I wonder if anyone could advise or assist me with an issue that I am having at the moment with my IVA.
I have just had my review (year 3) so I am just entering year 4. All was going well until the IVA company increased my monthly payments by almost £50.
I am on the same salary as what I was when I entered the IVA and I have kept up to it no problems. However, 2 years ago I was told that I would be allowed to earn up to a certain amount without having to pay anything else, fine by me. I have not even got anywhere close to earning this amount so I was not expected an increase to my payments.
I have questioned the increase and been told it is because I have xxx amount of disposable income – the very same disposable income that I was allowed to have when I started.
I explained that I could not afford the increase but I was told to pay or be in breach.
I asked them to explain exactly how they had decided that I would have to pay this extra money as even though they had done the review they had not sent me anything to give them my expenditure. Again I questioned this and was told to pay or be in breach.
I live in quite an old house and over the last 18 months, instead of being able to save anything almost all of my money has gone on repairs, boiler, pointing, plumbing, building – it has cost me over £2k + I have a roof that is letting in water which isn’t covered by the insurance as it is classed as wear and tear.
I explained this to the IVA company, and their answer was “you get £25 a month for property repairs” increase your payments or you are in breach, this decision is final and none negotiable.
Clearly the £25 a month is no where near enough to maintain my house and I am not sure if I am being paranoid but I get the distinct feeling that they want me to fail the IVA, they throw the “breach” out at every opportunity.
Hi and welcome. Who are you with ? Far from being non-negotiable a good IP will be working with you to agree a figure, or, at the very least, explain, chapter and verse, how they have arrived at their figures.
And ... how can they conduct a review of an I&E without the expenditure figures ??
I would put in a formal complaint, initially, and if this fails to produce a satisfactory response I feel you have cause to complain to their regulators for such shoddy service:
Thank you for listing the repairs you have had to complete over the past couple of years. We would only take these expenses into account when completing your additional income review and this would not usually affect your monthly contributions. Please also note you have an allowance in your expenditure for property repairs of £25 per month which equates to £300 per year.
If you do not increase your standing order this could lead to a breach of your Arrangement. The decision to increase your contributions is final.
Hi lelcol, this is not good news as I am also with Kingsgate and like you I am just going into my 4th year. All my paperwork has been with them since the mid October waiting for my annual review. Your post has filled me with panic! The few posts on here referring to Kingsgate have all been positive...until now. I will be watching the responses you get from the experts. They sent me a very basic pre printed I&E form to complete but you can google your own I&E list and as long as you put everything on and be fully honest then I don't think it really matters which version you use. Did they send you an I&E form last year?
No, they did not send me out any paperwork regarding my expenditure. I knew the review was due but the first contact I had from them regarding this years review was a phone call telling me that I had not sent in the last 3 months wage slips and if I didn't have them in by close of play that day then I would be in breach.
I work away sometimes so I'm just lucky that I was at home later that day and was able to scan and email them.
The last few weeks have been pretty awful to be honest, my slips were not late btw.
In previous years they have sent me out a I&E form which I have completed and returned with any evidence that they requested.
I think my next move will be asking the 'gate keeper' if she will allow me to speak with my supervisor, and if not I will request their internal complaints procedure as mentioned by Foggy.
I really have no idea why things have taken a turn for what they have but it is quite worrying.
