I have asked the IVA Customer Service Team and IVA Review Team of a well-known IVA firm some key questions about our IVA. I have given them over a week to answer my questions fully - still waiting for them to answer! However, they are clearly quick to contact me when they want the following:-
An up-to-date Income & Expenditure Sheet
Supporting documents, e.g. Tax Credits letters, Council Tax bills, etc.
It is worth noting that I had no less than SIX requests for the above within the space of 12 days!
They are also kept "in the loop" about our current situation on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I send them more e-mails than I get from them!
Everything just appears to be one-sided.
Quite frankly, we are sick to death of them and wish that we had never been 'coerced' into signing a godforsaken IVA with them by a certain debt charity. My husband and I feel that perhaps we could have dealt with our creditors by ourselves first and foremost for a little while, and then maybe signed up to a DMP or an IVA with somebody else like DebtFreeDirect - who use an 0800 number.
Our IVA Provider does not seem to grasp that my husband's earnings as a self-employed cabbie fluctuate, no month is ever the same, and he gets his tax return record / file from his accountant at certain times of the year. We are fortunate in the sense that I work for the NHS and get monthly wage slips - the salary is 'guaranteed' and very rarely changes and the majority of the time I send these to our IVA Provider by scanned e-mail attachment.
I am very much the type of person to deal with requests for paperwork, etc, sooner rather than later. I am certainly not an ostrich either; if and when we have problems, I am on the phone to the IVA provider.
So,what should I do with our one-sided, blinkered IVA provider?
Sorry to hear that you are having such difficulty Hayley, when the IVA was supposed to bring relief to your finances and not grief.
Are you able to reproduce your questions on the forum. If they are of a general, rather than a specific nature, I may be able to assist.
It is pretty easy to do a review for a client who is self-employed. The last set of accounts and tax return usually give a good indication of current income, and a taxi business is generally consistent so long as your hubbie is working similar hours week on week. December is usually a busy month, countered by a quiet Janaury when no-one has any money left for cabs! Personally I think it is easier to review a self-employed case, than sifting through umpteen payslips at the year end!
Have you tried chatting to your IP directly about your concerns?
Hayley that must be so frustrating. Do they operate a service standard they promise to adhere to ? Perhaps this would be a way forward to take your grievance up formally with the company.
Judging by the clues above I would think this is a company where you will not get to chat to your IP direct. If they are who I think they are they do have a representative on here who is very helpful.
If you put the first name of the company name in members search you will find said rep and the details are in their profile.
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
I have left a voicemail for our IP Supervisor to contact me after 2pm today, and I have also e-mailed the IVA C.S. Team for (what feels like) the 50th time this month! I frequently update them on our circumstances, provide them with docs, etc, so what do I do now?
To say that I am sick to death of this shambles is an understatement.
Ooh Bay City Rollers. I was that eleven year old with cut off tartan trousers, bomber jacket and tartan armbands - very in love with Les and complete with Chopper bike!!!
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