Well I spoke to Melanie Nicholas earlier and what a lovely person she is, she answered all my questions, was completely professional and non judgemental. I can now see first hand why Melanie Giles and her team are held in such high regard on these forums. I already feel like a huge weight has been lifted, knowing now that we can be helped and are not a lost cause.
I'd just like to say a huge thankyou to Melanie for her time so far and to everyone who's posted their kind words in this thread it really is very much appreciated.
Hopefully in 4-6 weeks an IVA will be in place and we'll be on our way to being debt free.
In the meantime I think I'll sleep alot easier tonight knowing that I've finally done something positive about our debt problems.
Thanks
Well all the paperwork has been sent in over a week ago and not heard anything but like Melanie Nicholas said no news is good news. Most of our creditors have stopped the phone calls and some have acknowledged the fact I've sought professional help regarding my finances. The exception - MBNA, my god those people are persistant, they've acknowledged the fact I've sought professional help but are still sending letters galore. We changed our home phone so no one can contact us on that but I must get at least 3 call a day on my mobile. I can't really blame them, if I was owed the amount I owe them I'd be ringing daily too. The thing is I've never spoken to them about it as I AM trying to sort my problems out with Melanie and her team and I feel really guilty that I'm not speaking to them but at the end of the day what do I say? all the pressure of this is beginning to get to me a little now, I'm unnaturally worrying about the whole situation. My wife's BASIC wages are less than I initially quoted as when asked what her wages were I just assumed that they were £x per month as that's roughly what she's been earning month in month out for years. But having looked at her wages her BASIC is considerably less, the amount she's been earning is made up of managing hours which she gets an increment for and isn't part of her basic. So now I'm worrying that an IVA might not be accepted, as if those figures are used our disposable will be considerably less. If it fails what will we do? we're already into the second month of not paying our creditors. I've had major problems with my car which has cost over £200 (luckily I have a mechanic friend who knows his stuff and is very reasonable), we're in the process of having all the laminate flooring replaced in the kitchen after a water leak, that fortunately only cost us £100 excess on the house insurance but it's all extra. I'm not very good at airing my worries within my family, my wife is blissfully unaware of them as she's a born worrier to the extent she can and often does make herself sick with worry. Whereas normally I don't do worry about anything the worry has seeped in and is slowly taking over.... I just wish I could roll the clock forward a few weeks so I'd hopefully know where we were going and could put these issues to bed.
It sounds very much like were at a similar stage with our proposals. We are also using Melanie, and our paperwork was submitted a few weeks back. I would not worry that you have not heard anything, as rest assured Melanie and her team will be working hard in the background to ensure your proposal is accepted.
Take this opportunity to learn the art of budgeting, and before you know it your creditors meeting date will be here.
It is a very stressful time justsurviving..you have chosen an excellent team and are in safe hands.
If for any reasons the IVA is not viable, then they will discuss other options.
Easy to say "don't worry",but until you get some answers there's nothing more you can do. There's always someone around on the forum, so post away and air your worries on here.
Hey, justsurviving...I`m in the process of collating all the damning evidence of my personal financial holocaust and going through all the initial processes and documentation to send off to Melanie`s crack team. I feel that I am in the best hands possible and I know that however long it takes, a solution to my situation will be found and activated by the two Melanies. I expect a bumpy ride along the way, but the fact that I`ve become proactive in dealing with my problem and am attempting to address things as best as I possibly can is the tactic I will use when contacted by creditors...You can`t do any more than you have, your solution is in progress, each day gone is a day nearer to resolution...Keep strong.
"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea".
the important thing is that you've taken that all important fist step well done all the best.
my other piece of advice copperfield is mr micawcer said, annual income £20 annual expenditure £19/19s/6d result happiness, annual income £20 annual expenditure £20/6d result misery.
charles dickens
Thanks again for your replies, it means a lot. Like I read in someones blog on here I think all I've got to learn is a bit of patience. I knew it wouldn't be plain sailing and that the phone calls would come thick and fast and can't understand why I'm letting things get to me. But like you said Goosed another day gone is another day closer. Thanks again for your replies
I do not understand why you have heard nothing from my office - new enquiries are generally dealt with within 24 hours. My office manager will look into this tomorrow and report back to me.
Thanks for your reply again Melanie, Angela did call me as you said, she just needed 3 more pieces of paperwork to complete my file which I've emailed tonight. Many thanks again for yours and your teams help I really do appreciate it.
I read through a lot of the posts on here and feel better knowing that there are so many kind people in this community willing to offer their advice and support. It's quite unique compared with any other forums I've come across. I think it's probably due to so many people having been there and 'got the T-shirt' so to speak. It's also a wealth of valuable information, I'm always a bit apprehensive asking some questions though as I'm sure somewhere on here, someone has already asked and if I dig hard enough I can find the answers I need without people having to repeat themselves. But it's reassuring that if I can't find the answers there's always some one kind enough to post the answers I need.
We've got a bit of a dilemma, my wife currently earns around £650 Basic pcm but brings home £800-£850 due to managing hours increments and overtime. She's thinking of applying for a deputy managers position which would mean she's salaried and her basic would rise to approx £1000 pcm. The thing is if our iva was accepted on her current earnings we'd normally be able to keep the first 10% of her o/t and then pay 50% to our creditors. If she were to take this position wouldn't the whole of her basic be taken into account and there for the extra money be swallowed up in our monthly payment to creditors? The thing is this position also means going from a 24hr p/w contract to 37 1/2 hrs p/w. We obviously don't want her to be going out an extra 13 1/2 hours per week if we're going to be worse off.
I think you need to speak directly to Mel's team about this Jon as it is specific to your case.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
