www.iva.co.uk

hi i have read in the past that you are best to meet face to face with your IP in order to dicuss details etc so would it be best to chose one who is local or are the large companies who may be far away as good at communication.

Hi again.
I think a face to face meeting is good, but not always possible. I had a rep call at the house from mine, who explained everything in detail and answered any questions I had. Some will hold a detailed telephone call. Personally I would go with someone who I had confidence in rather than just somebody local to me. If you want to find one close to home then iva.com will help they list all of them. My recommendation would be Melanie, this is who I would have gone to if I had known of her at the time.

Ang x

Please visit my blog at http://aguise.blogs.iva.co.uk/

I would recommend using a smaller company if possible as I personally feel (and I know that some on here disagree with me!) that you will get a better standard of service than from one of the volume IVA processors (or IVA factories) where you can't get to speak to your IP.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is the present - a gift to make the most of.

View my blog at http://skippy13.blogs.iva.co.uk/

I actually had one company I approach refuse to take me on as I wasn't local (only about 40 miles from where I live). The firm I am with now are based in the Leeds area, but have a small office where I live.

Its always best to contact 2 or 3 companies when seeking advice on your debt situation. This way it will cancel out any ill advice and provide re-assurance.

I would go with the company that you feel most comfortable with and not necessarily the most local. There is no rush to make a decision.

Best Regards,
IVA Experts
http://www.iva-experts.co.uk/

Hi sjw. I don't think geography matters too much these days. You're entering an important 5 year commitment, so it's most important that you select a company and IP you feel comfortable talking to, that have a good reputation and that you can communicate with easilly, by phone or email if face to face isn't practical. There are many good firms out there, and as Ang said, the best of the best seems to be Melanie if you can persuade her to represent you...

Martin

Hi sjw,

We recommend a face to face meeting with your IVA firm where possible as this can help enable the individual to get a 'feel' for the IVA firm as well as an understanding of the process.

If you are looking for someone local to you, the map point function on our site will help. Good luck with your search.

Kind regards,
Terry Balfour
IVA.com

IVA.com - The IVA Comparison Site
100s of reviews, All IPs and IVA firms rated.

Use our IVA firm comparison tool to find best IVA firm for you:
http://www.iva.com/iva_comparison_1.asp

Where your IVA provider makes no odds what so ever.

Unless there is a postal strike but even then mine still went all okay and it did not make much odds.

It is more about when you contact a firm any firm not just for IVA's - whether you feel at ease with them and if they sound as though they are there for yuour best interests and not their own.

The most important factor is contactibility and whether they are at the end of the phone in the evenings when you return from work at the weekends etc

No use going for a provider that only works 9 to 5:30 when thats the hours you work as unless your boss is okay with you being on the phone every few mins then you will have problems.

Ask people who they are with and would they recommend them to their friends.

I am with Payplan and would recommend them to anyone and would use them again. Mine tool nearly 8 months to sort out as it was complicated and they have been superb.

Good luck with whomever you choose.

Just started my IVA as from 12.10.07

Hi
One of the most important points is the post IVA service..........we hear of so many stories where calls,letters and emails are ignored or where people can only speak with junior staff.There is also the classic quote "your IP doesn't take calls"
It would be fair to say that the above generally relate to larger companies.
Regards

Andy Davie
IVA.co.uk Spokesperson and Website Manager

About me:
http://www.iva.co.uk/andy_davie_profile.asp

IVA Helpline: 0800 197 4838
http://www.iva.co.uk/iva_helpline.asp

I try and encourage most of my clients to meet us on a face to face basis, but this does not suit some clients who are quite happy to deal with us over the telephone, by fax and via e-mail. If you are self-emploued, it is mandatory to have a face to face meeting with the IP or a senior member of his/her staff, and can I stress that if you want to meet them face to face then they are professionally obliged to do so. I would peronally be wary of any firms which tell you that a face to face meeting cannot be conducted.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

We are with Accuma and they are miles from us, we are in London and I think they are Liverpool or Manchester, we have never met them but we have had outstanding service from them, they are helpful, kind and very understanding and do not make you feel like the worst thing that has ever walked the earth. If anyone needed a recommendation they would be the ones i would say, we have been with them now since 2006