Quick Question

[artemischild]

No one is talking about 'slating' companies! and the previous issue was something different entirely! sadly we never found out the outcome of that, everything in relation to it was locked and the whole thing brushed under the carpet!!! so maybe posters are now concerned what they can and can not post, how would we know?!?!?

Michael i appreciate often 1 person gets it on behalf of the company, such as karol from GT and eclan from DFD, but why do the company chiefs allow this to happen??? why not dedicate more staff time to answering queries etc as it seems the main oint of contact for those in an IVA (unless there is some other fiorum board?!?!?) Surely on such a board the companies want to look professionals? I can tell you know if i came on this board i would know who and who not to speak to about an IVA!!!

[kazzafunk]

This forum is to answer as many questions and give support to people in need of an answer.

Not to support or diss any company. I can see there may be bias towards the companies who post on here, however in the main there are not too many 'issues' with these companies.

The IP's and colleagues who post on here do so voluntarily and don't tout for business. It's very useful and has solved many problems for us.

I think we all have to share responsibility with creditors for the position we find us in. I could rant and rant on here about HSBC and others but at the end of the day, my creditors appreciated the position I was in and have written off a huge chunk of our debt to allow me to tackle my ill health. To me that shows they show compassion. Yes they kept throwing credit at me and at that time I could well afford it. For me the fact they have allowed me to escape this debt problem means I am very very grateful.

I don't believe we should encourage anyone to do something that is against the rules and cause an IVA to fail - in fact if someone posted anything like this it would likely be removed.

The other thread was locked for being in stalemate and this one is going the same way! So I've had my say and like recovering, will be off this thread now. All for healthy debate but not repeating myself over and over again.

Enjoy [:D][:D]

Spelling mistakes edited.

[artemischild]

how can something be a stalemate when questions have not been answered or is that just a polite way of saying shut it or we'll lock it?!?!?

I thought forums were for debate, sadly it seems not so anymore!

And for the record who was encouraging or advising anyone to do anything against the rules?

People obviously feel they have to repeat themselves over and over again when they feel a reposnse is not right or a question not adequatly answered!!

[Skippy]

Well said Foggy and Kazza. Presumably agreeing with you will make me part of the 'in crowd' but I don't see the point of disagreeing for the sake of it!

The point of the forum is to advise and support people to the best of our abilities. I've noticed recently that there seems to be a lot of nit picking and bad feeling - it's putting me off posting after all these years so I dread to think how a newbie would feel.

[Adam Davies]

Hi

Ok, firstly this forum is to advise people on all aspects of debt including the likely consequences if they fail to abide by the IVA, so advising against withholding a windfall is quite right and the fact that it is repeated will show how important it is to the reader.

The forum has to be moderated, otherwise it will become full of abuse and advertising. Threads are locked usually by myself and always with my knowledge, this doesn't happen very often in relation to the number of posts made. Some will not agree when threads are locked but hopefully the vast majority will understand.

All companies are open to criticism and praise on this forum.

Regards

[dawn20]

hi there
just to show my support of this forum and its members and people like declan from dfd they do ryt and help and answer your qureies this is the best place to come when you need help . everyone has a point of veiw whether right or wrong and most senible people who post on here should realise this . why spoil a good thing ie this forum by scoring points off each and back biting all the time over is money and the confusing terms of windfall and assets which mean different things in each company and which some newbees here need adivce on it seems in this post the original point has been lost !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[olympic_torch]

Just my opinion, but, i post on quite a few forums, and, rather like looking on the internet for reviews on a new camera, you tend to mostly get extremes. Some people have a bad experience with the camera and post a review to say it's a pile of doodoo, others think it's the best thing since sliced bread. You tend to end up more confused than when you started.
If the professionals choose to post on here they should be prepared to suffer the slings an arrows.
As long as posts do not become personal or abusive this should be a forum for open debate, not monitored like the internet in Bejing because it does not toe the party line.

[KAYKAY]

This has gone way off topic. All I said in my post which started the onslaught was my personal opinion, to which I am entitled, and it has not changed. I don't expect to be be pulled up by offering a personal opinion. Whether the OP declares his overtime or stuffs it under the mattress is purely his concern, as will be the consequences if he is found out and his IVA fails. There was never any mention of slating companies, or IP's up to that point.

[Declan at DebtFreeDirect]

My tu'ppence thrown in -
A forum such as this services a number of purposes but the two most important are (in my opinion at least) the following:

1) To ask questions and seek advice in a shared, friendly and confidential community with a degree of protection through anonominity.

2) To raise queries and flag up issues with your own IVA provider (assuming they post on this forum).

For many, this forum allows an extra way of communicating with your provider - all be it through nontraditional channels but more importantly it is a succinct and often efficient way of getting in touch with your provider and I am sure many of my colleagues from other companies on here will agree.

