Hi austin36. Welcome to the forum. Overall, I'd say my experience has been positive bar a couple of hiccups, re: delayed communication on their part, whch provoked avoidable stress and anxiety. I've had several Case Officers, but one has been fine. Generally, whenever I've emailed I get a quick response. They put really strong cases forward for my initial proposal and my Full and Final offer. The only 'bug bare' is not being allowed to speak directly to my IP - everything goes through the CO's. Hope this helps. x
IVA journey started: 30th March 2009. Settled: 17th July 2012. Completion Certificate received: 13th March 2013. Breathe. x
Hello austint36, I have been discharged from my IVA having completed it earlier this year. I was with Payplan. I thought they were absolutely brilliant. Having said that my IVA was in 2009 and in the early years of IP involvement. But of course it is very big business now. Now it seems IPs, whoever they are, will try to extract as much as they possibly can. I guess that is their job, but Karen at Payplan, in particular, was fantastic. She spoke to me calmly, didn't judge me, treated me like a bloke with feelings and was always available to talk and guide me through what was as difficult time for me as you and many others are experiencing. Not just that, even when I had paid my final payment, I received my certificate inside 2 months, which given the horror stories I've read about, was exceptional. Hope this helps and good luck.
Completed IVA - August 2012 pheeeeeeeeeew
Only my opinion - Nothing More Nothing Less
Hi austin36. I took redundancy in March. Due to continuing ill-health, I was able to use my redundancy package to conclude my IVA early, with a higher dividend paid to creditors than my original arrangement. Payplan even suggested I offer less than I proposed as they were concerned I wouldn't have enough funds to manage without a salary. How right they were. x
IVA journey started: 30th March 2009. Settled: 17th July 2012. Completion Certificate received: 13th March 2013. Breathe. x
I am with Payplan and have to admit I've not had the best experience with them. To be fair the initial proposal stage was great and my case worker brilliant. But following that I've had umpteen case workers, every time I log on they seem to change.
I'm trying to put a full and final offer forward at the moment and they wouldn't advise me what was a fair offer and are telling me I have to wait until at least january to do it when I'm struggling financially and they know this.
Guess I've just been unlucky but I def wouldn't recommend them. Melanie giles on here has advised me on a few things and she seems brilliant.
I've always had a response to my emails and never had any problems on the phone either. Even if my case worker isn't available one of the others has always answered my questions.
We were with Debtmaters originaly, they set the IVA up, and were great, but sadly ceased IVA work and passed the IVA managment on. In our case to Payplan.
We found them very difficult to deal with, mainly I think because we seemed to only go a few months then a new CO took over, I have lost count of the number we had. I thought it might be because we were ex Debtmaters, but from comments here seems not.
Hope this helps
I am with Payplan and I would recommend them. They were really on my side when I put forward the proposal and helped me provide a strong case. Whilst I do find I keep changing case workers (I must be on my fifth one now), and some are much better than others, I really do have confidence in them.
We're with payplan and can say we cant really fault them. They have been good throughout our IVA. They do however slightly seem to lack on the added extra personal touches that some of the IP's give within this forum. Good luck !
We`re with Payplan and we were so relieved they were able to get our proposals through after original rejection. So I would say they do a good job. We approached a few of the well known providers at the beginning and they were the one we felt more friendly and plain speaking.
Thanks for your replies everyone, they seem good with the initial set up and most people say they have had lots of case workers!! 5 years seems such a long time but if someone offered me a 5 year loan to cover my £60 K debt at £316.00 per month I would do it!!
That is the right attitude to have Austin, and Payplan are one of the largest IVA providers in the UK so I guess they are bound to have a higher staff turnover than some of the smaller, more specialist practices - but I am sure that they have an awful lot of happy clients out there.
