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mst
Junior Member
254 Posts |
 Posted - 30 July 2008 : 14:18:58
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Hello everyone,
As promised I said I would post once I had completed my interview with the OR's Office. I had my face to face interview this morning at 9.30 and it lasted for 1 hour. During the interview I was asked various questions about my financial history and answered all the questions honestly and where I could not remember details I explained why.
I had taken along bank statements, wage slips, credit card statements, information from creditors etc none of which were actually required. Towards the end of the interview I was asked about my expenditure that I had put on the SOA. All but £200 of my monthly salary had been accounted for by various bill payments, rent, mobile, gym membership etc. The OR was happy with all of the expenses bar two which were an £82 per month gym membership and £100 for TV, phone landline and broadband. He then added the £200 surplus with the £182 for these two expenses and then stated that I should be able to make a payment of £200 a month. I signed the form and that was that, all done in an hour.
I have been advised that I should start paying on 1st September therefore allowing me August to pay back some of the money loaned for the BR expenses. I was also told to pay the OR's office any tax money that is reimbursed to me once the Inland Revenue adjusts my tax allowances. I was also asked to inform the OR if my wages are adjusted by anything over and above the current level of inflation (he actually said he was not interested if my salary increased by 4-5% but would be if it was 10% or more).
My concern is that I was really worried that expenses such as £350 per month for food, toiletries, lunch at work etc would be quibbled but instead an awful lot of my expenses were just waivered.
I have my signed copy of the Income Payments Arrangement but it was not signed by the interviewer? Does this mean that this arrangement is not finalised? I feel somewhat relieved following my interview but also worried that it all went so well and so quickly. I did ask if this arrangement could be rejected by the creditors but he told me no, the only way that it could be was if I did not agree to it in which case we would go to court and rather than waiver some expenses the OR would demand the industry guidelines (in other words it is in your interest to sign and accept it).
Sorry for the ultra long blog, many of you would take no interest in my rambling but for those of you preparing for your interview with stubs of skin where your nails once existed, it was not at all the dreadful experience I had envisaged and instead it was all over very very quickly. By the way amidst these ramblings there are some questions, please any experts re-assure me that 36 monthly payments of £200 from 01/09/08 I will be debt free and back to a normal stress free life?
mst |
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rollercoaster
Junior Member
United Kingdom
327 Posts |
Posted - 30 July 2008 : 14:28:33
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| Well done for getting through this. I am glad for you that it all went well and relatively painless. RC x |
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John
New Member
United Kingdom
73 Posts |
Posted - 30 July 2008 : 15:28:02
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Hi mst
it's good to hear that all went better than you had expected. As Julian has often said on this site sometimes it can be an anti-climax.
The gym membership was always going to be a no-no I'm afraid but I'm not sure that all of the £100 for TV, phone and broadband should have been disallowed.Did he not disallow the TV license contributions as well?
I would have thought £50 per month for landline would be worth discussion.
However, you've signed the IPA now so it's binding.
The examiner may not have signed your copy but his will have been.
Yes, provide you keep up the £200 payments then you will be debt free in 36 months commencing Sept.
Assisting where I can. |
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SL44
Junior Member
194 Posts |
Posted - 30 July 2008 : 19:30:05
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Hi mst,
Please could you tell me if your allowances were for one person, as I'm in the process of completing I and E.
Thanks |
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mst
Junior Member
254 Posts |
Posted - 30 July 2008 : 22:42:36
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Hello SL44,
My allowances were for 1 person yes.
I agree with the gym membership not being allowed but I had been waivered so many other things that I thought would be argued that I felt inclined to agree with the OR.
I put down a realistic estimate of £350 per month for food expenses, toiletries, cleaning products (basically what I spend at the supermarket for lunch, dinner, breakfast and everyday shopping). I had heard that the industry guideline was £268 so was expecting this to be reduced but it wasn't.
I cannot stress enough how grateful I am to everyone who has posted advice or even just read and responded to my rants and ramblings over these past few weeks. And for any people who still fear BR with dread my only advice is to be honest and truthful and that in my experience my worst fears (and believe me when I say I have managed to conjure up quite a few unbelieveable scenarios) never came to fruition.
mst |
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SL44
Junior Member
194 Posts |
Posted - 31 July 2008 : 08:32:46
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Thanks mst,
That's really helpful. |
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sueann
Junior Member
United Kingdom
300 Posts |
Posted - 31 July 2008 : 09:40:21
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Hi mst
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, my BR is next week and I am more nervous about the OR meeting that follows and am finding the whole I & E thing quite daunting for a single person so it's always nice to see what others got accepted.
Glad all went OK for you. |
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Should I still be worried?
