Newbie Q's: Welcome Finance - Bankruptcy Fee - Pets

blueopal5577

I would really appreciate some help with these questions. I've read many pages of the board (so reassuring actually) after discovering it this evening but still have a couple of unanswered questions. I know some of these probably sound silly but I have an anxiety disorder so they are genuine concerns.


1) After reading a very very scary post about pets... when I file bankruptcy, can they make you sell your dog? I know that council tax bailiffs can take your dog. Thankfully i lost my KC registration and never got round to transfering it into my name.

2) How long does it take for council tax bailiffs to actually break in to a property?

3) How the hell do i pay the £485 bankruptcy fee??? I cant get any credit... CCJs coming out of my ears from my ostrich behaviour (poor mental health and debt turns you into a bird I tell you) I know welcome hassle you for repayments but does anyone reckon they would lend me money? Would the OR consider my borrowing money, to go bankrupt as a reckless expenditure.

4) After talking to the CCCS, I asked about my rent arrear debts - £2000 at last count! They said i could possibly declare it but the housing association are likely to look for any excuse to get me out (something i really cant afford to do)... I have a manageable arrangement with them but would really love a clean slate, this has been 5 years of hell which is just making me ill. Any advice really... anyone declared rent arrears? Should i borrow a large amount to pay off the arrears and then go bankrupt... would the OR object as its favouring a creditor, even though its more understandable than say paying off a credit card???


If anyone has any tips for a newbie to the board it would be most appreciated. Ive got myself into this mess, and decided bankruptcy is the way out but i have a panic attack just thinking about it. Im also scared they'll refuse my petition, despite CCCS saying the fact that im under the community mental health team and debt is hindering my recovery from long term clinical depression, means its pretty much a given that they'll accept it.


Arrrgh so many questions and a good typing speed = a novel.


Apologies


xxx

Dez-Titute

Firstly your pets are safe the posts you refer to were a one off so dont get upset.

Dez-Titute

Blue
,

Seems to me you need to sit down with someone face to face and get this sorted once and for all.My best suggestion here is to contact your local CAB office and arrange an appointment.

BIG HUGS DEz

Rainbow_Butterfly

Im fairly new to this myself, but shall reply and hope that one of the more knowledgeable lot come along in the morning.

The post of Belinda's you noticed was a one off, and the reason that her horses would possibley have been included is that they were according to her worth about £100,000. As the OR has no interest in household assests under £1000 I cannot see them ever being interested in a family pet.

How the hell do i pay the £485 bankruptcy fee???

The admin fee is £345 which everyone has to pay, there is also a £150 court costs amount. You can get exemption from this if you are on certain benefits and you might find that with your health problems that you would qualify for this.. again im sure the other guys can point you in the right direction tomorrow.
As for raising the money, the easiest thing to do is to stop paying all except non essential bills (rent, council tax, electric etc) and save the money you would be spending on loan/ cc payments until you have enough for the BR. Im not sure though how this would be affected by your rent arrears?

I have probably been no help at all, lol, but the real thing I wanted to say as you are still online is to keep your chin up. You are not alone in this and there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. My mother suffers from an anxiety disorder also, and I know how dehabilitating it can be once you get panicked about something. However awful it all seems now, you have made the first steps to sorting it. Also, I was very scared of my bankruptcy, but it was a very easy process, and everyone I have had to deal with at court etc has been more than pleasant.
Im off to bed now, I hope you sleep well too, remember, the only way from here is up!!

eselt

Hi Blue
Very stressful time I know-I was discharged from BR about 6 months ago and the relief of being able to start with a clean slate has changed my life- I know that this process is overwhelming at times, and must be having a negative effect on your depression and anxiety. But the news is not all bad- although this will prove to be a dark time in your life, following the bankruptcy order everything will start to get brighter again:

You must either get an appointment with the specialist debt advisor at CAB or speak again with the CCCS. But to get the full benefit of their advice you have to:

1)Make a list of all your creditors with the full amounts owed- or (like I did because I couldn't face opening half the letters I had piling up at the door) put everything in a box and book an appointment with the CAB, who will face to face help you go through them.

2) If you are definate about BR, phone your local court and ask them to send you the application forms so the CAB can help you fill these in at the same time. (this won't cost you anything). At the same time ask the court about there waiting period following application- mine was a 4 week turnaround, but this could be much longer in your area.

