Hi
This is my first post so be gentle. I am 46000 in debt and seriously contemplating an IVA. Is it a good idea and can you recommend any companies to use. I am a little apprehensive and need good advice
I cannot recommend a company - as I am an IP myself and the forum prevents me from doing so - but I wish you well with your search and try not to be too apprehensive as the process is relatively simple.
My clients always tell me that the first phone call is the worst - but don't worry, most of us listen to similar stories day after day after day, and none of us will sit in judgement of you - if we did, we would not have any clients!
Welcome to the forum ..have a look at www.iva.com as there are a number of recommended firms on here that would offer you specific advice to meet your circumstances.
Contact two or three firms initially and go with the one that you feel most comfortable with.
Good luck ..let us know how you get on.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
There is a solution for everyone .... Just need to stay positive !
Welcome to forum bigkevt
Agree with previous posts.
Check out a few firms before making a decision.
This forum is a great place to start. I wish I'd found it before I entered our iva. Great advice & help on here.
Melanie giles comes highly recommended as an IP.
She goes above & beyond to help & advise on this forum. Taking time out of her busy day to spend her own time on here helping others. If I'd found this forum earlier I would have approached Mel without a doubt.
But do check out a few IP's and choose wisely as you will be with them for 5/6 years & you have to feel comfortable with them.
Good luck bigkevt, i can only echo what has been said above, seek advice from a few companies and do your research, you will know when you find the right company for you
PJG Recovery have a free online advice channel at www.debtadvicetv.com. If you are ready to ask us for specific advice or help, then get in touch at www.pjgrecovery.com/contact-us.asp . I look forward to speaking to you.
well done for firstly accepting you need help with the debt(often a massive step),secondly well done on finding the forum. A more helpful and insightful place you will not find.
www.iva.com has a list of firms which could help,and would at least look into whether an IVA is suitable for you or whether another option may be better.
Ask as many questions as you like of us and poke around the forum to find out who the better firms are.
Mel is as professional as they come and does come highly recommended so if you are choosing a few firms to call for advice I would add hers to the shortlist but talk to a couple to ensure you get well rounded advice. Let us know how you get on.
Paul
Discharged today the 8th feb 2012. View is much brighter now.
Continuing to rebuild our credit worthiness.
Update:
Due to the death of my Mom in June and a delay in renewing tax credits we are still in the process of trying to enter an IVA. I just wanted to thank Amie John for her understanding of my situation and I hope get started ASAP. Does anyone know roughly how long it will take from the time I can submit a new tax credit figure to the IVA starting. Also if it is not accepted is bankruptcy the only option
I'm sure they would not put forward a proposal if they didn't think it would be successful. Good luck on your journey and keep reading the forum, I wish I'd found it before I started on our IVA.
I will pass on your good wishes to Amie on Monday. As soon as we have all of your outstanding documents, you should have your IVA proposals in around 7 days.
Hi Bigkevt,
Firstly, I'm sorry to hear about your mom x
I understand that following receipt of your signed proposal your IP is required to give all creditors 3 weeks notice of the creditors meeting. It is at the creditors meeting (which is very unlikely to be a meeting in person btw) when the IVA is accepted, rejected or adjourned for amendments.
I'm at the waiting stage having signing my proposal. My meeting is booked for the 29th Aug. My emotions are kind of all over the place atm but I couldn't have asked my IP to have been any more supportive. My IP is Suzanne Payne from Milner Boardman and I have had regular telephone and email contact from her directly since submitting my evidence. Her colleague, Matthew Holt, has also been extremely good so far. I'd be wary of going with some of the larger firms as posts on this forum suggest that it's often difficult to speak to your IP directly and case workers often change making it difficult to get answers if things are going quite to plan etc. I also quite like the fact that my IP doesn't appear to post on here as it means I am able to seek others opinions without offending them! (and I could have a moan just to get something off my chest if required lol)
Good luck with your journey, whatever path you choose.
I think that any ip who actually talks to you is brill, to have one post on the forum is even better. Obviously you wouldn't post on the forum if you had that personal one to one contact. Not once did I manage to speak to my ip in 5 years!!!
Finally after a turbulent 6 months both financially and personally following my creditors meeting last Friday our IVA was accepted and we can begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I appreciate we have a long way to go but a tremendous weight has finally been lifted. Many thanks to Mel and her staff for being very patient with us and consideration shown to a major loss in our life. Here's to the future as I am beginning to feel like I have one
Really pleased to read you are feeling in a better place BigKevt and that the light at the end of the tunnel is now in sight for you.
We're all there with you along the way.
I shall pass on your comments to the team
Regards, Tina Shortland, Debt Advisory Manager for Melanie Giles at Debt Advice TV.
If you’re looking for effective debt related information, articles and news, then go now to our on-line advice service at www.debtadvicetv.com
If you’re ready to ask us for specific advice or help, then get in touch at www.call-me.debtadvicetv.com so you can start to free yourself from the stress and anxiety of overwhelming debt.
Hi - well done on having your IVA accepted. It is like a new start in life and believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We managed to clear our IVA early with a full and final but I cannot believe it is over 2 years since we had our IVA approved - time may drag when you have extra costs but keep going - you are with a fab firm and they will help you to get through the term.
Also - stick with the forum, during wobbly times it kept me focused and I still use it now as a crutch to keep me on the straight and narrow!
