help

[cazmumto4]

HI THERE, I HAVE BEEN CHECKING OUT THIS FORUM FOR A FEW DAYS NOW AND ITS BEEN SOOO HELPFUL TO ME!THINKING OF DOING AN IVA AND I HAVE RUNG A FEW COMPANIES AND DECIDED ON ACCUMA.SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TO ME.THE PAPERWORK ARRIVES TOMORROW AND I<M GOING AHEAD.REALLY SCARED!!DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH ACCUMA.? I AM WORRIED I WONT BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE STRESS OF IT AS I HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON.MY SON IS SICK AND IN AND OUT OF HOSP AND DUE AN OP(LAST WEEK WE WERE SENT AWAY ON OP DAY-NO BEDS!)DUE AGAIN 12 DEC.CHRISTMAS TIME ASWELL.HOW DID YOU ALL MANAGE WITH THE WORRY.TOTALLY SCARED OF LETTERS ETC THATS MY LIFE STORY! HI EVERYONE![xo]

[Skippy]

Hi! Welcome to the forum - I found it really helpful while I was waiting for my IVA to be approved.
I dealt with Accuma, and I was really impressed with them. Obviously I can't make comparisons with other companies, but I found them to be efficient, friendly and understanding. I have read a lot of stories from other people on here, and I can see how lucky I have been.
I made my first phone call to Thomas Charles on 18th August, and my IVA was approved on 24th October, so compared to a lot of people that was really quick.
To be honest, I didn't get really stressed until just before the meeting. I think there must be something wrong with me! I had some phone calls, and MBNA were really nasty, but I was stroppy back (possibly not the best cause of action, but hey ho, I survived and they didn't bother to vote!) and I took my stress out on them! I was lucky in that my partner was really supportive bless him, and I told my friends and family what I was doing. I think that made it easier as I didn't have to hide anything any more.
Good luck with everything, and keep posting to let us know how you get on.
Just out of curiousity, who are you dealing with at Accuma?

[freelili]

HI AND WELCOME.

Firstly do not worry, you have time on your side. The non priority creditors will keep phoning and writing but have not got the power to do much else, it takes time for them to apply to the courts (around 3 months I am told). Carefully consider your options, do you own property or have assests?

I went with Accuma also and found them really helpful but my situation means I cannot go for IVA since I lost my job. Its easy to make a wrong decision when youre so stressed but there will be a solution for you so relax a little.

It sounds like the last thing you need is this stress at this time but you are already on the right road by admitting you have a problem.
I am sure someone else will advise you better than i can. I just wanted to welcome you and tell you that you are not alone.

I realised my problem at the begining of October and I was in a state then, I can also identify with the problems with your son.

My advice is to pay all priority debts and dont give in to the pressure of the others, who shout louder. There WILL be a solution for you, dont panic. Youre already on the path to a better life.

Good luck

LILY

[Skippy]

I'm so sorry, I meant to say I hope your son is on the mend soon xxx

[bluebelle]

Hi Cazmumto4,

Welcome to the forum. I am not with Accuma but from what i have read about them in the last couple of months..i have not read anything negative. Starting an IVA is stressful to most people....I have just had my IVA accepted today (took just under 6 weeks from start to finish). The advise i can give is:-

1. Once you have a name and contact number for you IP write to all your creditors advising of your Impending IVA - give them you IP contact details....this may help defer them from phoning you. I did this and with some of my creditors i didn't hear a peep during the 5 weeks.
2. Be prepared - even from this early stage start gathering up all your last creditor statements, payslips(mine wanted last 3 months), bank statements (last 3 months again), last utlility bills, council tax bill, car log book and get copies ready to send off. You will get a check list come through of exactely what Accuma will need to draft you IVA but the list above is the majority of what they will be wanting. The quicker you can turn around any letters or requests from you IP the quicker they can push your proposal through and arrange a creditors meeting.
3. Send, if you can, everything recorded delivery back to your IP. Cost me around £1.80...but it is worth it has you can then confirm that they definately received your docs....should there be any mix up or delay!
4. I know it is hard but answer your phone when it rings and be strong. The more you ignore the more they will ring. Once you have spoken to them the majority will leave you alone for a few days before ringing back. In my experience the majority of my creditors have been really civil and ok.
5. Keeping reading this forum - use it has a sounding board if you are feeling low, ask any questions that you feel you can't ask anyone else..at the end of the day the majority of the people on here are going through or have been through exactely what you are now and will be supportive, compassionate and not judgemental.