3) Phone the CCCS and make sure you have a registration number with them (this gives any dealings with your creditors more clout)- ask to be allocated a bankrupsy advisor- they will be available to you throughout the process, including OR stuff later on.

4) Ask the CCCS for their bankruptcy guide pack- it contains loads of useful information, including lists of what are priority debts (eg utilities which you have to address) and non-priority debts, and the role of bailiffs etc

5) Phone the council tax people and ask for advice-why are you worried about bailiffs? Who has notified you of this? Are you refusing to pay, or can't pay? Have you made an offer? My CCJ for council tax arrears went like this:"have you got any money?", "no", "what can you afford to repay?" "£1 a week", "OK then". Remember, they can't get blood out of a stone and you haven't got any money, nor are likely to have if this stressful situation continues to make you ill.

6) Might be worth phoning the MIND charity- they deal with a huge number of people in your situation- in fact they have started a campaign with MartinMSE to address the effect debt problems have on mental health-its a huge issue.

7) Going to court is not as scary as it seems. I didn't even go into court or have to speak to a judge-in a separate little office an administrator just took my fee and form and bought it back to me stamped. OR rang the same day- talked me through a few things and that was that. Never heard from any banks or creditors again.

8) You should get a discount for fees, get the court to send the form when you ring and take it to your CAB interview.

9)You should think about any assets you are worried about eg. property, second cars etc and be prepared to discuss why you need them for daily living.

10) If you are getting stressed about phonecalls and letters from creditors, write them a letter explaining you are seeking BR and explaining their constant bothering is affecting your mental health- ask the CAB or CCCS advisor to intervene and contact them on your behalf. Some of the contact can be quite threatening and if you are feeling vulnerable and harrassed the last thing you want is panic attacks when the post arrives or the phone or doorbell rings.

11) Remember you are not alone and a huge number of people are experiencing this worrying process at his time- but thats all it is, a bureaucratic process- and you will get through this, thousands of us do every year.

12) If you have a CPN or community support worker ask them about housing- we have community mental health housing officers who specialise in this sort of thing- they are employed by the NHS primary care trust.

OK, this should be enough to get you started, keep posting and reading the threads (Merrys bankrupcy journey is a good one to read)- and hopefully before long you will have all the support in place to do this. Best of luck, I've been there!!! (still here though to tell the tale)

Rainbow_Butterfly

Thanks Eselt, glad someone came along soon that made more sense than me!!

So_Sad_Angel

Hi Blue

Just want to say welcome Honey & I am sure that being able to read through others` experiences will really help you to realise that you are not alone.

It sounds like you are ready to get your situation sorted so keep posting & asking ....you will feel so much more positive that you are `in control` of the debts & are taking action to resolve them once & for all.

Angiexx

ps great post Eselt!!

mazzatee

Hi Newbie Poster,

Welcome to the board and I hope things go well for you. I have posted some answers and hope you find them useful!


1) After reading a very very scary post about pets... when I file bankruptcy, can they make you sell your dog? I know that council tax bailiffs can take your dog. Thankfully i lost my KC registration and never got round to transfering it into my name. Should be ok unless a pedigree and used for breeding as this increases its value.

2) How long does it take for council tax bailiffs to actually break in to a property? May not come to this. What arrears do you have and what action has council taken? Feedback on this and someone will give you more advice.
3) How the hell do i pay the £485 bankruptcy fee??? I cant get any credit... CCJs coming out of my ears from my ostrich behaviour (poor mental health and debt turns you into a bird I tell you) I know welcome hassle you for repayments but does anyone reckon they would lend me money? Would the OR consider my borrowing money, to go bankrupt as a reckless expenditure. This is possibly the most difficult bit about bankruptcy. Have you got any frineds or family who might lend you money? Have you been a member of a trade union or served in the armed forces as they usually have funds available to help? Also try the Association of Charity Officers on 01707-651777 who may be able to get a trust fund to help you, although to be honest there are few trusts that will help with bankrutpcy fees and they are inundated with applications. Also could your community health team find a fund that can help you as they have many contacts?

