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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:29 pm
by emmajb120
long ago in 2005 i needed help with my growing debt! in 2006 i contacted a debt managment company called gregory pennington, they assisted me as all this was very new, and set a payment plan up for £200 per month, after paying this amount every month till nov 2010 i realized that my debt wasn't actually coming down so i started to do some reserch and found out about iva's, i contacted gregory pennington who then decided to tell me that they indded had a sister company that delt with them called freeman jones- i asked why they had never offered me this option before as with my debt's of over £23,000 it would of took some 17 years to repay!!!!!!!!My reply 'we didnt think you'd be wanted to be classed as insolvent'. I was absolultley mortified. Anyway after a few choice words with him he put me through to freeman jones who went through everything with me, it was a sole IVA, i have no assetts work part time and have 2 kids (1 who was 18 at the time and in college so got benefits for her i.e child tax credits/c benefit).

I have been with freeman jone since dec 2010 and plodding along niceley till september 2011 when the conservatives decided to cut my daughter's E.M.A allowance, so we had to start forking out for bus passes and dinner money, even money for equptment and spends- i told freeman jones i was despperatley struggling to maintain my payments and completed income and exp and the did nothing -they told me they could try for a variation meeting but it was likley that it would be unsucsessfull and my iva would fail-- quite frankly they scared the sh1t out of me!!! And so i continued to pay my £200 monthly picking up overtime where i could. by may 2012 i was not able to get any overtime at work and the car broke down, and i found myself taking more credit out to make ends meet a payday loan here a payday loan there, 2 catalogues and a credit card, it was escalating again...... I told freeman jones that i had been forced to take out credit as my situation was unbelievable our outgoings were more than my incomings- you know what they said to me? ' actually miss bridge your last 6 wage slips show an increase in earning's you owe us a furthur £390 for the last 6 months' i put the phone down as i couldnt believe what she was saying..... in august this year child tax creds and child benefit ceased for my older daughter we also lost £48.00 a week in housing and council tax benefit, and i definatley had/have no way of paying my iva, it is now in breech as i missed more than 4 payments, although they havnt even had the decentcy to contact me to say i'm in breech, only a letter yesterday to say i'm due a review..... my mum is actually giving me the money( £700) to declare myself bankrupt on friday morning, i have made the appointment at the court, made 3 copies of all my papers and have my last 3 wage slips, plus prrof of rent.
do i need to take anything else to court with me?
I am so very scared and very nervous- what is really ironic is that if gregory pennington had offered me the iva in the first place it would have been done and dusted by now! instead they were greedy and just bled me dry for their monthly fee, and freeman jones are just as bad, i can not belive the way i have been treated by this company, do they have someone who regulates them? i have kept copies of lettres and emails i have sent to them in the past asking for help.... i know this is a long winded explanation but thankyou for taking the time to read it, all the best emma.

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:35 pm
by Shining
Hi there and welcome to the forum. Firstly I would like to say your name is referred to in your post fully and if you're fine with that then leave it but if not feel free to edit it or ask one of us to do this for you.

sounds like a horrendous journey to debt freedom you've had.

I'm sure they're regulated by a governing body and one of our experts will be able to confirm who this is. With respect to your bankruptcy hearing, I sincerely hope this goes smoothly for you and a line is drawn under your debts. Some of our posters have declared bankruptcy and will be able to assist with the process.

All the best for Friday x

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:49 pm
by emmajb120
hiya thanks for the welcome, i am fine with my name been shown, i have nothing to hide.... i am just really angry with the way things have turned out... hopefully things will be better after my bankruptcycase on friday, i will be debt free after this oh soo looong journey xx

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:56 pm
by Shining
You will be debt free and hope that it goes smoothly for you. Have you spoken to anyone about bankruptcy or gone it alone x

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:30 pm
by emmajb120
I am doing all my bankrupcty alone, i got some advice from another forum and filled in all the forms and the income and exp- my exp is still more than my income! I dont know what they will make of that but it is just the way it is as all things i.e gas electric shopping fuel have all increased but my wage and tax creds have stayed the same, i am soooo nervous about going to court tomorrow, i hope they accept my bankruptcy petition-has anyone ever been refused bankruptcy?? i have allsorts running through my mind i feel sick. thanks for replies i appriciate it ;)

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:33 pm
by Niobe
Do you have any paperwork to say that your IVA has failed? The court may wish to see this.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:38 pm
by emmajb120
no the iva company havnt sent me anything for 4 months! except a letter to say i am due a review- although i have now missed 4 payments!!! i have put all info on the bankruptcy forms i.e ip name and address and the fact that i have tried a debt management and iva before filing for bankruptcy, i am going to email my supervisor now to see if she can email me something back to produce to the court- i wont be holding my breath though.. thanx.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:42 pm
by Niobe
Not saying that there will be a problem but the court might want proof of your IVA failing.

You could always give them a ring to see if they do need anything before you go.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:24 pm
by luluj
Sorry it has come to this...good luck tomorrow..let us know how you get on x

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:22 pm
by KM1512
Good luck for tomorrow I hope everything goes well for you

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:01 pm
by Shining
Again good luck from me too for tomororw, do let us know how it goes. x

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:58 pm
by christine53
Good luck for tomorrow,,hope it goes well for you x

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:49 pm
by Pandy
I hope everything went OK today.