How long does it take ?

[geoff1951]

<font face="Courier New">I am in the process of setting up an IVA with Blair Endersby. But I am having serious problems with them. I completed the forms they sent me, included in that was paperwork regarding very old personal pension that I used to contribute to, some years ago, I stopped before 1998.

Blair Endersby requested that I contact Royal Scottish Pensions to discover if there were any funds left. This I did, while on the phone the girl said that what funds were in the pension, she never said how much, will not be available until I am 65.

I then passed this information onto Blair Endersby, they got back to me demanding that I get that in writing, this i duly did, while on the phone the girl passed me onto someone else who in turn passed me onto someone else, I ended up speaking and repeating myself to four people, I hung up on them. They also now deny that anyone ever said that the funds will be available when I am 65.

I informed Blair Endersby that I was not going to contact Royal Scottish pension again, the woman I spoke to then proceeded to hold me to ransom over the IVA saying that the IVA could not go ahead, this after they informed me that it has been approved.

The whole idea of adding the pension was if there were any funds they could be added to the IVA, I keep telling them it was just an idea, which has not worked out, but they keep insisting that I re-contact them to get something in writing.

I have been with Blair Endersby for 3 months now and they have taken £398 off me already, saying this is the setup fees etc. The direct debit will be collected on 1st Jan for £175 and will do for the rest of the five years.

Also, this is my third IVA Company, I was first with Churchwood, they lied to me stating that I was eligible for an IVA, that cost me about £380, the second was Harrington Brooks who, after I sent them an email on my change of circumstances over finances, the supervisor accused me of blaming them for the outcome and them they tried to run a guilt trip passed me, after paying £400 I felt I had to seek another company.

The whole thing is doing my head in, the length of time it is taking, the patronisation from IVA companies over the phone calls from creditors and the letters, the insults from creditors on phone and treating me like a criminal. It is such a mental trauma, I cannot take much more.

Any advice from an expert they can give me on this will be most appreciated.
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[thefsg]

Hi Geoff1951 and welcome to the forum. It does sound like you've had a rough ride, which happens occasionally but isn't the experience most of us have.

Hopefully one of the experts will be along shortly for some advice.

Meanwhile have a Merry Christmas and it does sound like you are the road to debt freedom.

[Shining]

Hi Geoff and welcome to the forum from myself. Certainly sounds like you're having a bad time trying to set up an IVA. I would suggest you take a look at www.iva.com and contact without instructing anyone to act for you 2 or 3 other companies after reading the written reviews. I would also like to recommend the professionals who post on here and I'm sure they'll be along very soon to give some free impartial advice.

Hope you get something sorted soon. x

[Pennyless]

Hi Geoff and welcome to the forum. You appear to be having a torrid time in efforts but don't despair....one thing I've learned during my IVA process and these forums is someone always comes up with a solution to your problem.

There are 2 or 3 IP's that frequent these boards and i've yet to see them fail in their endeavours to help those of us who have been in your exact same position.

Unfortunately until your IVA is approved the creditors calls will continue to call but as your in the "process" of the IVA then just keep repeating this to them.

Good luck.

[kallis3]

Hi Geoff and welcome from me as well.

Are you saying that you have already had a creditors meeting and that the IVA has been approved?

Or are you waiting for a creditor meeting date?

[relieved33]

Dear Geoff,

sorry to hear of your problems. We are with cleardebt (Mike size5 from the company posts on here) who never charged any up front fee, process started mid May and approved start of July. I can honestly say that they have been fab over the past months. Melanie Giles who also posts on here doesn't charge any up front fees and comes very highly recommended by others on here. Five years in a long term relationship with a company and you need to talk to a few and trust your own gut instincts.

[kallis3]

If Geoff is already in an IVA, which it looks as though he may be, then he is stuck with BE I'm afraid.

[geoff1951]

I am not in an IVA, its just BE and all the others rippin' me off, so far I have paid out in the region of £1000 and nothing has happened or been approved, BE only said the proposal has been approved, there has been no creditors meeting yet.

That Horror is still to come.

Another point is: am I entitled to recover my money from all three companies due to bad service, I have the evidence on emails.

[relieved33]

I do think that sometimes it may be better to cut your losses. I appreciate that you have paid out over £1000 but I guess if you are insolvent then that will just be added into your IVA amount somehow through overdraft loan or whatever. My understanding is that you only actually enter the IVA when creditors and you agree so you are still free to change your mind. Finding a good IP who you trust and working with them may delay your IVA start by up to eight weeks, but you'll feel much better over the next five years. It's perhaps easy for me to say but I'd seriously consider this if I were you.

Good luck for what you decide to do.

[relieved33]

and I guess if you did persue claiming the money back, it would only go to your creditors anyway. You have to decide whether the energy to claim against the companies with a slim chance of getting your money back is worth it.

[geoff1951]

That is my thinking as well, better to cut and run.

But thanks for the advice.

[geoff1951]

So ... are we saying that I should not have been charged any money until the IVA is approved etc?

[rayb]

Hi,

Some firms charge up front fees which is what these one's have done and I very much doubt you would be able to get anything back especially from Blair Endersby. I wonder if the fees you paid first of were to there sister company Baines and Ernst who the pass you over as they do not do IVA's

[geoff1951]

Yes : it was a referral from Baines & Ernst

[flumpy dog]

hey geoff welcome to here.

sorry to hear of you having problems. the guys are right-there are some very good experts that post on here and will be along a little later.
alhough you say you've paid BE have they cashed the money yet and if youre not happy could you not get a re-inbursement of funds paid ?
have you had a look on www.iva.com ? iknow its sounds crazy but to me it sound like youre in such a panic with your debt youre going with whoever you think can help. the iva normally is 5 years and if you feel youre getting bad service from the off then youre going to be getting the same for the next 5 years. why not ring around and speak to lots of companies-like the guys said you have got the experts on here size 5 michael and mel -all brillant experts and lots of happy forum members have ivas with them.
i cant see how a pension you dont have access to til 65 can be treated as an asset as you said the other company suggested. its different if you had a house and were able to release funds later on but asking to do that with your pension seemed weird

anyway hang fire for now. the pros are probabaly slightly snowed under being xmas eve but they will be along later. please try not to fret and keep posting [:)]