Someone I can physically sit down with for advice.

pluspad

Hi all,

Does anyone have any suggestions of any organisations me and my wife can actually sit down with, hand over our very detailed accounts to, show our loan agreements to etc. and then sit and discuss the best options for us?

At this point we are thinking that an IVA is the best option, but we would like to talk it though with someone who knows what they are talking about, face to face.

I have read the ‘Debt Problems: Where to start, what to do” article, and have looked through the list of suggested companies to contact. As far as I can see the only one that I and my wife can actually visit is the CAB. This would be all well and good, but they have been useless. I visited my local CAB which is in the process of being shut down, they said they can offer brief and basic ‘over the counter” advice, but nothing more. So I contacted the CAB office in the next town and got told that they cannot give advice on IVAs as it is a legal document?!? I explained I just wanted someone to go over our situation with and ask if an IVA is the best option, but he insisted they were not allowed. I then called another CAB office in another adjacent town, to be told there was no-one at that office qualified to discuss IVAs. At this point I got fed up and came on here.

Does anyone have any other idea’s, we just want to sit down with someone knowledgeable and share our dire finances with them.

Thanks in advance.

MyLastFiver

Natwest.

Only joking!

Sounds like you got a raw deal from the CAB, but they are right - an IVA is a legal document and if you want to discuss its ins and outs perhaps you need to talk to a solicitor. The profession runs schemes so you can get an initial consultation free.

Failing that, National Debtline really are superb. OK it's over the phone but they can give you all the information available. The thing is with debt, every case is different and it may be that no one can tell you what to do. They give you all the facts and you need to make a decision yourself about the best course of action.

Also, post your SOA on here - we can give our opinions as to your best course of action. An awful lot of people think they need an IVA or to go bankrupt, when all they relaly need to do is negotiate reduced payments to their creditors.

RAS

Have you spoken to Christians against Poverty?

tiddly_widdly

I second the above post CAP Christians against poverty will come out to you and sit down with you to help. They are great and dont charge. google them, their base is in Bradford I think but they have centres nationally.
Good luck

Numpty_Monkey

This is from Martins link to Non-profit Debt Counsellors' List

Christians Against Poverty: Debt counselling agency, which specialises in helping those who are emotionally struggling too. The religious focus is why they do it, not how they do it. Link: Christians Against Poverty or call 01274 760720.

CLAPTON

Face to face is often the best way of getting help, however its also best to prepare as best you can before such a meeting.
Prepare an SOA
http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx

post it up here and get some initial feedback.

whether an IVA is best for you or even feasible depends on the SOA

In_debt_5

Have you actally tried contacting CCCS for example. Even though it is over the phone I found them very easy to talk to knowledgable and above all supportive and understanding; I can not recommend then enough. My husband and I put the phone on loud speak and sat at the dining room table with all of our paperwork out in front of us. It was just as if we had someone in the room with us.

pluspad

Wow.. thanks for the great replies. I'll visit http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx tomorrow and get it posted.

Thanks for the help.

OliveOyl_2

Good Luck Pluspad

Can I just add a vote for the CAP group.
Someone I know is training at their church to deal with initial enquiries from people such as you and me.
They are like the front line.- trained in only the basics of budgeting etc. But when someone comes in and their debt is beyond immediate help they refer them to fully trained advisors.