Life after bankruptcy?

ani_26

Hello to all you people on here.

Amazingly, i've only just found these forums by accident today, as i try to find answers to yet something else, bankruptcy has thrown at me.I wish i'd found them sooner, as i've been going through torture, for a year now.But as i read some of the replies, i realise there is no hope of a future for me. At least, thats what its felt like for an eternity, now.

So what brought me here? I'm trying to find out why the OR has frozen my national insurance contributions. I'm responsible for paying my own contributions, and i'm now so stressed i've had to bite the bullet and give up work, for now. I realised i had'nt heard from hmrc for several months, regarding payment, so i rang them yesterday. All they would say is its been frozen by the OR, and i'm not allowed to make any more payments. Thats all they would tell me. How can anyone stop you paying National insurance ? it does'nt make any sense to me.

Let me just say, i have always worked hard, i'm considered to be a ' grafter ' , i've never been off work other than the odd day, in 35 years of work, so i feel maybe i'm entitled to £50 a week sick pay ? In fact, i was working night shifts, then going to work during the day, 7 days a week maybe getting 2 hours sleep, a day, in the run up to my bankruptcy. But no one can keep that up for an indefinite period. I managed it for 4 months.

So, i went bankrupt early this year, no one to talk to about it, and feeling there was only one way out. I still feel there is only one way out of my situation, because nothing has changed, in the meantime. I'm going to court next week, so i can finally get a date for the repossesion of my home, which i desperately wanted to keep. But now, i can't wait for it to be over. The only problem is, i've got nowhere to go, when i finally hand over the keys. I've been trying to find somewhere for a year now, but no one want to rent to someone who is self employed, and i've learnt to keep my bankruptcy hidden, if i can. Estate agents, out of the question, all the private landlords i've met, too. The housing association is now doing its best to help me, with my impending homelessness, despite the fact i've made myself deliberately homeless. But i've still resigned myself to the fact, the day i hand over the keys to my home, i'll more than likely be sleeping in my car that night, as its the only possesion i still own. The OR let me keep it, as its so old. But i can't do that forever, i know that

So i got myself in a mountain of debt, robbing peter to pay paul, and i never considered it just was'nt possible. I had every intention of paying my debts and getting myself out of the situation. Until i realised it was impossible.

And months down the line, i'm still waiting to see if i'm going to have a restriction order placed on me, although reading some of the threads here, it does'nt seem as though it will make much difference. I should know that by now, when you can't even find somewhere to live. I've wrecked my life, with the help of the reccession, and i just don't see any future. I know i've got to get rid of the past. I've got to throw out, largely, the contents of my home, in the next few weeks. Then, at least that is sorted.

Maybe mine is an extreme case, but how do you ever move on from bankruptcy ? I'm too old to start again, realisticly, and i've spoilt any plans for retirement.

Sorry for the essay, but just had the need to get this off my chest.I'm not asking for anything from anyone except maybe the odd kind word or maybe some helpful advice.

Nohope

Amnesty

Hi mate,
very similar situation to what I had, business went tits,Mrs legged it, recession,car accident, depression,house reposessed,bankrupt etc.Enough to make your head spin ey!Might sound daft but you WILL get through it.You HAVE TO stop looking back,really hard trust me I know but it`s the only way.
When you say "handed the keys back"I presume you are voluntarily giving up the house.I don`t know if it`s to late but what you should do if you can is make the !!!!!!s take it from you then you can`t be classed as making yourself homeless and at least they have to get you digs for the time being which is what would appear to be your most immediate problem.
If I can help in any way you can PM me as I`ve quite a lot of experience with this having been through it.Sometimes it`s better looked at from someone on the outside as when your heads messed up you can`t make decisions and just want to crawl into a corner which is where I think you are now matey!
In the mean time get your chin up.As for the rest it`s one thing at a time.So like I said PM me and don`t do anything daft.

stuart30

Hi Nohope...or should that be ""Theres hope"" :T

You've found a very supportive forum who im sure will help with what ever needs sorting.

As already said Housing is main priority...so dont just sit and wait for Housing association annoy the !!!!!! out of them so they dont forget you,be polite but firm or you will sleep in ya car.

Last bloke i know who done that died after the 5th night.:eek:

Thing is your now or nearly debt free...mate it can only go one way now and thats up....;)

crumbling

no wonder you're stressed! I have on practical advice to offer re housing I'm afraid but I'm sure forum members will be around soon who can point you in the best direction.

ani_26

Thanks for your replies guys.

You're right, when your heads messed up, you can't make the simplest of decisions, but it has taken me a long time to accept that i have lost my home. I go to court in a few days, and theres little to say, except i can't afford the mortgage or the arrears which they are still claiming from before my bankruptcy, which is around £14,000 i think, now. I can't believe i'm still so much in debt still, even after going bankrupt. Its never going to go away. All i can do, i think, is to ask the judge for more time to find somewhere to live, but time is'nt on my side.

