Weymouth man hid in his shed for a year (From Dorset Echo)

What a sad story and a brave man to come forward and tell it. No-one knows what the future holds, but for Steve luckily the tide seems to be turning thanks to the CAB and Anchor. Good luck in the future!

I've been in the same situation years ago and know how stressful it is.
I wish Mr Morris best of luck.
GMax.

Debt collectors are scum... Criminals to a man.

How is this man being branded as brave? he hid in a shed for a year! Where's the lesson in this? It's ok to shy away from debts, CAB will bail you out. No! Facing his debts would have made him brave!

So the lesson to learn from this is? Oh yes run up debts that you can’t afford to pay back and then go running to the C.A.B etc who will help you negotiate with your creditors so that you only have to repay a fraction of what you actually owe, and in the mean time the rest of us can pick up the tab, It’s about time we returned to the old system of bankruptcy where you remain a bankrupt until all of the debt is repaid or you die. There is no such thing as a free ride in our society if one section is getting away with it another section is paying for it and it is wrong, we are ALL paying for those that don’t care like the estimated £40 extra on car insurance to pay for those without insurance is just one example, every year the banks are writing off millions and where do you think they get the money from, yes the banks want you to get into debt which is why they want you to have their credit cards etc but it is up to the individual to control their spending at a level they can repay. I thought being in debt was something to be ashamed of, but now it would seem you get your photo in the paper and the chance to tell the world.

FitterC wrote:
Debt collectors are scum... Criminals to a man.

So are you saying that if you lent somebody money or provided a service you wouldn’t want your money back, I grant you some debt collectors might have some dubious practises but at the end of the day they are only doing a job, and there is a very easy way of never seeing one and that is pay your way.

Ohec. Let's hope you never have need to fall back on the services there to help those who may have fallen on hard times. Some through no fault of their own. Do you work in financial services or are you a banker? Where do you think the banks got the money to continue giving themselves huge bonuses after some of them almost went bankrupt? Us poor saps the taxpayer that's where. Oh I forgot we are all shareholders now....

yes it's me wrote:
How is this man being branded as brave? he hid in a shed for a year! Where's the lesson in this? It's ok to shy away from debts, CAB will bail you out. No! Facing his debts would have made him brave!

Hes brave because he has spoken openly about what happened, for 'holier than thou' people like you to criticise - he could have remained anonymous but chose not to. Thats brave in my book. You are obviously a perfect human being with no weaknesses.

All I can say to OHEC is thank God not everyone thinks like you. Where is your compassion? From what I understand of this article this gentleman was TRYING TO WORK. I have actually been in a situation where, left with four children through a divorce, I lost my house THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN. I used to dread the postman delivering letters in case they were bills. Ohec had better pray that nothing happens to upset his staus quo - I can assure him that if he found himself in the same situation people would be a lot more supportive than he is being now! I feel so angry about his attitude that I will stop posting now before I say something that I will regret. Come on, Ohec, I am waiting for you..........lets see what other pearls of wisdom you have to offer.

bigfatzero wrote:
Ohec. Let's hope you never have need to fall back on the services there to help those who may have fallen on hard times. Some through no fault of their own. Do you work in financial services or are you a banker? Where do you think the banks got the money to continue giving themselves huge bonuses after some of them almost went bankrupt? Us poor saps the taxpayer that's where. Oh I forgot we are all shareholders now....

I have fallen on hard times in the past and through no fault of my own but like most honourable people I feel the need to put my own house in order and pay all my debts, the current system of writing peoples debts off only encourages people to be irresponsible, a debt should remain a debt until it is cleared. As for the taxpayers money that went into supporting the banks, that bought stock in those banks it was not a gift and you would have been in a very sorry state if they hadn’t supported the banks, the money they write off comes from the banks customers in the way of profits and if they didn’t have to write so much off then interest could be a little higher or the mortgage rate a little lower, as for the obscene bonuses they pay out that again comes from profits that investment bankers make by gambling with other people’s money and that money should remain in the bank. Bonuses have to be paid as an incentive but they need to be capped on a global scale.

ohec wrote:

bigfatzero wrote: Ohec. Let's hope you never have need to fall back on the services there to help those who may have fallen on hard times. Some through no fault of their own. Do you work in financial services or are you a banker? Where do you think the banks got the money to continue giving themselves huge bonuses after some of them almost went bankrupt? Us poor saps the taxpayer that's where. Oh I forgot we are all shareholders now....

I have fallen on hard times in the past and through no fault of my own but like most honourable people I feel the need to put my own house in order and pay all my debts, the current system of writing peoples debts off only encourages people to be irresponsible, a debt should remain a debt until it is cleared. As for the taxpayers money that went into supporting the banks, that bought stock in those banks it was not a gift and you would have been in a very sorry state if they hadn’t supported the banks, the money they write off comes from the banks customers in the way of profits and if they didn’t have to write so much off then interest could be a little higher or the mortgage rate a little lower, as for the obscene bonuses they pay out that again comes from profits that investment bankers make by gambling with other people’s money and that money should remain in the bank. Bonuses have to be paid as an incentive but they need to be capped on a global scale.

