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Hi, I'm new here. I am in the early stages of setting up an IVA.

I have a quick question about Northern Rock. They unfortunately are my main creditor. I have only missed one payment as I was advised to stop paying whilst my IVA was being set up and in 3 weeks I have received nearly 400 phone calls from them. To my house and also to my private mobile number which I did not provide them. I have now changed my phone numbers and was advised by my debt counsellor to report them for harassment.

Will reporting them adversely affect my IVA proposal?

I have an unsecured loan with them and already they want to put a charging order on my house. Is this normal practice? It is a joint mortgage and there is no equity in the property in todays market.

Many thanks in advance

Hey Siorgha, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, I don't think there is much you can do about the calls and letters, they will eventually stop when you're IVA is hopefully approved. NR do usually try and get a charging order on the house if they can but you will probably have your creditors meeting before that. Good luck. Keep posting. X

400 calls in three weeks - That must be a record. Are you sure you have really received that many?

In my experience, it is better to co-operate with your creditors in the period running up to the presentation of an IVA, but they creditors should not be harrassing you in this manner.

If the loan is a Together loan, I advise my clients now to carry on paying this, as if you don't NR have a tendancy of allocating the payments you make to your mortage against the unsecured element, which leaves you technically with mortgage arrears. I am in discussions with them on behalf of a number of my clients on this point at the moment.

Any unsecured creditor has the right to put a charging order over your property until an IVA is in place. I suggest that you get your IP to get his/her skates on!

Thanks for the quick replies, especially at this hour of the morning!!

Yes Melanie they did phone that many times!! I kept a diary and there were 348 calls in 3 weeks from Northern Rock (so 400 is actually and exaggeration. Sorry!!) Most of the calls were 'silent' calls, so I just stopped answering them. When I did speak to them, it was like talking to robots to be honest. All threats and even hanging up on me.

It is not a together loan, but I might hold off reporting them until the IVA is set up. I have an appointment with GT tomorrow. Originally I was going to a DMP, but on review an IVA was deemed a better option.

Thanks again

OK - see what your IP has to say in the meeting tomorrow. I find the unsecured loans department of Northern Rock very thorough and fair, but you will need to ensure that you are putting the very best proposal forward to guarantee a positive result.

Thanks Melanie