt history will have disappeared and that lump sum will look quite attractive to lenders. Make sure not to miss payments on anything without prior arrangement, and get a shite credit card to pay your bills with, and pay off the balance entirely every month. It'll take discipline, but you'll get a mortgage, if it's what you want. Especially if you can get some extra income from that sex pram side hustle.

[Stellaboz]

[DA Baracus]

From what I've read, even having taken a payday loan, no matter how long ago, will pretty much debar me from being able to get a mortgage. Seemingly it's a huge red flag when they look at your borrowing history, no matter how long ago it was. 

Also I did want to go down the bankruptcy route, but could afford to (it cost £200 in 2012 to do it).

[Sweet Pete]

15 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

From what I've read, even having taken a payday loan, no matter how long ago, will pretty much debar me from being able to get a mortgage. Seemingly it's a huge red flag when they look at your borrowing history, no matter how long ago it was. 

Also I did want to go down the bankruptcy route, but could afford to (it cost £200 in 2012 to do it).

That's not the case.

[Brummie Clyde]

I think generally so long as you pay back the loan, the banks would be happy.

Actually having an overdraft and paying it back each month, may give you a better credit rating, than not having an overdraft at all

[Homer Thompson]

I think generally so long as you pay back the loan, the banks would be happy.

Actually having an overdraft and paying it back each month, may give you a better credit rating, than not having an overdraft at all

I wouldn't say that's advisable. Using an overdraft suggests you can't budget, even if you pay it off.

As BFTD said, having a credit card you use regularly and pay off in full each month is a good way of improving your credit.

I was in a similar position quite a few years ago and paid most of it off, the rest was kind of written off - long story. After a few years all the bad stuff dropped off and my credit score was really high. That was until M&S bank decided that, despite agreeing a payment break last year due to covid, they would default it and send it to a debt collection agency. My score has halved.

Proper gutted