Declared Bankrupt on 31st July in Scotland - My tale of woe!!

madsainty

First thing is I wish I had found this site over the past six months when I was trawling for advice and looking for shreds of comfort to get me through each day.

I live in Scotland now and was declared Bankrupt on 31st July through the LILA scheme, it was not the proudest day of my life but as each day passes since I realise it was the most couragous day of my life and that to me is more important now!

Being declared bankrupt on the 31st of July was important to me as my birthday is the 2nd of August which was a Sunday and therefore the friday before was the last day I could have been declared bankrupt before my birthday!! Seems trivial but Im going to be 40 next year and that means that my discharge should come before my 40th Birthday and therefore in the truest sense my life will begin again..That was very important to my mindset and gives me hope going forward.

My story is the same as others, credit card that kept ramping up the credit and an inibility to stop myself spending it. But my credit card debt wasn't enormous by some standards (around £5000). What killed me in the end was a car loan. I moved back to Scotland in November last year after 6 years in Southern Ireland. Life for the most part was good and I had some good jobs earning good money, but minimum payments were all I ever made on cards etc. I changed my car in Feb 2008 and the cost of the deal was €16000 euros give or take with interest. I worked away until October when my life spiralled out of control and I had what can only be described as a breakdown. I quit my job, I hated everyone and I hated myself and I had to get away so I left Ireland and my wife behind and came home to Scotland. Thankfully my wife followed me in January and without her support Id have been lost forever. I was back in Scotland, no job, no money and the bills started mounting with defence mechanism one kicking in (ignore them all)..But that doesnt work so I tried to negotiate and it all calmed down. But the car was a problem so I arranged with the financing bank to return it to them at my own request despite the pitfalls involved. Drove the car over to Dublin and dropped it off and headed for the airport.

Then the email arrives to tell me that they have sold my car at auction for €1500 euros!!! Probably a 10th of its worth!!!...And here is the bill for the other €12878 euros thank you very much...No money, no income, no benefits (told I couldnt claim cause Id been out the UK for 6 years and paid no NI in that time here) and now debts amounting to £17000 or so....

So the hassle started, letters etc that were sometimes dealt with, sometimes ignored, I battled with my bank over charges and generally wanted to fight with everyone until finally I got some good advice and started to look into the LILA scheme..Having worked all my days and been a proud man it seemed like failure to go down that route but now I have, no matter what happens going forward I know I have made the right decision and I also know that life will truly start again for me.

Sadly my wife cant also take this route and her wage doesnt support us both and leave extra money so she is now getting the threats and hassle over her three credit cards, I cant help her cause I have no money. I want a job but 400 applications and not a single interview make you wonder what the hell is happening to the world. She earns more than the cut off level for LILA and none of the debts are at the stage of court action, they like to threaten and abuse long before that stage is reached..Anyone with knowledge of the Scottish system who can help and advise would be gratefully received. The hell has simply left my shoulders and moved full square onto her's. She would happily consider Bankruptcy now and then we can both move on and start our new debt free life..its a day I look forward to with hope!!

So thats my story, long but hey we all have a tale to tell and I know from reading other threads just how supportive this forum is so well done everyone, Im proud to be a member of such a constructive and supportive club now.

zantelover

Hi Madsainty
I too am from Scotland, and went through the L.I.L.A route too.
I was made bankrupt 5 months ago on 3rd March this year, and have heard nothing since, the difference to my life has been amazing.

mustbedebtfree

I'm in the same boat as your wife.

The only thing I can say is check through all the paperwork and threats for court action and see if you have a charge for payment in amoungst it all

if you do then she can also apply for bankruptcy.

I would also suggest she contact one of the debt charities. I found national debtline were the most helpful for Scottish related questions.

kduffy101

hi,im also from scotland+im about to go br,any help would be great.
£28000 c/cards+£15000 loans.
just been made unemployed(jsa),moving in with my sister.split from wife,house just sold(no profit).
whats the first steps i need to take?
will i need statements from cards?
if i go br under lila scheme,then get a job in the future will i have to pay the money back?
thanks all.

madsainty

Just want to say thanks to those who have been in touch with kind words and support, really appreciated. I think like most things in life it is always easier to know that others are feeling and experiencing the same things and the fact that people are so positive despite what is perceived to be some kind of personal failing gives me real hope that I can come out the other side of this!! Im getting over the feelings of failure now, pride is one thing but its common sense that will rule my life going forward and for me a corner has truly been turned.

Its now 18 days since I was declared Bankrupt, apart from a few bits of information going back and forward I have heard nothing more from the AiB here is Scotland.

After much grief and hassle I finally managed to get the Clydesdale Bank to close our joint account and write off £70 of Bank charges..Thats a moral victory in my eyes, I really do detest the Clydesdale Bank and the tactics they have employed over the past few years, but thats it done now, account balance £0..account closed and my credit card debt was zero'd four days before my bankruptcy!!! Im guessing they may have sold it on!!! Hope whoever bought the debt didnt pay too much for it lol.....

My wife opened an account of her own for her salary etc so at the moment I dont actually have a bank account for the first time in 30 odd years, thats strangely liberating but I guess the fact I have no job, dont get benefits and therefore have no money means I dont really need a bank account!!..Ive read all the comments on here about accounts that accept bankrupts so I will probably deal with that in the coming few weeks, The nearest Co-op branch is Glasgow and I'm in Aberdeen so thats probably not an option so I guess the local branch of Barclays will get a visit, hopefully that will work out ok.

And the saddest thing Ive done in the past 3 weeks, Ive put a countdown widget on my laptop's desktop to count down the days, hours and minutes to July 31st next year!!!...lol well maybe thats not so sad after all lol

mustbedebtfree

madsainty wrote: »

Just want to say thanks to those who have been in touch with kind words and support, really appreciated. I think like most things in life it is always easier to know that others are feeling and experiencing the same things and the fact that people are so positive despite what is perceived to be some kind of personal failing gives me real hope that I can come out the other side of this!! Im getting over the feelings of failure now, pride is one thing but its common sense that will rule my life going forward and for me a corner has truly been turned.

Its now 18 days since I was declared Bankrupt, apart from a few bits of information going back and forward I have heard nothing more from the AiB here is Scotland.

After much grief and hassle I finally managed to get the Clydesdale Bank to close our joint account and write off £70 of Bank charges..Thats a moral victory in my eyes, I really do detest the Clydesdale Bank and the tactics they have employed over the past few years, but thats it done now, account balance £0..account closed and my credit card debt was zero'd four days before my bankruptcy!!! Im guessing they may have sold it on!!! Hope whoever bought the debt didnt pay too much for it lol.....

My wife opened an account of her own for her salary etc so at the moment I dont actually have a bank account for the first time in 30 odd years, thats strangely liberating but I guess the fact I have no job, dont get benefits and therefore have no money means I dont really need a bank account!!..Ive read all the comments on here about accounts that accept bankrupts so I will probably deal with that in the coming few weeks, The nearest Co-op branch is Glasgow and I'm in Aberdeen so thats probably not an option so I guess the local branch of Barclays will get a visit, hopefully that will work out ok.

And the saddest thing Ive done in the past 3 weeks, Ive put a countdown widget on my laptop's desktop to count down the days, hours and minutes to July 31st next year!!!...lol well maybe thats not so sad after all lol

Hi There

I am in Aberdeen too and you can call the COOP to open an account

Thats what i did :j