Worried about your OR interview?

Right, I now feel I am in a place where I can share my experience with everyone and I would like to be of some help, so here goes. BTW apologies for the mammoth post!

Firstly, don't be worried. If you have been up front and honest about everything you have nothing to hide and you should confidently be able to go through your interview with very little fuss.

If you have made a mistake on your form or missed something off or accidentally on purpose not disclosed something you will be given the opportunity many times to disclose it. Take the opportunity and have a good reason as to why the mistake has been made or item undisclosed.

Now, we went through out SOA lots of times prior to BR and once the BR was filed we scrutinized it further to ensure we could answer any questions. Breaking stuff down into what we had spent, where how and why, you learn a lot about your spending habits - and it is not all good. But hey, that's why we are here isn't it? You may not need so much detail and we may have got a bit "OCD" over it but it pays to be prepared.

I cannot stress enough BE HONEST. The OR is going to find out anyhow, so tell them EVERYTHING. The OR is not out to get every last dime from you, far from it they need to ensure you have sufficient to live a fairly standard lifestyle. Now if you cant cope with that, tough, you may have to cut back on treats and stuff I know we have had to but the only way we afforded them before was with credit anyhow.

So what does the OR actually do (apart from breath fire and eat small children!)? The interview will guide you page by page through your statement of affairs and so as long as you have completed it accurately (or to the best of your ability), you know what is in there and you are able to answer questions about what is in there, it will be a calm, sensible conversation. I personally found my OR to be extremely professional, compassionate and understanding (not "hot" like some other people have mentioned in other threads!). They asked me what we had spent money on and why. Mainly we had been living beyond our means - and we admitted that and we explained we had sort advice and showed we understood the gravity of our situation.

If at this point you don't understand the situation, I suggest you do, and quick. I was prepared to lose my car, my small business and pretty much anything to the OR to give us a clean slate, but I ensured I had spoken to my landlords prior to this (not always advisable I know), my employers (who were outstanding and put in me in touch with my union *who paid my fees in full* but I understand not all employers are the same) and most importantly I had spoken to 2 separate free organisations to ensure the advice I was getting was right for me (I cant thank CCCS enough for their support, just wish they had a landline or mobile number to call as it is very expensive calling from a mobile). DO NOT PAY FOR ADVICE YOU DO NOT NEED TO. Going bankrupt is not an easy option and I suggest that if the OR thinks that is what you are up to they will take a very dim view.

Your interview, is an opportunity. A chance to get all the worries off your chest and to be 100% honest with someone about your situation and what has led you to this. You need to be accountable for your actions. They will not leave you without enough to live on but you may have to adjust your standard of living. I used the additional info section to explain the situation we were in, how we got there and how I felt about it all. This gives the OR a chance to not just look at facts and figures but understand a bit about you, so maximize this opportunity - but don't make anything up.

Personally, I feel very lucky that I have been allowed to keep my car, my small business, my main job, my business bank a/c, post BR current a/c (wahoo for the Cooperative!) and both our mobile contracts (included in the telephone section of our SOA). We have had to explain the reason for each item and because our forms were filled out correctly and we understood them we could do this. At no point did we argue or have to negotiate because it was all on the forms.

Now I know each situation will be different, but I honestly believe if you are humble, honest, clear and up front, the OR will help you - if you let them. You have to respect them, their position and the power they hold.

So overall, if you are going BR for the right reasons, you have sought advice and done all your forms there is no need to panic. Be polite, courteous and listen to what they ask you and say and don't rush. Have any questions no matter how ridiculous written down and make sure you have asked them all and made a note beside them so you know it has been answered. I hope that gives you a little peace of mind and lets you sleep a little easier. I would say good luck but thinking about it, luck has nothing to do with it, it is all the stuff above that will help!

Arrowarra