How Long Should It Take?

[elisha]

I contacted a company some time ago about starting up an IVA. They sent someone round to my home, and I gave him all the necessary information about my financial circumstances, creditors, amounts owed etc. I also signed several documents to authorise them to act on my behalf.

It`s now been two months since his visit. I`ve spoken with several individuals from the company, giving them any details they`ve requested. I keep on getting phone calls off my creditors about the status of my accounts, and of course I tell them the name of the company I`m dealing with. But, all of them keep informing me that they`ve had no contact from my IP, and they won`t make any attempt to contact them, it has to be done by my IP.

I keep getting told that the documentation would be with me shortly for me to agree the proposed figures, and for me to return to them to continue the process. But, still nothing from my IP. Am I being impatient, or is two months quite normal to have to wait for them? Also, surely the IP has a responsibilty to keep the creditors informed about my situation? Creditors aren`t particularly interested in what I`m saying, they want something in writing from my IP. [:(!]

[iva experts]

Welcome to the Forum Elisha,

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble trying to get your IVA up and going.

The usual time for the IVA process is c6-8 weeks from when the proposal is signed and sent to the I.P. What company are you going through? and what reasons do they give for it taking so long? I dont think you are being unreasonable with this, I think you should keep contacting your I.P firm until you gain a response your happy with.

Best Regards,
IVA Experts
http://www.iva-experts.co.uk/

[MelanieGiles]

Hi Elisha

Most insolvency practitioners are pretty busy people at the moment, and your IP will most likely have written to creditors, but the problem is this correspondence is often disregarded, as creditors would rather continue to telephone you in an attempt to extract payment from you.

Some IVAs can be put together in 24 hours, and some can take much longer than 6-8 weeks. They are called "Individual Voluntary Arrangements" for a specific reason, in that your circumstances are individual and must therefore be individually researched and presented.

Why not ask your IP firm to give you the name of your case manager, so that you can ring or e-mail them directly for regular progress reports.

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

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

[Adam Davies]

Hi
Have you paid any money upfront ?

Andy Davie
IVA.co.uk Spokesperson

About me:
http://www.iva.co.uk/andy_davie_profile.asp

IVA Helpline: 0800 197 4838
http://www.iva.co.uk/iva_helpline.asp

[elisha]

Thanks for the replies.

The company is Grant Thornton.

I was told around 10 ago that I would receive the paperwork last Monday. Monday came, and I received an email asking me for clarification of one fairly minor point, which I replied to immediately. Since then nothing, so an extra week has gone by now without any communication from them.

I have spoken with various people there, but all I get told when I call or e-mail is that the paperwork will be with me shortly. It just seems a long time to have to wait, and for me to be having to tell creditors that the matter is being handled. Half the time I get the impression they don`t believe me. Whether GT have in fact tried to contact them all I have my doubts.

No money has been paid to them up front, and as yet I haven`t been asked for any.

If the delay gets much bigger, would I be able to switch IPs to one I`m more happy with, or am I now under obligation to GT since I`ve gone this far with them?

[MelanieGiles]

There is nothing to stop you changing IP's, Elisha, but GT are a very good firm and sometimes it is worth waiting for them to get the proposals as right as possible, as this will have a major factor on your life for the next five years. Do you not have one case manager handling the preparation of your case?

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

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

[elisha]

I phoned the usual `contact` advisor earlier on, and was advised I`d get a return call within 5 minutes - still waiting.

I`ve sent an e-mail to the last person who I know was dealing with my case, but still no reply. I`ve spoken either on the phone, or had contact by e-mail, with several individuals there.

Communication certainly isn`t their strong point, either with myself, or, I`m convinced, with my creditors.

I`ll wait and see what happens over the next day or so, and if no communication from them I`ll be looking elsewhere for someone to handle my case.

[Adam Davies]

Hi
Whilst GT do seem to be very good in terms of getting your proposal accepted their customer service seems to come up short.
One of the problems when dealing with a large company.
Did the person that came to your house work directly for GT ?
Could you not give that initial contact a nudge in the right direction ?

Andy Davie
IVA.co.uk Spokesperson

About me:
http://www.iva.co.uk/andy_davie_profile.asp

IVA Helpline: 0800 197 4838
http://www.iva.co.uk/iva_helpline.asp

[elisha]

No, Andy. The person who visited me was there purely to gather information to send on to GT. He worked for another company, not GT directly, and getting details from people at their homes was just one of the jobs he did for his company.

[MelanieGiles]

That is interesting that an external information gatherer is being used. Nothing wrong with that, but continuity seems to be a problem. Are they intending on holding a separate meeting with you at some stage - either by phone or face to face.

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

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

[Rainbow]

Hi Elisha we went with GT took 6 months in total from start to end but we had two meetings so if you go to the first creditors meeting it took 5 months. Once we got to the creditors meeting stage they were excellent at getting the IVA approved, I think that they are just very busy - Is the office in Belfast? If so the client advisor that we had was Nancy Woods and she was excellent found out information for us and always emailed or called us back - They are good but I think they are just very busy.
Rainbow

Every Cloud has a silver lining. At the end of the Rainbow is a Pot of Gold - Or Hope!

[louiseh]

My IVA took 5 months from first contact to meeting date also with GT. It did take a long time, and communication wasn't one of their strong points but they did get my IVA accepted first time. I wouldn't take too much notice of their" you'll have the paperwork in 2 weeks" statements it always took at least twice as long as the timescales they stated. It can be a long drawn out process, and I went through stages of wanting to try someone else, but I would say I am happy with the service now, 4 months in. I think they are very busy and have probably taken on more work than their staff can cope with.

[elisha]

Thanks, it`s interesting to read the experiences of others who`ve used them.

Melanie, in answer to your question "Are they intending on holding a separate meeting with you at some stage - either by phone or face to face." I really can`t answer you, we don`t appear to be anywhere near that stage yet.

For the moment I`d just like to get some paperwork from them as part of the process, and be confident that they are communicating with my creditors.

If they can`t get things right, now, heaven knows what might happen in the future.

Edited to add, yes, they are in Belfast.

[louisa.s]

Hi Elisha,

We are with Grant Thornton and if I remember rightly I think it took about 8 weeks for the proposal to come through and once we had accepted the proposal it all moved through pretty quickly and ours was accepted with no modifications.

It might be worth getting the name of who is dealing with your case and if necessary contacting them daily until it does get sent out.

Grant Thornton aren't great at communication but they are still a good firm to have your IVA with. We're now 19 months in and its going well so stick with it and just give them a bit of hassle afterall you'll be paying for their services for the next 5 years!

[bagpuss]

I went with GT too...yes it did seem to drag on for a while but i did have 100% coms with a lady called Dawn Shelly...via telephone and email...i never rang the office at all.

Mine all went through fine and i would say it will be well worth the wait...i know its hard and yes they should be returning your calls, but the end result is what matters. best of luck xx

Angie xx


My IVA Story......http://bagpuss.blogs.iva.co.uk/2007/09/ ... iva-story/