DMP

A question about : DMP

We are about 30 months into our 9yr DMP..

We added all our creditors on from the start, and most of them are Ј15k loan, Ј10k, Ј5k, 6k, Ј4k, all credit cards etc, all in multiple thousands, but we also had only Ј650 on an Argos card and added that too..

Because of they way the payment from stepchange is split pro rata, all our bigger debts are getting Ј40-Ј80pm, but Argos only get Ј7pm.
ALL of our cards and loans have frozen charges and interest from day one, apart from Argos who say we are missing the minimum payment every month, and so every month add back on Ј5 in charges and interest, so the balance is only coming down by Ј2pm in real terms...

In the total time we have been on the DMP Argos have been paid less in total than one months payment of any of our other creditors, and our balance has only come down by around Ј30 in this time, which is rubbish..
At this rate at the end of the DMP in 7yrs or so, we will have cleared Ј45k of debt from the others, but still owe Argos about Ј300..

I have lost count of the times I have rung and written to them but they say they will not stop adding the charges on until I make the min payment...
So basically I want to start paying them a little extra to get rid of them, even if I paid only Ј15pm on top, it would stop the missed payment charges and help bring the balance down quicker, and it would still be less per month than any of the others are currently getting..
I cant see how the other creditors would find out if I did this, but would they see the logic behind what I am doing if they did or get stroppy??

Has anyone else done anything similar??

Best answers:

• Hi Mister B,
  Nope it won't cause any problems but make sure that you keep your Argos balance updated on your SC debt breakdown for accuracy.
  There is a specific letter which you can send to ask them to treat you fairly and freeze charges on this site somewhere, I'm not sure where it is but if you post on the DMP mutual support thread someone will be able to tell you if they refuse it then you have the option to challenge their decision too...
  But going back to the original question, I get charged a small rate of interest by Barclaycard so make regular over payments of about Ј10 and it's never caused me any problems.
  MB
• When you have written to Argos in the past have you asked nicely or put in an official complaint?
  If you haven't complained get it done, then, if they tell you to get lost complain to the Financial Ombudsmen.
  They are not treating you fairly, so be proactive and get writing.
  To be adding late payment charges when they know you are on a dmp is a disgrace. Interest on the balance I can sort of understand (well not really but that's another debate) but charges are just plain wrong.
  So, go and fight a battle, let's face it, they can't treat you any worse.