Right Ohec, this is war! Please explain yourself. What has 'honour' got to do with this? Would you prefer that people who are in debt commit suicide rather than admit that they have a problem, which I can assure you that many people do. I used to go to sleep wishing that I wouldn't wake up to have to face the next day. In your warped world would that make them and me 'honourable.'

bizzylizzy wrote:
All I can say to OHEC is thank God not everyone thinks like you. Where is your compassion? From what I understand of this article this gentleman was TRYING TO WORK. I have actually been in a situation where, left with four children through a divorce, I lost my house THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN. I used to dread the postman delivering letters in case they were bills. Ohec had better pray that nothing happens to upset his staus quo - I can assure him that if he found himself in the same situation people would be a lot more supportive than he is being now! I feel so angry about his attitude that I will stop posting now before I say something that I will regret. Come on, Ohec, I am waiting for you..........lets see what other pearls of wisdom you have to offer.

All I can say bizzylizzy is you have the same disease as a lot of people nowadays, nobody excepts responsibility for their own actions hasn’t anybody ever told you it takes two to tango, but I am sure you have convinced yourself that you are totally blameless as far as your divorce was concerned, all of those bills you talk about and the house were acquired by you and your husband nobody else, you played life’s lottery and lost the same as I did first time.

ohec wrote:

bizzylizzy wrote: All I can say to OHEC is thank God not everyone thinks like you. Where is your compassion? From what I understand of this article this gentleman was TRYING TO WORK. I have actually been in a situation where, left with four children through a divorce, I lost my house THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN. I used to dread the postman delivering letters in case they were bills. Ohec had better pray that nothing happens to upset his staus quo - I can assure him that if he found himself in the same situation people would be a lot more supportive than he is being now! I feel so angry about his attitude that I will stop posting now before I say something that I will regret. Come on, Ohec, I am waiting for you..........lets see what other pearls of wisdom you have to offer.

All I can say bizzylizzy is you have the same disease as a lot of people nowadays, nobody excepts responsibility for their own actions hasn’t anybody ever told you it takes two to tango, but I am sure you have convinced yourself that you are totally blameless as far as your divorce was concerned, all of those bills you talk about and the house were acquired by you and your husband nobody else, you played life’s lottery and lost the same as I did first time.

Thank you so much for that erudite comment, Ohec. You have just confirmed to me that are a bigot and a prize T**T, and as such I am going to waste no more of my precious time on you. Mr Morris, I wish you all the best with your endeavours to get your life back on the right track.

OHEC, although I cannot agree with Bizzylizzys use of language, I have to concur with absolutely everything she says about you.
You are unforgiving, condemnatory,bigotte
d, smug and self-satisfied - a most unpleasant human being by the sound of your posts.
I certainly would not want to live in your narrow-minded and compassionless world .
Well done Bizzylizzy for managing to solve your problems and ignore 'people' like him, I'm hoping hes a one-off!

So if he had equity in the house, why didn't he sell up and use that? Where does it say that we have a right to own a house? Nowhere. He is not brave, he is just irresponsible.

OHEC I agree with you about people taking responsibility for themselves. I also took it from the following quote that is exactly what Mr Morris is doing now:

'They helped to freeze his debts to his bank, electric and gas companies for a period and arranged a payment plan using his benefits and his pension from his 40-year career.

Mrs Dyer said: “He’s got a relatively small mortgage and lots of equity but he would have lost his house over a debt of £10,000."'

His debt hasn't been written off it's been restructured so that he still has a roof over his head and the companies he owes money to will get paid. I thought the point of this story was to say to people that there is advice available in times of need. There is a choice other than hiding away from the problem and losing everything.

OHEC won't let the facts get in the way of his narrow mind.

Genghis and Mabu, I called Mr Morris brave NOT because he got into debt and hid away, but because he made it known so that people like you could comment on it - as Ive said, he could have remained anonymous. I take it you agree that that is a brave thing to do?
He could have had a mental breakdown, we dont know, he might not have had any family support, as I am sure you two have. None of us know how we would react in a given situation, many men take their own lives. You two are obviously strong characters and I'm glad for you, but try and have a bit more compassion for those who cant cope.

And Mabu, you didnt turn up in your mankini at the gay pride parade - I was looking out for you. Now that WOULD have
been a brave thing to do.

:-)

JANEAUSTEN wrote:

yes it's me wrote: How is this man being branded as brave? he hid in a shed for a year! Where's the lesson in this? It's ok to shy away from debts, CAB will bail you out. No! Facing his debts would have made him brave!

Hes brave because he has spoken openly about what happened, for 'holier than thou' people like you to criticise - he could have remained anonymous but chose not to. Thats brave in my book. You are obviously a perfect human being with no weaknesses.

