grateful for any advice that you can give

[pde]

Dear Sir/Madam, I have been paying an IVA for the last 25 months and have paid off over £13,000 of my £30,000 debt. I pay £525 per month to my IVA. 5 months into my IVA I had to move home with my wife and two young children as my landlord was selling his home. I was able to rent a home for my family but the rent was £120 more per month which was a reasonable price as my previous landlord had kept my rent low and hadn't increased it for a few years. As I moved location there was an increase in council tax by £40 per month which was an added outgoing every month of £160.

I contacted my IP immediately (September 2005) but heard nothing from them. I called the office on many occasions but got passed to one person and then another. In June 2006 I had my first review and again I added these changes to my expenditure list. Again nothing changed. Each month as a family we struggle to make ends meet and have no money at the end of each month, infact I have more going out than I earn.

In september 2006 me and my wife needed extensive dental treatment which we had put off for several months as we couldn't afford it. It was only when I was in utter agony with an absess that I finally gave in and went to the dentist. Because we hadn't been able to afford to go to a dentist for several years the treatment we needed was extensice and expensive. I therefore contacted my IP on several occasions asking for a two month break so that me and my wife could recieve the dental treatment we needed. Again I was fobbed off and passed from one person to another. In the end the IVA company demanded copies of both mine and my wives dental records to prove that we needed the treatment. This I found extremely embarrassing as I had to explain to my dentist why I needed copies of my dental records. Nevertheless I did obtain copies and sent these to my IP.

In November 2006 I was finally contacted by phone from the IVA compamy saying that I could have a two month break to pay for my dental treatment. At the time they explained that I had actually paid a months installment to my IVA before it was even agreed by my creditors as a good will gesture so I was infact one month ahead with my payments so I would techinally only be missing one month which they would add onto the end of my IVA. I went ahead with my treatment and supplied them with reciepts which they had asked for. I resumed by payments as usuall and heard nothing more about it.

Then out of the blue I was contacted by the IVA company a week ago, 10 months after it was agreed, saying infact they hadn't agreed to it and I was in breach of my IVA if I didn't supply more reciepts and dental records!! I nolonger have the receipts as they were sent to them and my dentist wants to charge me for more copies which I can not afford. I recieved a letter from the IVA compamy this past weekend stating that I owed them £1.( I don't how they had come to this conclusion as only a few days before they were telling me I owed them two months in areas). I paid them the £1. today by postal order. I have also recently sent off my paperwork again for this years review and again have updated them with my increased outgoings.

I noticed on the paperwork that they sent me this year that they still had me shown as paying my old amount of rent and council tax, I was shocked to see that they hadn't even amended my paper work with the figures that I had supplied them with last year. My wife is expecting our third child (which wasn't planned)and I have also informed the IVA company of this over three weeks ago and again reminded them of my difficult circumstances but have heard nothing from them. I would be grateful for any advice that you can give.

I am unable to become bankcrupt because of my employment and would lode my job. I have no assests. Thank you.

[alan1951]

What IP are you with?? It will help the rest of us at the start of the IVA process not have the same abysmal service as you seem to be having.

Alan

[MelanieGiles]

Hi pde

Have you tried speaking to your actual IP directly. I feel sure that they would be concerned to hear your side of the story, and will immediately wish to investigate and put things right. I am sure that with some direct communication, you can iron out these issues and get the IVA back on track for the future.

If you are struggling with the repayments, you might like to ask your IP is it is possible to put forward a variation to the original IVA proposals to reduce your payments. Given your current circumstances, I definately feel that there is scope for an appropriate reduction.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

For further details contact me at http://www.melaniegiles.com and view my IVA blog at: http://melaniegiles.blogs.iva.co.uk

[Neverguess]

Hi Pde,

I have had similar fun and games with my IP company for the past 5 months. They are using my figures from 3 years ago and not taking into account that my expenditure has gone up due to a new job and a flatamte moving out so increased rent & bills etc. As Melanie says and from experience I would say request a new variation meeting. I have only got to this stage and wish I'd known to do it sooner.

Good luck and I hope you manage to get things sorted out soon [:)]

NG

[scaredkez]

pde, one bit of advice is if they want your dental records ask them to write directly to your dentist, this then should not incur costs to you but should come out of your iva payment to them, a dental treatment plan of work you needed should have sufficed. your dentist should not charge you for receipts of payment.

i would ask to speak to the ip directly and try and clear this mess up
regards
kerri

Please view my blog at: http://scaredkez.blogs.iva.co.uk/

[finebridge]

Hi pde,

I am sorry to hear of the problems you are experiencing with your IP. Melanie’s advice is correct and contacting your actual IP is a good idea.

It would also seem appropriate to convene a variation were your appropriate income & expenditure is used.

Good luck & please let us know how you get on.

Kind Regards

Nicola


Finebridge Ltd
22 Laud Street, Croydon, CR0 1SU
0800 180 4212
www.finebridge.co.uk

[Adam Davies]

Hi pde
What poor service you,ve had from your IP provider,based on the info that you have given.
As above you must INSIST on speaking with your actual IP and discuss a way forward.
Regards

Andy Davie
IVA.co.uk Spokesperson and site manager
(aka Neverending)

Please check out my blog: http://andydavie.blogs.iva.co.uk

View my profile here:
http://www.iva.co.uk/andy_davie_profile.asp