Hello there!
Every year because my income varies and has more than one source, I complete a manual I&E and then the payment is set for the following year. A bit like doing a tax return.
All good so far, no queries, not missed a payment. My final review was 2 months before the final payment and after it was submitted I received a voicemail from CFX asking to contact them. This I did and spoke to a woman whose grasp of English was a struggle but she did manage to tell me that because I had earned some overtime I had to pay some extra money. She could not tell me how much or how and why such a sum had been calculated. She said a case officer would email me. Spoiler: they didn't. I did however receive a final review summary which said the last two payments had to go up. No mention of any OT or extra payment.
So I emailed them to ask about the extra payment and alleged overtime explaining that if they looked back my income varies month to month and so overtime was never in the mix, and guess what, they haven't replied!
I then received a 14 day notice asking for extra money but not, strangely how much. I have emailed them twice since then asking, you know, how much, and why and saying I will do whatever I can to make sure this arrangement succeeds. Since then, the penultimate payment has gone through but, yes, that's right, they haven't replied to my emails.
I am mindful to just let things run and when the last payment goes through at the end of January, that's it.
Anyone any such experience of suggestions? Suggestions that don't include phoning them up. Really, nice woman but hadn't a clue and she was part of the review team.
All the best for the New Year!
Not good. Email your IP directly and complain and also email your case team and ask for a breakdown of your payments and why they think you owe more. It doesn't sound right at all and would appear that the left and right hand are not communicating. In the meantime, carry on making your last payment and keep pestering them and make sure you keep a record of all calls and emails.
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
I would continue to email them daily, would also ring them, and send a letter recorded delivery so you have additional evidence of all attempted contact. Like Kallis says your IP / case worker should be available to support you in this.
Let us know how you go with it - so close now ..well done !
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
There is a solution for everyone .... Just need to stay positive !
Kallis and Luluj, I'm not sure about anyone else with CFX but I have been told that I'm not allowed to contact my IP directly. I also do not have any knowledge of a case worker. Like Foggy has said many times, CFX are a law unto themselves.
All I can advise is to pester CFX - phone calls, email and a recorded letter. then they can never come back and accuse you of non-compliance that way.
Mel865 - you have every right to contact your IP direct and they cannot stop you from doing so.
As per my post emailing, writing, phoning and logging all attempts to contact will provide you with evidence of attempting to inform and work with.
Hoping by now the OP has got a resolution and their iva will conclude with their final payment at end of the month!
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
There is a solution for everyone .... Just need to stay positive !
Hello again. Thank you all for your replies and my apologies for the delay with any update but as you might have guessed, there isn't one and I have not received any response from CF.
I decided not to bombard them with daily emails on the basis that banging one's head against a wall is unlikely to have any effect on the wall.
Having done a bit more research, I decided also against sending snail mail to the IP on the basis that, recorded or not CF would be no more likely to reply to that and also an IP who is in essence a nominated one rather than one that deals directly with their tens of thousands of clients is also unlikely to be bothered.
And, at the end of the day (or rather 1825 of them) I have provably complied with everything and have made efforts find out why this extra payment is and how much.
My suspicion is that there isn't an extra payment required and that whoever did the calculations this year didn't understand my variable monthly income and that the subsequent upping of the two remaining payments (as per previous years) covers it. Having looked at the reviews docs on the app, and the date they were posted this would seem to be the case.
I am going to send one last email next week and that'll be that.
An odd lot CF (I started with Knightsbridge), they seem to work on a collections business model rather than an insolvency one, and every year the I&E they send me has different amounts from the actual amounts of the previous year and contains incorrect totals and allowances for pets which I don't have etc.
I'll let you know what happens before and after the last payment.
Meanwhile all the best for 2022 and thanks again!
I would be inclined to make a complaint about your (non) service. Email your IP directly and insist on an answer within 14 days otherwise you will escalate it. This does sometimes have the desired effect. I would also do what luluj suggests and send a recorded delivery snail mail letter so you can keep a paper and digital trail.
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
Whilst it would be easier to say tough I've tried but had no response, I would continue to push for a response and make regular contact and keep full records of all. Don't let anything at this late stage jeopardise your iva completion.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
There is a solution for everyone .... Just need to stay positive !
OK I sent the beggars one last email, the beggars being the annual review team and the income review team.
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Dear ART
Further from my emails of 11th December 2021 to which I have received no reply, can you please confirm that no additional payment is required and that the final payment on 31st January marks the completion of this arrangement.
Many thanks
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I tried finding an email address for Samantha Warburton (my notional IP) but despite quite a bit of digging, failed. I will probably print out a copy of the email and send it to her special delivery later today. It's all covered then.
Interestingly, in the course of the digging I soon found that Ms W has been stuck on by the Insolvency Service for issues relating to a couple of trust deeds and has been subject to "Disciplinary Consent Orders", which sound a bit weird and resulted in reprimands and fines.
I hope she's OK. I once knew a career woman ( a boss) who was reprimanded for something and came back to the office, threw things and said life was unfair and she was going to get her own back. Took several cups of tea and kind words to get things settled. She was eventually promoted.
Whatever, we'll see what happens. Short of travelling up to Glasgow, gatecrashing the offices and shouting "do you want some more money or not?" I can't and won't, do any more.
I'll let you know what, if anything, happens. If I don't get a certificate of completion within 3 months I'll start the hopeless emailing again, and maybe a phone call. But I'm sure it won't come to that.
Thanks for your posts on this business, and for the forum generally. Have been lurking (and posted once under another ID) since before my IVA began. A unique and useful resource, which is occasionally entertaining!
I hope you get a reply this time but I would still consider making a complaint as that does sometimes work.
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
Name
Ms Samantha Warburton
Company
Creditfix Limited
Address
4 West Regent Street, GLASGOW, G2 1RW
Telephone
0141 565 1300
Fax
IP Number
12430
Licensing Body
IPA
Email sam.warburton@creditfix.co.uk
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
Being an ex CF IVAer
I have had a few queries and found the initial team on the phone have very little knowledge on varying payments . My pay changed every month too.
I eventually had a case worker but before that I asked to speak to a senior team member on the phone and sorted out any issues. It was hard work but persistence paid off. Mind you this was pre covid!
Keep on at them!
Foggy: A big thanks for Ms Warburton's email address. I have received a reply!
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Please accept my apologies that you have received a response to your email.
I will have someone review the payments due on your account and confirm whether your case will proceed to closure following your final payment due at the end of January.
Kind regards
Sam
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Well that was a pleasant surprise. And first name terms too!
I can only be uncharacteristically optimistic.
Recovering: Yes Creditfix staff can be a bit clueless though their manner and attitude on the rare occasions I have spoken to them cannot be criticised! I think, as previously said, this come from using a collections business model rather than an insolvency one and employing contact centre/business processing skill level staff. Probably the best approach in a consumer debt setting and probably the only way to make money in this business seeing as how many IPs have ironically gone bust.
Anyway, we'll see what happens. Thank you all so much for your input. This really is a great forum.
Counting down.......................