Well i'm glad i do not read from your 'book'! Brave?! Behave! The guy is a coward, hiding away hoping his debts would dissappear. I've been in debt and got myself out of it with hard work and good money management.

JANEAUSTEN wrote:
Genghis and Mabu, I called Mr Morris brave NOT because he got into debt and hid away, but because he made it known so that people like you could comment on it - as Ive said, he could have remained anonymous. I take it you agree that that is a brave thing to do?
He could have had a mental breakdown, we dont know, he might not have had any family support, as I am sure you two have. None of us know how we would react in a given situation, many men take their own lives. You two are obviously strong characters and I'm glad for you, but try and have a bit more compassion for those who cant cope.

And Mabu, you didnt turn up in your mankini at the gay pride parade - I was looking out for you. Now that WOULD have
been a brave thing to do.

I find the words brave and hero are extremely overused nowadays.

I just take the story at face value. Mr Morris had a problem that many have nowadays. He found advice from the CAB when he needed it and out of gratitude has passed his experience on to let people know that there are other options. I think Mr Morris has taken responsibility for his situation and his story may give hope to others. Whether that's brave, I don't know. It is however a good thing to get publicity for the help that is available. Even if it only helps one other person then it's worth it. I wish Mr Morris all the best for the future.

I also wouldn't describe what he did as brave, but i do commend Mr Morris for sharing his story (all be it a little bit extrema) with the public. I hope people take away the, "you cant hide from your debts, but you can get help to manage them" message rather than the more negative aspects that some people are reading into.
I don't agree with the spend now, worry later attitude that some people have, but every now and then life does get on top of people by no fault of there own, and those people should receive help.
I hope im never in the same situation, as i dont have a shed!

Hey, this guy could have taken a bad turn in that situation and done God know what to himself. Its not brave. Its just not week.
The story has a good message for those who find themselves in the `same kind` of situation (And I don`t mean people who just abuse the system to fuel their lazy, material lives). "We have a CAB"
A lot of our debt is owed to other countries I`m sure. So had they taken his house, the Rockerfellas might have had a nice new Pad in Westham to holiday in. He sort advice and they saved what he had to show for 40 years of work. It could have ruined him. Put him on the streets. The guys sixty. Give him some credit for being a tax payer for so long. Its more than a lot of people are willing to do now-a-days.
Our society has become very worrying in some areas. We have lost things like family values, self respect and respect for others. Some people don`t give a S#%T. They abuse systems, set up to help guys like Mr M. If you want to point fingers. Point it towards the houses that have the curtins drawn when your going to work in the morning.

yes it's me wrote:

JANEAUSTEN wrote:

yes it's me wrote: How is this man being branded as brave? he hid in a shed for a year! Where's the lesson in this? It's ok to shy away from debts, CAB will bail you out. No! Facing his debts would have made him brave!

Hes brave because he has spoken openly about what happened, for 'holier than thou' people like you to criticise - he could have remained anonymous but chose not to. Thats brave in my book. You are obviously a perfect human being with no weaknesses.

Well i'm glad i do not read from your 'book'! Brave?! Behave! The guy is a coward, hiding away hoping his debts would dissappear. I've been in debt and got myself out of it with hard work and good money management.

You are deliberately misinterpreting what I say, no doubt to suit your own agenda. Try this: (third time lucky?)
Brave. Because. He. Spoke. About. It.And .Gave. His. Name.
NOT. Because. He. Hid. Away.

Any clearer? Bet your teachers earned their money.

JANEAUSTEN wrote:

yes it's me wrote:

JANEAUSTEN wrote:

yes it's me wrote: How is this man being branded as brave? he hid in a shed for a year! Where's the lesson in this? It's ok to shy away from debts, CAB will bail you out. No! Facing his debts would have made him brave!

Hes brave because he has spoken openly about what happened, for 'holier than thou' people like you to criticise - he could have remained anonymous but chose not to. Thats brave in my book. You are obviously a perfect human being with no weaknesses.

Well i'm glad i do not read from your 'book'! Brave?! Behave! The guy is a coward, hiding away hoping his debts would dissappear. I've been in debt and got myself out of it with hard work and good money management.

You are deliberately misinterpreting what I say, no doubt to suit your own agenda. Try this: (third time lucky?) Brave. Because. He. Spoke. About. It.And .Gave. His. Name. NOT. Because. He. Hid. Away. Any clearer? Bet your teachers earned their money.

ahh, have I upset you miss?

If he spent 10k on 'engineering equipment' surely selling these items would raises some of the funds to pay back the loan.
.
While some people on here seem to have extreme views (both ways!), I agree he is no hero, unless you count the way a footballer is a hero. Hero is a word frequently used for people that are not.
.
I understand it is hard when you fall upon hard times but to exepect others to bail you out is not right, if you cannot afford to pay it you should be able to drop the payments down to what you can afford but still pay back all the money.
.
Accept responsibility, there is plenty of help out there you just need to ask.