www.iva.co.uk

First year completed and an IVA was definatly the right option for me but I have found it really hard and disheartening.

A month after starting my IVA my cambelt went on my car. My family helped me out at paid the £800 for me to have it fixed. It was running perfectly until 2 days before christmas and the clutch went. Being a semi-automatic I was looking at a bill of anywhere between £1200-£3000. So I had it scrapped. Been getting the bus to work most of the time but have to get a 6am bus to get to work by 7.30am and then not getting home till 8pm. Slowly killing me as aswell as having a fulltime job I am in the 2nd year of a degree.
Not wanting to take any kind of gap in my IVA I have saved a scrapped to put together a few hundred for a cheap car to get me back and for to work. Picked it up yesterday and really disheartened. I know its only a few hundred car but I loved my old car but just couldnt get it repaired. Now after buying it tax, insurance and recovery cover have about £50 for the month. My wifes 30th is coming up, I need to repair fascias on my house due to birds and its just all getting a bit much at the minute.

It does get hard at times, Neville, but you are 20% of the way through.

I had a half decent car once and the engine support strut went ---- about £50 quids worth of welding but engine out job !! Car went to the dealership in the sky! Since then I have had a couple of "ebay specials" and really miss the old bus ---- but can't bring myself to run such a beast now ! Silver lining ... since getting cheapos I no longer feel the need to wash them

Things will improve, I am sure. Hang in there.

Sounds like you've had a run of bad luck, don't struggle as you can talk to your IP and I know you say you don't want a payment break but don't make things unbearable if a months break would help then I'd say go for it and chip away at the arrears monthly rather than have it added on the end. I had to do it several times in my IVA.

However, hopefully things will begin to become much improved for you from now on in.

Please read the blogs, everyone has bad times. Hubby's car died less than a year into iva although we were lucky enough to be able to lease a car with help from IP.

we were both 40 in iva and didn't have lavish celebrations. Simple things like a childs scrap book of reprinted photos meant a lot.

I cannot remember reading any completion story that the person had not become disheartened in, life can never run sweetly in or out of an iva.

I found year 1 hard but it does get better as you get more used to things. If you are really strugglingit may be worth checking your terms, ours allowed our IP to reduce payments by up to15% without going to creditors. Put down a truthful i&e and see what that shows.

Good luck with the next 4 years.

It is tough to believe you made the right choice when repairs bills start to filter into the expenses, but chances are that even without the IVA you would not have been able to cover the repair bills without digging the money pit even deeper. It is no consolation knowing most of us have had to tread the same path and I do empathize with you. We had our gas cooker do a "chernobyl" on us, our freezer of 28 years just die overnight and a multitude of other smaller things go wrong. No matter how small they were though they always seemed like something that was insurmountable. Have a chat with your IP, see if you could have a month or two payment break to use the money for repairs/replacement of essential items, most IP's don't eat children or breath fire, as the adverts years ago said "I'ts good to talk". Good luck.

Stay positive ... 20% done .... one/fifth done .... another 3 payments it will be 25% or one quarter .... break it down into small stages and remember spesk to your IP if things get really tough !

Thank you all so much. Nice to know there is some support and nice people still out there. Hugs to you all, still feeling a bit down but has really helped.

nevillebunny we all have or have had days and weeks and months like this. God knows my 5 years were hard and at times I totally despaired and it was only kind words and advice from people on here that got me through it.

As people have said you are 20% done and trust me when the last payment is done it will be worth it. As for getting the completion certificate as I have just done the other day well there is no feeling like it. Still a bit hungover actually.....

Hi Neville - I agree with the others - best to speak to your Supervisor. They usually have discretion to reduce your contributions by up to 15%. If you are really struggling they may be able to give you a payment break - it might lengthen your IVA but it may take the weight off your shoulders a little bit so speak to your IP - we don't bite! Good luck.