Well I’m now officially BR.
After a couple of hiccups with the paperwork on Friday, which was easily sorted, they declared me and my wife BR. I don’t really like it as it feels like giving up but given the circumstances and the fact that I have been fighting it for five years it also feels about the right time to give in to it. I have been thwarted by bad luck, bad advice and bad judgement every step of the way but now its over. I owe nothing and no one owes me anything, which is the way I like it. It’s going to be hard the next 12 months but I’m sure I can manage after all the last 60 months haven’t been a walk in the park. I finished moving house yesterday (Sunday) so the mortgage people and the OR can do what they like with the place, I’m now in rented accommodation and happier for it, if anything major goes wrong I haven’t got to put my hand in my pocket and fix it, that’s the landlords responsibility.
If I can offer some advice for the would be’s
Read up all you can on ALL of the options, DM, IVA and BR . This forum has been invaluable as has the BR forum.
Ring around IP’s, check them out and ask their advice, their advice may not always concur so be careful.
If you don’t know ask.
If it sounds too good to be true, then it most probably is.
Don’t get sucked in by promises and media hype, it’s usually rubbish.
Don’t be scared, there are plenty of people in the same situation as you, so you are not alone.
Speak to your IP as soon as you have a problem.
Make sure any calculations of expenditure you do include everything you may need. DO NOT scrimp on health care for you, your family or your pets, nor on maintenance for cars, houses etc.
Don’t bank on things getting better; make the best case scenario as them remaining the same. I know it sounds gloomy but life is one big uncertainty, especially concerning jobs etc.
Whatever option you take make sure it’s the right one for you. Think it through, does it feel right? Can you afford it comfortably? Will it still be workable in years to come? Don’t be afraid to bounce ideas off friends or family, sometimes they will see things from a different perspective and notice something you missed, two heads is better than one.
Blame- don’t waste your time blaming people. It’s happened and whoever’s fault it was, it’s now up to you to sort it out. Put your energy into that, shouting doesn’t work.
All these are just personal observations, some of the things I should have done, some of the things I shouldn’t have ,but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Look and learn. live long and prosper.take care.
Andy
i'm not skint,i'm financially challenged
