Going BR and to do list - any help and advice greatly appreciated

Marru

Hi,

I have decided to go BR. I started a DMP over a year ago but I have now come to the point where I feel that BR is only solution to get out of this mess. I do admit that this mess was created by me being naive and also not doing my homework properly (I bought into franchise when DD was one and half of my debt came from this utter failure and waste of money and time).

So I am hoping to record here how things are going but at the same time I would be so grateful if you kind people could give me hints and tips for creating my to do list that I need when I prepare to go BR. When I came to this board first time over a year ago someone had created a great list of things she had done including how to time opening new bank account, how to deal with all the benefits, utility accounts etc. So please if there are excisting lists can you kindly point me towards them.

Thank you!

Marru

Here is my to do list:

- Find out which court I need to contact to go BR - done 24/6/09
- Find out which forms I need to fill - done 24/6/09
- Close my online book shop (been making loss last three months) - done 29/6/09
- Stock up on animal food and bedding - done 30/6/09
- Book court date - done 15/7/09, booked for 07/10/09 :eek:
- Fill all needed forms - in progress

- Sell my stock to get money towards BR
- Contact creditors and tell them that I am preparing my new SOA and seeking financial info as to hope that this would buy me time before they get court orders against me
- Prepare SOA
- Call National Debtline with SOA as to make sure I am doing the right thing and can say that I have received advice
- Inform all income sources to start paying me by cheque
- Set up new account
- Find out if I can keep my laptop and other office equipments - if not figure out what to do

stintond

just a word about utilities ,gas electric , you can put these into the bankruptcy , what you can do is change provider and arrange the new service to start at the time of the bankruptcy , that way you will pass any credit check to get the cheapest direct debit deals.
Then put the old utility bills in with your bankruptcy , you will start fresh then without owing any money from that date.

peachyprice

Most utlities won't let you switch if you have arrears, they just go into your BR and set up a new account for you starting at £0 from the date of BR, no need to switch at all.

Merry_Gentry

Marru wrote: »

Here is my to do list:

- Close my online book shop (been making loss last three months)
- Sell my stock to get money towards BR
- Contact creditors and tell them that I am preparing my new SOA and seeking financial info as to hope that this would buy me time before they get court orders against me
- Prepare SOA
- Call National Debtline with SOA as to make sure I am doing the right thing and can say that I have received advice
- Find out which court I need to contact to go BR
- Book court date
- Find out which forms I need to fill
- Fill all needed forms
- Inform all income sources to start paying me by cheque
- Set up new account
- Find out if I can keep my laptop and other office equipments - if not figure out what to do

Hey Marru

You can set up your bank account anytime you're ready - Co-op and Barclays are traditionally the ones that welcome bankrupts, although the Co-op have started turning down people who have any debts towards them or any of their partners in their bankruptcy.

This way, you can arrange all your DDs and payments in advance. As long as you open the most basic account and let the OR know this is your account for post-bankruptcy you should have no problems.

If you can avoid speaking to your creditors, it will avoid them piling on the pressure. Obviously it's up to you if you want to speak to them, but if they discover you are thinking about bankruptcy some of them can get a bit nasty.

Your list of things to do seem pretty comprehensive, and obviously you can juggle around the order in which you do them as things change.

CCCS do an online dept questionnaire that might help you, but a lot of people prefer National Debtline. Just be prepared to spend some time on redial as they are all really busy lately!

Good luck and let us know how things go.

stintond

ah , OK its just that I thought they would put him on a prepayment meter and all that crap , which is a higher tariff.

Marru

I don't have any arrears with utilities and I like my present provider so am hoping to be able to continue with them. So would I just inform them about the BR and then change the details for direct debits?

stintond

In that case I wouldnt bother telling them youre bankrupt.

Merry_Gentry

Marru wrote: »

I don't have any arrears with utilities and I like my present provider so am hoping to be able to continue with them. So would I just inform them about the BR and then change the details for direct debits?

You might not even need to change the details. I must admit I didn't change my providers - just carried on paying as I had done before, and nothing was cancelled or anything like that, but we did move house just before going BR so my situation was different.

crow

can I just clarify what peachy said? do you mean that if you have utility arrears eg gas, you can go bankrupt and the utility company cancels out the arrears and lets you start again without installing a prepayment meter? Do they ask for a deposit or guarantor? That seems very nice of them! Or do you mean you can stay with them if you don't have arrears?

crow

BTW way, what the dickens is BSC membership? Boston Sports Club? Bucharest Student Chapter? Bird Spotting Canada? or Broke & Skint Club?