This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/08/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/07/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/07/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/07/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/07/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/06/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This isnt the same case as my one sillygirl, the other thread is about me. And the reason why she hasnt paid it is because she has had cancer 4 times in the last 7 years and a £400 bill from Argos is the least of her worries

I'll see if she can scan it in, she lives 300 miles away from me so unfortunately I havent actually seen it myself.

Letter is from Bryan Carter, claimant on ccj is Hillsden, original debt was argos card

A friend of mine had a CCJ issued against her May 2006. They have never attempted to collect on it, she has not heard anything from them since the ccj was issued (and hasnt changed address since then) but she has now had a letter stating that they are applying for a warrant of execution. I am guessing its because its about to drop off her credit file, its only for £400. Any thoughts on what to advise her?

woohoo! Not bad for a first clutch and not long now till you will have tincy wincy beardies running around the place eating everything in sight lol

What would suggest, is that make a formal complaint (which then has to go to the committee) if these offices are failing due to poor management then they can lose the funding and it will be open to other offices to tender for that funding (thus in theory improving your service). The aims and principles of the CAB are The Citizens Advice service aims: To provide the advice people need for the problems they face. To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives. The service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. Our equality and diversity strategy Whoever you are, whatever the problem – a short publication celebrating our achievements in equality, diversity and human rights. If you feel they are not achieving these (and that was taken from the CAB website) then you are definitely in a position to complain.

Its funny you should say that, I've just back from a workers meeting with a representative from the DWP telling us about PIP.... if people have their forms filled out by an agency (such as CAB) then they wont need additional evidence from a doctor. So it cuts their workload and increases ours considerably.

That's true enough, but its the nature of the job, we are there usually to pick up the pieces when things are so bad the client cant cope with them on their own, so once its sorted they just want to forget it ever happened. I get lots of ideas and inspiration from here though, especially around debt and dealing with bailiffs.

Absolutely, one of the first steps we take in any debt case is to check liability. We send out a form when we book the appointment (debt is by appointment only because usually we allow at least an hour, usually 2-3 hours) which asks general incomings and outgoings, debts, date last payment was made etc etc. Very often if the client is liable and they cant afford even token payments we send nil offer letters and in most cases we contact the DCA on the clients behalf and break the bad new of the OFT guidelines particularly if the client is vulnerable (one of the best parts of my job is upsetting DCAs lol.) We deal with a lot of people with mental health issues, people who often cant deal with even minor problems on their own, our job is to support them and ensure they are doing what is best for them. I really am disappointed when I hear of cases where people are just signposted to websites, we accompany people to tribunals (DWP and ET) and go through pretty much every step of their problem with them and if we cant help, we have a list of solicitors who offer our clients their first appointment free. The only issue we do signpost at the moment is immigration, because we do not have the qualifications legally to advise people, but hopefully this will change later on this year when I do the training for it.

It may well be because of lack of resources, the fact that they wanted you to go to another town suggests (to me) that perhaps they didn't have a debt specialist. Perhaps their funding is minimal and they don't have many volunteers. Also if you are in a small town and volunteers have to travel to the nearest city, the bureau has to reimburse travel expenses, which is why smaller bureaus often cant afford the training in specific work areas. I have to say though, much as it can be frustrating at times and you feel as though you are banging your head against a brick wall (particularly with the CSA and tax-credits this week!) I love it, and even when (or if) I get a training contract I am still hoping to volunteer. I think there are quite a few on here who would make brilliant advisers, and the only way to improve the CAB service is if more people volunteer. Rebel I wasnt doubting anyone's experience, I've had poor experiences with the CAB in the past myself, I just think its a shame that there are bureaux who arent using it to its full potential whether its through lack of funding, lack of interest or poor management.

I wasn't sure where to post this as it covers pretty much all of our subjects. I've been very disappointed and disheartened to hear some of the experiences and so pre-conceived ideas people have about the CAB. If I'm totally honest before I became a volunteer my opinion of them wasnt great either. However, each bureau is individual and is run according to the committee and manager. So just because one bureau is crap and arent that keen to go out of their way to help, doesnt mean they all are. We are hugely understaffed, underfunded and getting more and more work piled upon us (with the closing of Consumer Direct all that area is coming to us, and with the cutbacks in Legal Aid that is about to happen I imagine a lot more relationship and civil cases will come our way too). The bureau I work for has an excellent supervisor who will go that extra mile (in some cases literally) to make sure our clients get all the help we can offer. If it does feel as though there is nothing we can do, we all get together and bounce ideas around to see if there is an alternative way we can get round the problem, a bit like we do here. I would hate for someone in trouble to not come to see us because they have read how useless the CAB are. Unfortunately we cant always give the client the answer they were hoping for, but if we cant, certainly in our bureau, I hope we explain the reasons and help them find an alternative solution to their problem.

I've used Shiply a few times and never had a problem. But I am very careful about who I give the bid to (its rarely the cheapest). Mine have all been large furniture items but as I say, I've never had a problem. I've not so sure it would be smooth if I did have any cause to complain.

I would email the ceo too

There are loads of plans online to make homemade ones, as long as the eggs dont dry out (but dont get wet so watch out for condensation dripping) and stay warm you'll be fine. When she is ready to lay you will know, the egg shapes are very apparent and she will hardly eat at all and might be quite grumpy. Once you have the eggs you need to prepare for the babies, they can lay anything up to 40 eggs.. and let me assure you beardie babies eat one hell of a lot of food lol, one of mine had a clutch of 36 and they nearly bankrupt me. I used a plastic crate to keep them in with a basking lamp and uv light, they dont need furniture and I used kitchen roll rather than proper substrate because it was jsut too messy and I had to clean them out too often. At least with kitchen roll you can take out the messy sheets and replace them pretty easily.

If she is pregnant you will notice very quickly that she is getting fat, and then if you lift her up and look at her tummy you will see the shapes of the eggs, then its a waiting game till she lays. Have you got a hovabator incase she is? You need to carefully remove the eggs when she lays them (making sure you dont turn them upside down) and put them in the hovabator or they will get trampled on.