Phone calls and letters from all directions

[northumbrian69]

Hello again [:u][:u]

Writing to the forum is helping to keep me from going under, the pressure of the letters and phone calls is relentless, don't these people ever give up [?][?][?]
I thought things were getting better, as advised by forum members, sent all my creditors letters explaining, going for IVA, name of I.P. etc, etc, every time I received a phone call explained the situation and asked for details to be put on their records, explained I had been advised not to make any payments which would show preference, I am saving all disposable income to give to I.P. when IVA is approved
This seemed to be relieving the situation, now it's starting all over again, default notices daily, phone calls from debt collectors, phone calls asking for all different types of 'token' payments, or asking me to agree 'private deals', the stress is coming back with a vengeance [:-(][:-(][:-(]
I had a phone call from H S Bank late last night (9:30pm), the woman said I must make a payment to stop any further interest being charged until my IVA is approved, I told her I wasn't allowed to pay any creditors in preference to others, she said it wasn't a payment towards my debt it was a 'token' payment so it didn't count and it was ok to pay it. I asked her to put it in writing so I could run it past my I.P. she became very stroppy, 'no reason to put this in writing, it is a perfectly legitimate offer', I said I wouldn't agree to this without my I.P's approval at which point she gave me a real mouthful of abuse and hung up [:(!][:(!] Has anyone else had this happen to them [?][?]
Finally, just had a phone call from Grant Thornton this afternoon, my IVA proposal is in tonights post as soon as I sign and return it they will call creditors meeting, after Easter, now the nerves are really kicking in, it's been a long 2 months since I first contacted Grant Thornton, they aren't the fastest but I hope they are as good as I am led to believe they are, if not it looks like BR is looming [:-(][:-(]
I'm looking for reassurance my friends, please help because I'm really down today, can't help expecting the worst to happen [xx(][xx(]

[Hunter1]

I'm in exactly the same situation. It's stressful but just keep repeating the same thing to them.

If they get stroppy mention the harrassment laws. I sent MBNA a letter as they were the worst offenders and it has helped a bit.

Don't let them wear you down.

[freelili]

Hey

Dont worry, you are doing the right thing, the callers will say anything to get a payment and their own commission, they are not interested in what you are trying to do. We are though and are all behind you, I know its easy to say this but relax, you have done all you can. You are much better facing this head on, with the nerves than to be denying it without. What will be will be at the end of the day, however this ends it will end, thats the main thing. Just hang in there and try to stay postive.

On the subject of callers, I had one on Saturday, saying that if I made a payment, interest would be stopped. As I am in a DMP I agreed to pay £5, she took the payment and then appologised for instructing a further £5 to come out on the 31st March and hung up. I used a prepay card and she wont get it anyway, I will spend it first but they are maggots. Dont let them get to you.



LILY

I asked God for a solution and have to live with his reply.

[aguise]

Dont let them get to you. If its getting too much dont answer the phone to them for a day or two. I felt the same at one point just crumbled into tears, but then decided they didnt have the right to harass me like this, and just made it a routine thing, I,d pick the phone up if they spoke, I just told them the ref etc and if they tried to carry on I would just tell them I had nothing else to say I had told them who to contact, dont get drawn into conversation with them.Eventually I got that clever if they rang me more than the once in a day I rang and made a complaint to their customer service , not long after it stopped. You dont have long to go ,just hang in there. Dont stand abuse they dont have the right, complain if they do that but still do it politely.
I,ll stop going on now, it just gets me mad they treat you like this .

All the very best

Ang

[go_4_broke]

Hi Northumbrian

You really don't have to put up with this, and I mean REALLY.

I think if you didn't speak to any of your creditors once between now and getting your IVA through it wouldn't make a jot of difference to the outcome. It's not how they work. And if anyone tells you you need to 'keep them sweet' to approve your IVA bear in mind you are being considerably less sweet to them (in their eyes) but not paying them!

Your IP is right to say you should not make any payments in preference. However this means a LARGE payment to one or two creditors. I see no reason whatsoever why you can't make small token payments of a few pounds a month on a roughly pro-rata basis. This is NOT going to have any effect on the outcome of your IVA but you will find it will have a MAGICAL effect on your creditors to the extent of getting them 80% off your back straight away. Don't have them dictate amounts to you - work it out yourself on a (roughly at least) pro-rata basis and TELL them what they can have. Don't be arm twisted into paying any more.

Lily is right - if they behave like maggots you need to treat them as such. Hunter above has got the right idea! However there's no harm in feeding them a little - just not enough to enable them to grow into flies.

See my blog for lots more on this.

-Best

Please view my blog at www.go4broke.blogs.iva.co.uk

'6 years sticking my head into the Lion's mouth of debt !'

[jamesfalla]

Northumbrian

I have been working with people who have been going through IVAs for the past 10 years and unfortunately all through that time the creditors have not changed one jot. They will continue to harass and pile on the pressure until your IVA is approved. Only then will they eventually leave you alone.

Unfortunatly there is not a lot you can do to put a stop to this. However, one strategy I can suggest is if the calls get really bad, you could consider changing your telephone number. You can do this for free. Simply ring BT on 0800 800 150 and say that you would like to change your number because you are receiving nuisance calls. It usually takes 24 hours. If you are not a BT customer, then contact your provider directly as most provide a similar service.