Good luck and best wishes to your son...hope alls goes well from him.

Bluebelle
x

[cazmumto4]

THANKS TO BLUEBELLE,SKIPPY AND FREELILLI FOR YOUR REPLIES.YOU DONT KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME (WELL YOU PROBABLY DO!)YOU REPLIED SO FAST AND SAID LOVELY AND HELPFUL STUFF IWAS BAWLING AS I READ!BETTER OUT THAN IN!I AM DEALING WITH KEITH AT ACCUMA AND HAVE ALSO DEALT WITH JOSEPH.THEY ARE BOTH TOTALLY LUSH-A CREDIT TO ACCUMA.WE DONT OWN OUR HOUSE BUT WE DO HAVE A CAR-ACCUMA SAY THE CAR SHOULD BE FINE AS I NEED IT FOR HOSPITAL TRIPS ETC.I AM DOING THE IVA WITH MY HUSBAND WHO WORKS FULL TIME-I AM THE DOMESTIC GODDESS! HA HA . WHEN I PAY PRIORITY DEBTS SHOULD I PAY AMOUNT REQUESTED OR A TOKEN PAYMENT? ALSO I HAVE OPENED UP A STEP ACCOUNT DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THEY ARE ANY GOOD? THANKS SO MUCH GUYS LOVE CAZ- SPK SOONX[xo]

[bluebelle]

Caz,

that fact that you don't own your home should make the whole process quicker. i rent privately. if you own your home things like equity release comes into play and the IVA becomes more complicated...hopefully you should be able to sort your IVA out quite quickly.
I have a car but they accept that if they took it away i couldn't easily get to work..as long as it isn't a brand new top of the range model then they tend to exclude your car from the iva (that is why they are likely to ask for a copy of the log book - on my iva they made a comment about it's value although they excluded it from the calculations).

regarding payments....my IP told me not to pay any of the minimum payments unless i could pay all creditors. this is so that it doesn't look like you favour some more than others. token payments are ok though providing you are consistent in what you give your creditors who ask for these.......ie i gave 3 of my creditors £10 each...minimum payments would have been £100-£200 each). what is a step account? is this an account you have opened for your husbands wages to go into?..... You may already know this but it is important to open a new bank account if your current account is with one of your current creditors as it is possible that they may take money out of your account without your constent until the iva has been approved.

Regards

Bluebelle

[freelili]

All of your priority debts should be paid things like secured loans if your car is on HP for instance. Gas, rent, electric, council tax etc

Non priority debts unsecured loans (bank loans, credit cards, store cards etc) ask your IP, I was told to stop paying as soon as I made the first phone call.

Dont worry you will be ok, promise.

Good luck

LILY

[bluebelle]

Apologies i didn't realise what you meant by prioirty debts...i just assumed you meant creditors who were overdue the most....i was just talking about unsecured loans and credit cards

[neverending]

Hi cazmumto4
All the excellent advice above given covers your initial questions and concerns.Accuma are a bona fide company and regularly post on this site so you should be assured of a good service.
The most important advice that I can give is to make sure that you fill out your income and expenditure correctly and above all realistically.It is so easy to put low figures down for expenditure when first proposing an IVA because you just want it to be approved but in reality five years with no spare money is near on impossible to cope with.Put down realistic amounts and include xmas and birthday presents for the kids also car maintenance etc.
Take advice from your IP regarding paying creditors,most will advise to stop paying altogether.Use this money to get upto date with your priority bills,i;e utility,council tax,rent etc.
Regards

[cazmumto4]

THANKS ALL FOR YOU REPLIES! I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND IT REALLY HELPS.FIRSTLY THE NAT WEST STEP ACCOUNT IS JUST A BASIC BACK ACCOUNT WITH NO BORROWING FACILITIES.BLUEBELLE, I THOUGHT THAT PRIORITY DEBTS MEANT THE CREDITORS SO YOU DID ASSUME RIGHT!I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE TO ACCUMA TODAY(THEY ARE SO NICE AND HELPFUL)AND I BELIEVE ITS JUST UTILITIES ETC I SHOULD PAY.DOES THAT MEAN I STOP PAYING CREDITORS NOW,EVEN BEFORE PAPERWORK HAS GONE BACK? THANKS, CAZ[:I]

[freelili]

Thats what I was told to do.

LILY

[neverending]

Hi
Take advice from your IP regarding stopping paying creditors.