4) After talking to the CCCS, I asked about my rent arrear debts - £2000 at last count! They said i could possibly declare it but the housing association are likely to look for any excuse to get me out (something i really cant afford to do)... I have a manageable arrangement with them but would really love a clean slate, this has been 5 years of hell which is just making me ill. Any advice really... anyone declared rent arrears? Should i borrow a large amount to pay off the arrears and then go bankrupt... would the OR object as its favouring a creditor, even though its more understandable than say paying off a credit card??? I would recommend you go back to CCCS and ask to be referred to their bankruptcy service as things are not so clear-cut here. Whilst this is a debt that's provable in bankruptcy many Official Receivers will allow nominal repayments to continue as they do not wish you to lose your property. Firstly go back to the Housing Association and ask them for their policy on rent arrears and if its a "no-no" then you may be able to continue payments.


If anyone has any tips for a newbie to the board it would be most appreciated. Ive got myself into this mess, and decided bankruptcy is the way out but i have a panic attack just thinking about it. Im also scared they'll refuse my petition, despite CCCS saying the fact that im under the community mental health team and debt is hindering my recovery from long term clinical depression, means its pretty much a given that they'll accept it. It is very unusual for a bankruptcy to be refused and I believe your health problems and low income (presuming you are now living on benefits) make you an ideal candidate to file for bankruptcy as the stress of dealing with your debts will only make your existing health problems worse.


Please go back to CCCS and their bankruptcy support service for further help and guidance, they are there to help you!

All the very best and do come back for any further advice. Everyone here will encourage and support you through the process.

AnnesWitterings

gosh I could have written your post myself it mirrors my circumstances exactley, and thank you all for the advice given I now have a bit more info to go on.

It does get better, after lots of banging my head against brick walls I have my Bankruptcy date on 21st Aug and my date with CAb on the 5 th Aug to fill forms in.

This forum is brilliant, many a dark hour has been lightened by the info and what to do on here.

Best wishes

blueopal5577

Thank you so much to everyone on this board, I've recieved so many messages of support its unreal.

I decided to go bankrupt in October last year but have not even been able to look at the forms from anxiety! I found this group around 10pm last night, I was on it til the wee hours, and... I FILLED OUT MY FORM ONLINE! 10 months and all it took were u guys lol.

I just need to get my support worker (god i hate having a support worker - if my other life I actually work as one!!!) to help me open some mail to get the list of creditors and their current fees.

Rainbow butterfly: Your post made perfect sense, I need to ask about a waive. Because im working i dont think they will. I think i just need to apply for a loan thats awful high interest but file bakruptcy immediately with it.

Having read through the info and various other sites last night, Ive learnt that my rent arrears will probably remain with me. That is ok, but it did make me think... what is the legal minimum amount of debt to go bankrupt? Ive had lots of different answers from googling this most basic question. (Worried now my arrears wont be considered... or will they? Will they be taken into account as debt, but then paid back?)


Hmmm who knows. Must call cccs bankruptcy department (didnt realise til someone on here told me that there is a seperate department)

Thank you to everyone who replied or PM'd me.

I'm an addict in 24 hours!!!

shadowdragon

blueopal5577 wrote: »

Thank you so much to everyone on this board, I've recieved so many messages of support its unreal.

I decided to go bankrupt in October last year but have not even been able to look at the forms from anxiety! I found this group around 10pm last night, I was on it til the wee hours, and... I FILLED OUT MY FORM ONLINE! 10 months and all it took were u guys lol.

I just need to get my support worker (god i hate having a support worker - if my other life I actually work as one!!!) to help me open some mail to get the list of creditors and their current fees.

Rainbow butterfly: Your post made perfect sense, I need to ask about a waive. Because im working i dont think they will. I think i just need to apply for a loan thats awful high interest but file bakruptcy immediately with it. I dont think you can do that, the OR wont like you taking out a loan when your insolvent!! I would double check that one.

Having read through the info and various other sites last night, Ive learnt that my rent arrears will probably remain with me. That is ok, but it did make me think... what is the legal minimum amount of debt to go bankrupt? Ive had lots of different answers from googling this most basic question. (Worried now my arrears wont be considered... or will they? Will they be taken into account as debt, but then paid back?) Im sure there was a post on the boards recently where if your a council tenant rent arrears are included in BC, and the Council just reset your balance to 0, and you start again with them.


Hmmm who knows. Must call cccs bankruptcy department (didnt realise til someone on here told me that there is a seperate department) Yes you need to contact them and discuss your situations so they can give you some impartial advice. Also the judge will ask if you have taken any advice on going BC.

Thank you to everyone who replied or PM'd me.

I'm an addict in 24 hours!!!

I have highlighted some concerns you might want to consider.