I've had my IVA a year now and i feel its the worse thing i ever did, i have had more stress from the IVA company (Accuma) than i had through my debts!
I first rang Accuma in Oct 05 who said an IVA would be the best option, taking 3 months to get sorted. I cancelled all my debt DD on their suggestion and changed banks to a basic account (even though my bank account was never overdrawn, and that move has been the bain of my life ever since!). In June 06 9 MONTHS [:(]later my IVA was finally agreed, i'd had months of letters and phonecalls demanding payments (which i'd never had before). In the August i rang to find about options for moving house etc and what if's, and that again took over 2 months, people saying they would ring me back, and never doing so and many phoncalls from me chasing answers. Finally i had a phonecall telling me not to move until a year of my IVA, then the very next day someone else rang me to say, it was not a problem, move when you like!!!
In Jan this year i decided to move, i wanted to sell my house and rent in another area (neighbours from hell!) I rang Accuma to find out what i needed to do, and aside from the basics, i was told that as i would only make about £1500 profit, i would be able to keep it. (Part of my IVA agreement was to release any equity in my house after 4 years, but as i was interest only, there would not have been any to release and i was advised at the time that Accuma would argue against this as by then i would have made xtra payments). Nothing was mentioned about this clause. I moved into my new accommodation with the sale of my house taking a bit longer than i thought as the buyer dropped out after 4 weeks and i'd made a commitment on my new house so i still moved. My parents lent me money to cover the rent & mortgage as i had said i could pay them back with my sale profits.
Finally my sale came through. i had to chase Accuma several times as they had not responded to my letters (they had a 6 week backlog of post!) Then i was told i would have to pay another year on top of my IVA AND give all my profits to the IVA!!! I was allowed 1months deposit and a few £00 moving costs. Despite paying 2 months deposit, because my partner was moving in this summer Accuma said he would have to give me half the deposit!! (do boyfriends give you half your deposit when you have brought a house before them! NO!) I explained i needed to pay back my family but was told tough! I also said about the advice i had been given ref being able to keep the small profits and the lady in question emailed me saying she's been off sick lots in Jan and basically said i was making it up!!! (despite my having her direct line, name etc and notes in my book of the conversation!!!) I never received an apology. It was a pretty devasting experience.
Now i have just changed jobs, and yet again Accuma (to me) are behaving dreadfully. I left my old job 1 week before pay day, and was somewhat gobsmacked when i got my pay cheque which was only for 1 weeks wages (it turned out i was paid 2 weeks in advance!). I had written and rang Accuma back in May to ask for my DD date to be changed as my new wages would be paid at the end of the month, not in the middle. I rang Accuma as soon as i had my payslip to see if this DD had been changed as there was no way i could pay on that date with 1 weeks wages. The DD had not been changed (still a huge back log of mail). I explained the situtaion and was told to cancel it for the date and reinstate it for the 1st but i would have to pay 2 months in one go (despite only being 2 weeks late) I explained that i had 1 weeks wages to last me 2 weeks, and my next pay would only be for 3 weeks, but that would have to last me till August (6 weeks wages to cover 8 weeks)But i was told, they cant treat me differently and i have to pay 2 months in one go! I thought an IVA was based on income, Accuma are acting like a debt collection agency now, not a debt mgt company. There is no physical way i can pay 2 months worth with only 6 weeks wages! Accuma also still tried to take the IVA payment as normal! (thank god my bank had cancelled it in time)
Can they do this? All my expereinces make me want to jack the whole thing in and go bankrupt. I now have an extra year,i owe my parents money, i had huge stress with the debt chasing and i just dont think this is worth it anymore. [:(]
HELP!
Thanks
Piggy
Last edited by
Piggy Wiggy on Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks
Piggy