Call me dumb, but I thought until recently that IVA companies were regulated. How can they not be regulated? They are dealing with our very lives and our families lives; and how we manage our finances over a series of months.
I was shocked when surfing the net on IVAs how many people have been duped,deceived, conned, and down right lied to by some IPs. I was lied to last year by the first IP I approached. I complained directly to him over what I discovered was bad advice giving. He said he only spoke to me once all other times were with his case managers. Are they not accountable for the people they hire?
What really gets me is when you tell them your situation via telephone you get this lovely p/£ rate. Then when you (eventually)receive the draft it's another for example, 30p/£ THEN before it's filed in the court house you are told,'' Oh, such-and-such will not even look at anything under 40p/£. Okay, there you are desperate, worn down from rude threatening conversations with debt collectors; and high blood pressure and facial twiches from opening the post from debt collection agencies. You agree to 40p/£ and breath a sigh of relief.
You anxiously await your creditors meeting day just to be told they NOW they want 45p/£! You agree JUST to realise less than a year or so into it, it is not affordable.Then what happens? The IP sends your file into a DMP programme and says that should keep them at bay until you're ready to do an BR. WHAT? Many of us even paid up front fees causing our debts NOT to be paid through a DMP making the situation worse. Remember that sinking feeling in your stomach when you were told to stop paying your unsecured debts? And DMPs are not legally binding which some of us may not have been aware of at the time because no one informed us.
So, now we have the interest rate and charges ticking away and you're still being harassed by some debt collectors! The cycle is never ending isn't it? Some do not speak even english. I had one from NDR ring. I answered my phone and said hello. He said NDR. I asked,''who?'' He said accented NDR. I asked,''in where?'' He repeated it. I said,''can't afford to go there,'' and disconnected.
Pardon my ranting and raving people, but I read what others go through and I know what I am going through. It makes me angry how we are treated by some Ips. Are they all even licensed to be Ips? Do they have to be? Why not a flat fee? Why up front fees? And some of those devils commonly known as debt collectors! My good dear! Where did they train at the Sadists School of Sociopaths? Some should be giving ASBOS for what they say. The emotional and psychological harm they can cause is tremendous.
Some debtors become suicidal over their financial circumstances. Some start drinking excessively or relying on sleeping pills in order to get much needed sleep.The last thing we need is some smart-mouthed- voice on the other end of the telephone repeatedly saying,'' We will not accept that payment. We will not accept that payment. We will not accept that payment. We want ALL of the arrears.''
I very politely told one in a sing-songy voice who was being particularly rude and nasty,'' Take the first syllable of the word ass-ume and the last syllable of the word ar-rears and stick the default notices there.'' I then disconnected! Sorry, but I did; and I felt bad afterwards for saying that too. Do they feel badly being in that line of work? Are they really just doing their jobs? Are they proud of what they do? Do they have friends or just colleagues?
To all the debt collectors out there who think we are spendaholics losers, wannabees, scum and worse please take note. Yes, we made the debts. Some of use knew what we were doing financially and others did not. Some of us had every intention of paying every pence back and some of us did not. Some of us experienced divorce, pregnancy, partners choosing to move, death of the main wage earner, redundancy, ageism, injury,illness, etc. The list is endless. But at the end of your headset is still a human being that should be treated with respect and dignity. What you say and how you say it could very well have a negative impact and cause them to behave in such a manner which is detrimental to their physical and mental health. Would a bit of kindness really hurt your commission?
And STOP using auto-redial!It is soooo annoying to hear that 10 second delay of silence whilst I am there saying,'' hello? hello? hello?'' Also, pronounce our names correctly. Believe me, my name is Mrs.Betty Boop, not Mrs.B Bop; and I will add the 'doo bee doo wop' thank you kindly. And do not chew food or gum when you contact us. Some of us are on strict diets from trying to pay our creditors. And if you are really truly,'' only trying to help,''make the payment for me, thanks.
Gosh, some of you sound like rappers. ''We want mo-monie mo-monie,mo-monie,WOE-man...now,now,now and how,WOE-man.''Say, if you could sing you wouldn't be a debt collector would you?
I shall step off my soap box now; and try to get some sleep. Excuse my rantings and ravings kind people. I don't rant and rave too often anymore though.I am slowly coming to accept the reality that my hubby and I may very well loose everything we have worked for maybe even the relationship. Some of you may have experienced this already. If we are not careful how we handle this debtors journey, we could lose the very person we built this high-debt lifestyle with. Even if one of you spent, it took two to enjoy. Stop blaming each other if you are doing that.
If you find the tension building between you, do what someone from this forum told me to do. Turn to each other and say I love you,you are important to me,and we are going to get through this together.
Odd isn't it? How every now and then these emotions of anger, guilt, shame, fear, and sadness combine,and *this* feeling slowly wells up inside.Well....you all understand what I mean. Enough said.
All I have left is my humour.
