www.iva.co.uk

We are currently considering an iva as our debts are getting a bit out of control, robbing peter to pay paul.
Can anyone suggest an iva company to use. We cannot afford any fees up front but we can extend the payments by a couple of months (e.g instead of a 60 month iva we would pay 62 payments).
This is getting me down now and I would like just to find a little bit of hope from somewhere![:(]

dont think we had to pay upfront fees ,just 2 payments in advavance.just be careful before the company we are with we went to another and they wanted £300 each to set it up and that was up front .we looked on a site where IPS were registered cant remember the tile sorry.Many posters on here recommend melaine giles ,im sure there will be others along to help all the best

Hello, I go through Wilson Phillips, you dont pay any up front fees, be honest with yourself and list down your debt and how much you pay and if you are in arrears, give them a call, the first bit is a bit scary (well i thought so) but you will need to have a basic bank account, that has no overdraft etc, and this needs to be set up before you take out the IVA, I'm almost four years in now and mine is due to expire in November 2012

Check out www.iva.com and speak to a few companies. All the Ip's on here are well respected so take your time and feel comfortable with your choice.

5 years is a long time to have to deal with a company, so fnid one you feel happy with

Hi Kate, welcome
Personally I used Mel Giles after reading very positive feedback on here. It was fully explained to me the options available in a very nonjudgemental way and I was impressed also with the contact with her very patient team. You have done the hard bit by acknowledging your position and now it means just picking up the phone...

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I have started an application through Vincent Bond (did a web enquiry and they were lighting fast to get back to me), although I had also planned to speak to McCambridgeDuffy and Melanie Giles before making a decision. However Andy at VB made me feel so reassured I didn't get round to contacting anyone else!

I was going to try Melanie Giles first, but her website wasn't working properly and I felt most comfortable doing the initial enquiry online.

Just remember that VB charge 2 months fees for their help. Some people will appreciate the help, some will want to go directly to an IP.

Hi Kate - best to go to www.iva.com and check out 2 or 3 yourself, look at their ratings and speak to them for some free and impartial advice. THis is the advice I got off this forum. You need to work with your IP and their team for 5 or 6 years so it's important to choose someone you arec omfortable with. We went with McCambridge Duffy who have been nothing but professional approachable and friendly through the IVA application and after.
Not all companies charge up front fees - ours didn't, you sometimes pay if you are going through an introducer (who prepares the paperwork for you then passes it over to an IVA company). But the paperwork isn't hard to do yourself so if you are heppy to proceed on your own directly with your IP then do so. Our company take the 1st 5 monthly payments as their fee then 15% of all payments after. Not a problem for us as it doesn't cost you anything extra.

Just make sure you do your homework, ask as many questions as poss and dont feel your under pressure to use the first one you speak to.
Some companys talk the talk but dont walk the walk!
I know thats easier said then done but you are going to need to work with whoever you choose for the next 5-6 years so its important for you to get the right one, Their are loads of good ones out there but there are also some really shi*ty ones.
Take your time and im sure you will find the right one for you.
Best of luck
Baldy & Family

Thankyou you have all been so helpful! I will have a chat tonight with the hubby and see who he thinks maybe better. I will shortlist a few companies and give them a call tommorrow (im terrified already). Its quite difficult as we have 2 little ones and a 3rd on the way as well as trying to manage on one income and pay csa for my partners other children too. Its a total nightmare and a stress that is not going to go away unless we deal with it......but we will get there i hope!

If you are a bit of a wuss like I am - try emailing them first. That's what I did and the 2 I chose were happy to email until I felt able to pick up the phone and call the one I had decided to go with!!

Kate, it took me about two weeks to speak to anyone you are not on your own, and once everything is in place you will wonder why you did not do it sooner, I even got in a state the other week as I needed a payment break but whenever I have had to deal with anyone they always treat you like a human being, and do try to help - there are lots of websites "do I qualify" have a look at these I'm sure you will be ok

Cant you go back to the C.S.A. and get that reviews as well to see if you can reduce that

You will get there, I remember when I first took mine out, I was convinced they would put me in prison because I could not pay, and got into a terrible state. Makes me smile now, but i did not at first, best of luck

Kate.k8 - I cant add anything else, apart from a bit of verbal support, a lot of us on here have been through an IVA and come out the otherside.

It is hard work/fustrating at times - but you get there.

Take time choose well, and read/reread and read again all you documents so you fully are aware of your responsiblities during the IVA.

we have tried getting a review with csa and they wont budge, even said our payments can only go down by £3 a month when the baby arrives (that wont even get me a packet of nappies . Its a 10 hour round trip to see them as well so they dont take petrol into account.
Thank you all so much for your advice im going to try and ask as mnay questions as i can before we choose a company!

Don't fret too much over the phone calls. The firms on iva.com are all well repected and non-judgemental. You will find them easy to speak to. Tina, who posts here regularly and is one of Mel's team has had excellent feedback, as of course, has Mel herself. The first call will be the hardest, but after that it will be a breeze. Do speak to a few firms though, you will be enetering a 5 year relationship, so want to get a "feel" for the firm and the info.