Then all you have to worry about are the leters which are much easier to ignor. Keep your chin up

James Falla

Expert in IVA, Bankruptcy and informal Debt Management solutions for over 10 years.

For more information visit www.jamesfalla.com and visit my blog at: http://jamesfalla.blogs.iva.co.uk

[lotsofdebt]

I too have had lots of phone calls - I put in call line identifier so I could see who was calling and ignored the ones I didnt know until I had my meeting date. Now i answer the phone and explain the position - the three I have spoken to Lloyds TSB credit card, Citicard and Morgan Stanley have been very polite noted what I told them and my IPs name and that was it - one wished me luck as well.
Perhaps I have been lucky judging from other posts on the forum

[Hunter1]

I would just like to reiterate what other people are saying on this site - dealing with creditors is a minefield.

Every card provider has diffrent attitudes to their debt. Here's a list from personal experience on what they are like:

Good - no hassling by phone:

RBS (including Natwest):
HSBC
LloydsTSB
HBOS (Bank of Scotland, Sainsbury etc)
Barclaycard
Egg
Capitalone

Okay - some phone hassling and threatening letters:

Amex
Citicard

Bad - continual calls, letters, threats by debt collectors etc etc:

MBNA

The funny thing is if I was going to offer a token payment to anyone it certainly wouldn't be MBNA after all the hassle they have given me.

MBNA also continually ask me to settle privately with them i.e. go into a DMP with them alone.

Hope this helps.

[jon]

I also had lots and lots of phone calls, letters etc..
After I had given them all the details of my IP once I simply told them I was not prepared to discuss my finances over the phone. Then I hung up. After sever times of hang ups they stopped calling! Don't speak to them. Just hang up. YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER!
You have got their money and all they are doing is trying to bully you into giving them some if it back before your IVA is approved. When they threaten you with action just ignore them. It will take months for them to get to the stage of sending the baliffs in by which time your IVA will be approved and they can't touch you.
Just hang up and SMLIE!

[Sopty]

Same situation for me, letters and phone calls, at work and at home. Tried explaining the same things over and over again, to diferent staff at the smae company
Several companies, all chasing for token payments. Made the mistake of paying one, they phoned back 3 days later chasing another payment! Now I dont pay any.
Just got my letter today with the date for my creditors meeting, 18th April, will let them all know this and hopefully some will at least leave me in peace until the meeting, but I am not holding my breath!
Keep you chin up, and you will get through it.

Cheers, Mark.

View my IVA story blog at: http://sopty.blogs.iva.co.uk

[MAY2006]

As James has suggested I rang BT and advised them I was having nuisance calls and my number was changed within 24 hours. I went exdirectory no calls allowed, registered with tps and also had a phone which shows numbers, even now ifs it witheld or I don't recognise it I don't answer it.
Give your new number to those who need it. Put any nasty letters in an envelope to Grant Thornton who yes can be slower than some of the 'factory' IVA's but thats because they do a much better job and have a higher % acceptance rate and more importantly satisfied IVA rate than some of the other companies.
You don't have to take abuse from anyone

[jane.l]

I am finding Northern Rock a right pain, they have been ringing every half hour, why????? Nothing is going to change, I could understand once every couple of days, they say I am on an automatic dailing system and if I pay something it will stop, but I just explain about giving priority to one creditor over another and I have been advised not to! I have missed one payment of a secured loan with Picture and got a Default Notice today, that was a bit worrying, they know we are waiting until next week to find out if they will allow the house sale, and I only spoke to them on Thursday and this notice was sent out on Thursday! It seems one department cannot speak to one another

[go_4_broke]

Folks, if you make token payments you need to do it on a roughly pro-rata basis fixed once a month only. If you make odd ones on a creditors demand you will simply generate a 'Pavlovs Dog' reaction as Sopty has found out above.

And Hunter if you do make any payments I would suggest not to leave MBNA out. The reason for this is then if they do continue to hassle you you can threaten to pull the payments. If you do pull the payments, reinstate them again for no apparent reason (never when they ask you). This confuses the hell out of them.

Jane, you need to change your phone number. You can make small token payments to NR if it helps get them off your back, as long as you pay something to your other creditors as well as described above it's not preference.

-Best


Please view my blog at www.go4broke.blogs.iva.co.uk

'6 years sticking my head into the Lion's mouth of debt !'

[Sopty]

Is it me, or do certain credit card companies seem to be the worst offenders for this, my bank (Lloydtsb)has been very helpful, but people like MBNA and HFC seem to be a nightmare, and I dont even owe them that much.
They both seem to have call centres based abroad and must call several times a day, sometimes every hour on my work mobile, its just like they dont listen to what you tell them.
going to ask work if I can change my number, but hope they dont ask too many questions as to why.

Cheers, Mark.

View my IVA story blog at: http://sopty.blogs.iva.co.uk

[go_4_broke]

Hi Mark,

No it's not you.

However don't expect your creditors to behave in an even vaguely rational manner.

I believe they work mainly on the 'baby chick' basis - the one who squawks loudest gets the best chance of the worm.

Making regular token payments as described above is the best way to mollify them at least partly.

IVA arrangers usually seem to recommend you don't do this. I can't see why as I can't see any harm in it, although I've a pretty shrewd idea.

-Best

Please view my blog at www.go4broke.blogs.iva.co.uk

'6 years sticking my head into the Lion's mouth of debt !'