The pertinent issue of naming and shaming companies or continually slating them or knocking them can be contentious and provoke emotional and heated debate. I don’t now what happened with Jan nor is it any of my business but what I do know is that Jan is an honest broker without vested interests and certainly not out to damage companies reputations. Indeed any company that takes this as a form of grievance really needs to look at itself more closely.

If a company fails to deliver on its promises or does not deliver on service then of course we as the representatives from our own companies must act as the brunt bearers. Where a complaint or challenge is fair and supported by evidence then we must act. However, there are times when issues are raised that are unjustified and could be construed as malicious though thankfully very rare.

This forum is a god send for many and it is a community and like any community, the vast majority of residents are great, occasionally there are a few bad ones but in the whole it is good. to allude to a comment made earlier, thankfully we don’t live in a place that is censored so much we have to seek approval for every comment we make!

Here endith my rhetoric.

[lem]

Moving back to the topic the OP posted, I think it's important to highlight to posters the reality of an IVA and guide them appropriately into how certain behaviours within an IVA may affect them, it's pertinent here to ensure that those experts who post on here can offer their expert advice on these matters also and ensure that us 'debtor's and non professionals are giving correct advice. If after this the poster then decides against that advice, that is up to them and nothing to do with the rest of us to be frank.

However, what I do find a little strange is when people say things like 'I am so lucky to be in an IVA', 'I am so grateful to be given a second chance' etc etc etc.

Personally I don't feel lucky to be in an IVA at all, I don't feel grateful for it, I don't feel thankful to my creditors for giving me a second chance etc etc, the bottom line is in my opinion creditors aren't compassionate towards people's circumstances, it's purely and ultimately business, they want their money and they want as much back as they can get (which is understandable), they will only write off (through a full term IVA or a F&F) if it's obvious to them it's the best way they are going to get as much back as they can, they certainly don't agree to it because they are doing us a favour!

I don't feel an obligation to pay back as much as I can. likewise I don't feel any obligation to pay back as little as I can get away with, I will pay back what I can afford to pay, no more no less, that was what was agreed and like the creditors, I see this purely as a business transaction, no emotion comes into it, as far as my creditors are concerned, I am just a number.

I am however, extremely grateful to my IP for acting as the go between and for securing an IVA that makes it affordable for me and my family to lead as normal a life as we can for the next few years, helping us through any changes to our circumstances we may face, but I have no feelings towards my creditors at all to be honest.

Yes we took out those loans, credit cards etc etc in the first place and yes I had every intention of paying it all back, but life changes over time, circumstances change and creditors didn't help with the interest payments and charges they applied, what did they think would happen?

I don't know, I don't feel I've been given a second chance, I'm not a criminal for god sake!, I just see this as a period of time I have to get through, pay back what I can afford and then get on with the rest of my life by being careful what I spend in the future and living within my means.

So, as far as this forum is concerned, I think it's important for people to realise that although we are anonymous to a degree, we still need to be respectful and phrase our sentences carefully, even when discussing perceived failures from some of the companies who operate IVA's or indeed PPI reclaim companies, 'ambulance chasers' etc, there is nothing wrong with holding an opinion, it's how you choose to voice that opinion that can have repercussions or not.

[Adam Davies]

Hi

Some good points and it is worth remembering the ethos of this forum,respect for all, and this will include both anonymous posters and the professional posters

Regards

[Michael Peoples]

I agree Lem and personally I do not think that the point of an IVA is to repay your creditors in full. If that was the point a never-ending DMP would be the correct solution. An IVA is a compromise with creditors whereby you repay what you can afford over a strict timescale usually two years longer than an income payments order so there is something for all parties concerned.

However, while I do feel that clients should not be punished and I try and make all I&Es as affordable as I can, there is no excuse for deliberately withholding money from creditors and trying to duck responsibilities. The terms are quite plain when agreed at the start and trying to hide money whether overtime, bonus, windfall or inheritance is plainly wrong and should be condemned. Where someone is struggling creditors can be sympathetic to reductions in payments and even the retention of windfalls but it is only right to ask them first.

The whole thing is a compromise and if someone does not want to adhere to the terms they should not enter the agreement.

[lem]

Absolutely Michael, and that's why people should take their time to read their proposals carefully and seek to clarify anything they don't understand before rushing headlong into signing something they don't really understand, it's just like any contract really, you agree to bide by the terms of it or don't sign and seek and alternative.

[KAYKAY]

font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by lem

Absolutely Michael, and that's why people should take their time to read their proposals carefully and seek to clarify anything they don't understand before rushing headlong into signing something they don't really understand, it's just like any contract really, you agree to bide by the terms of it or don't sign and seek and alternative.

Lem, I fully agree with your post and think this is something that should be stressed, and stressed again. It is the only way that people will have a clear understanding of what they entering into and will hopefully prevent future postings, where posters (in general, no-one specific) have mis-understood the concept of an IVA.