Today I had a meeting with a money adviser, they contacted me and are connected to my local aurthority. It was a relief to to speak to someone in person about my problems. She is willing to help me through the bankruptcy process and advise on other matters. What might be helpful to some people on or joining this forum and which I didnt know before was.
a) priority debters dont give you stress because they have the power to repossess your home, cut your electric off, repo your car etc (if your car is hp) Parking, speeding fines are also in this category as they have your reg no and can come round and may clamp you.
b) Non priority debts such as credit cards, overdrafts loans etc shout louder and apply pressure but cannot actually do anything else unless they apply to the courts, which takes time.
c) A baliff sent by a debt recovery company have no right to enter your home, even though they may insist that they can. Dont let them.
Both the latter will try any trick in the book to get you to pay and will threaten and apply pressure as much as possible but they chose to accept you for credit. A lot of people are caused tremdous stress to the point of becoming unable to work and will actually miss priority payments in order to lessen this and its often the case that they do. Many creditors will stop at the point of harrassment but most will come incredibly close.
In short what I am trying to say is those that shout loudest have less power and its important to remember this when you are on your last nerve trying to cope with it. Maintain priority debts at all costs. Check out IVA companies and dont jump into anything, you have time. I am sure, as it was for me the constant letters, phone calls etc are what drives us to despair and why the wait for IVA/bankrupty is so unbearable. With the appreciation that some have more to lose than others there is a certain point of inevitability.
What this means to me is I can relax a little take my time and stop panicking. I was desperate to get the process all over and done with ASAP but with Christmas round the corner and money being so tight its just not possible. I realsie that I have the time to consider and go forward with this with my eyes wide open.
Its fantastic to read about others success with their IVA's being accepted and as Dominic put it 'rejoin life'. It is an isolating, dark, stressful and shameful place to be until a solution is realised isnt it? But we will all get there.
Good luck to bluebelle and everyone else who's waiting.
LILY
