Still not started IPA after 2 years!

tikifish

I was made bankrupt July 2006 but have still not started my IPA yet! I filled in all the forms (direct debit, signed the agreement) but it has never started to this date. I did call a few months after to see what was happening and was just told "it takes time", i've just left it until now and i'm thinking it's all going to catch up with me in the worst possible way eventually.
I've had a letter a month ago stating the OR has no interest in any of may assets so i haven't been forgotten completely but still no mention of the IPA???

I know it was irresponsible of me to just ignore it (what would you have done?) but I have been worrying recently that I am going to be taken to court. I don't really know what will happen.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this??

ClaireLR

Yeah I would have ignored it to, I'm good at that.

When did you sign the agreement and how much was it for? Did your circumstances change after you signed it in any way, i.e. loss of job, pay cut, increase in outgoings at all?

tikifish

I think everyone would ignore it if they were honest!

The agreement was signed about 1-2 months after my bankrupcy date. My circumstances didn't change for a while but now I have bigger outgoings living with my partner and 2 kiddies! Salary is higher than before aswell. All in all i would say i have the same if not slightly less disposable income than i did before.
Would you keep running for the home stretch or come clean? The thing is i'm just starting to have a better life now too!

dalip

Were you never contacted by clarke willmot about paying them the amount?. I know that sounds like stupid question,but you say you filled in all the forms for the direct debit! When i had mine c&w sent the forms for the DD and i then paid them.D

ClaireLR

Dalip thats exactly what happened with mine to excpet mine was for a NT IPA not a "proper" IPA.

As for what I would do, it's a tricky one that. Part of me would think they haven't bothered you so far, why would they now. The other part of me would always be worrying about it, although if they did ever get in touch with you I would assume that they would just then start the IPA, not expect you to suddenly and over 3 years worth (although I might be wrong about that). All in all I think my stress head would win and I would have to contact them, you might be a bit more out of pocket but you can't put a price on peace of mind can you??

Debtless_2

if the ipa is for your tax that you didn't pay due to NT tax code then it is only till the end of the current tax year and not 3 years. surely if you went BR in 2006 you are now dishcharged from BR?? i would ring the OR and ask.

dalip

Yes if it was for a NT IPA then the OR would have collected it direct from HMRC at the end of that tax year.

Yes the Income based IPA runs for 36 mths from the first payment,not from bc date.D

SuziQ

I think it would have been safer to put the money away every month just in case.

tikifish

I thought the IPA was paid direct to the OR?? I have never had any contact or even heard of Clarke Willmot. I filled in the direct debit and signed the agreements sent to me by the OR. Plus now that you mention it my tax code has never changed either??
I am discharged now but that has nothing to do with the IPA as it is supposed to be paid for 36 months like Dalip said.

It just seems like they forgot to take the payments from me....

dalip

They wont expect you to pay it in a lump sum. If they do decide now to realise the IPA, it the 36 mths will start from now.D

PixiePie

From the POV of being taken to court I wouldn't stress - you were sent a DD form and agreement, you signed it and sent it back - therefore you have done nothing to obstruct the OR or not co-operate. Whether or not you forgot all about it (and when you've got a real life going on its not hard to is it really?) it's not your job to be phoning the OR and asking them to do their job - I'm guessing they wouldn't be in a hurry to contact you if it were the other way around (ie you were paying and weren't meant to be).

Don't fret - if you have signed and sent off, and heard nothing since I would think it is highly likely they have either forgotten all about it, or were too busy to ever set it up or a big mistake was made anyway and they never saw fit to actually tell you about this change.

Head down and carry on as you have done would be what I'd do, good luck