Hi Mish,
This is a fantastic and extremely helpful post to others, so thanks.
I went BR last wednesday and i am now waiting for a date for the OR'S tel call, so your post helps the likes of me on what to expect. The 2 hours sounds a bit intimidating but i suppose they all vary. I'm a little worried and embarrassed of when i get asked what i have spent my money on, as i honestly cannot remember a lot of things. I have no assets apart from a £500 car (which is hardly an asset!) I spent a lot on travelling to see my ex girlfriend in Edinburgh for 3 years, and the money i spent on travel and hotels etc in this period, i dread to think! I have spent a few thousand on car repairs, but i was always trying to get new loans to consolidate, but as my credit rating had become so bad, i was getting loans with 'stupid per cent' interest rates, but would get the loans over a longer period of time (some 7 years!), so in my naivety, i thought i was ok! So naive! (and stupid!). I really cannot pin-point where all my 34k debts went! Will i get a lot of pressure to remember or provide evidence? Dont know how i would be able to do this!
Anyway, i filled in my I&E forms and handed these in last wednesday, but can i still mention things i have forgot or think might be considered when i speak to my OR?
My Income is £1040 after tax. I moved back to my mum's when i started my IVA 15 months ago, so i pay rent (she is single mother/widow who is still working part-time past retirement age because she needs to). This is what i pay out :-
RENT £280
HOUSEKEEPING/FOOD £220
MOBILE £25
PETROL £120 (I DRIVE APPROX 175 MILES PER WEEK)
CLOTHING £40
MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS £10 (I HAVE NHS YEARLY CARD AS I AM ON 5 LOTS OF TABLETS WHICH WITHOUT THE YEARLY CARD WOULD COST ABOUT £350 PER YEAR!)
DENTIST £10
HAIRCUT £20
OPTICIANS £18 (CONTACT LENS - DIRECT DEBIT)
CAR INSURANCE £33
CAR TAX £13
TOTAL £789
£1040 - £789 = £251 DISP INCOME (MY IVA PAYMENTS WERE £409 P/M)
Now, i didn't mention SKY of £37 p/m as i'm sure this will be laughed off, but i also did not put anything down for car repairs which was stupid. I have paid out £720 since March on my old car (now worth £500) for the simple reason i need it for work and obviously cannot afford to buy something else. I want to mention this to the OR.
The last thing is, as i say i moved back to my mum's at start of IVA, but i want to move back to near where i work soon, so i would be looking to rent somewhere as cheap as possible (1 bed flat). Do i mention this to the OR to consider, because obviously my rent plus bills would be more than my rent now, or would i have to find somewhere first, and then speak to my OR? I want to move around xmas time.
Thanks very much
Sorry for the long post