But really, i just don't care anymore. I'm just a physical body walking around, pretending everything is normal, when it is'nt, and i just can't take the stress anymore. Theres nothing left of me as a person anymore - in fact people at work have said, wheres the old ** , we want you back, but they don't know what i'm going through, and i can no longer continue this charade. I've lost my fighting spirit, in fact, i've lost any spirit, at all. Every time i think i've hit rock bottom and i can't go any further, something else happens, like this stupid thing yesterday, with them saying i'm not allowed to make national insurance contributions. I just don't understand why, and i'm heavily dependant on my state pension, thats all i'll have, if i'm lucky.

I'm not voluntarily going for repossesion. I've been sitting here all these months knbowing i've got to wait for the baliffs to come and evict me. I'm just waiting for the date now, in the hope i'll get some ' social ' housing.

Amnesty

Yep,all sounds pretty familiar!
Like I said one thing at a time,remember that or you will end up going around in circles in your frame of mind.
It would help if you`d answer these questions(good job I`m a night owl ey).
Was the house included in the bankruptcy?If not why not?
The reason for that question is to determin whether or not there is equity in it.
If there is you may be eligible for government rescue schemes and for some of them there doesn`t need to be a lot of equity.
I see you are working so are you paying an IPA?
Is the mortgage company a prime or sub prime lender(thats basically a high street lender or one you got from a broker that you`d probably never heard of before you signed).
How many times has the house been remortgaged,if any?
Have you made any token payments to the mortgage company?
Will this be the first time in court for reposession on this property?
When are you in court?
Ok mate this will do for starters.Over to you.

Amnesty

Forgot to mention.
Even if the fact you are bankrupt stops any government schemes there may be other angles so just answer the questions.
Don`t even worry about the national insurance situation for now.It`s a minor thing at the moment it just seems like a big deal because it`s the latest in a long line of sXXt(easy to get punch drunk).

So_Sad_Angel

Hi Nohope

I think you need one of these Hun... :grouphug: a group hug....& go on then you can be in the middle ...just this once mind

On the property matter you will have a bit of time to once you have been to court on the repo. The judges are human too & will assist in giving time if you explain the situation....4 weeks extra is not unusual.

Have you spoken to your Welfare Rights officer at the council?...I found them so helpful when I was in a similar situation.They also helped with extra benefits when I was ill too.

Shelter are also good & can advise & assist in finding housing http://www.shelter.org.uk/

The council do have emergency housing so get on the housing list asap (you may be on already)...even for bedsits/hostal stuff as at least its a roof over your head.

You have found a good place here on this forum to talk with others who know exactly what you are going through. Talk, rant, cry whatever....believe me we have been there (me especially)....remember its not where you have been ,or what the causes were, its today that matters & finding a place where you can start to rebuild your life.

Come back & talk some more....once you start sharing with others you will see that the light at the end of the tunnel will start to flicker just a little brighter & you will find hope again.

Angie

So_Sad_Angel

Ooooops sorry for the war & peace post.....old habits & all that...LOL:o

ani_26

Thanks again for your support, guys, and the group hug

In answer to all the questions asked - Yes the house was included in the bankrupcy, no theres no equity in it. Yes its a well known high street lender, (one of the worst, i've since heard, for the way they treat you). I changed lenders as i was innundated with with ' offers ' . In fact, when you're on the way down, you're innundated with ' offers ' of everything, from everyone. But i do have to be realistic, and say its my fault i'm in this situation, and yes, its shocking that i owe money, i just can't repay. I feel terrible, with the harsh reality, and i'm still waiting to hear if i'll have a restriction order placed on me, even though i've no intention of ever getting myself into that situation again, ( not that i'd ever have chance to ). I've read too, that it becomes public knowledge, hits the news, which is the worst thing. I'm just an ordinary person thats made alot of mistakes, thats really hard to cope with. But i should stop beating myself up, and i'm trying to live day to day, like you all say, but , well ....

No, i'm not paying an IPA, i have'nt made any token payments etc, as this was advice given to me by one of the advice agencies. They said its throwing good money after bad, since the property is going to be repossessed anyway.

I've tried to contact Shelter loads of times, but they are obviously so busy, i can't get any response form them. I just gave up, to be honest. I am on the housing list,and have been for a year, as again, the advice agency advised me. They wrote to me and said they were taking me off the list, as i'm a homeowner, hmmm , but they did'nt, in fact, and in the last couple of months they've been reasonably helpful, and last week they've just upgraded me me one band, (although still not a priority, from being no priority at all ). They have also put some bids in for me, for next week, although i'm halfway down the list, on all the accomodation.

Thanks for the info about the Welfare rights officer. I think this has been mentioned to me recently, but i'd completely forgotten about it. I'll look into that, when i go to court. I'm hoping the judge will be reasonably sympathetic, in granting me a few extra weeks, to empty the house. So far i've barely started, i've had so many other things to deal with.

I'm surprised you thanked me for my original post So Sad Angel. Maybe it feels like its too late to start posting my story, or for support. It never occured to me there would be a forum for br, but why should'nt there be ? in this day and age. But i'm being honest about what is happening to me, and if i can't help myself, maybe it will help others.

I feel so sad, that in todays soceity, there is little support for ' ordinary ' people like me. I've been stupid and lost everything i've worked hard all my life for. I've always paid my due to my country, and asked for little in return, even rarely using the health service. It feels like i'm one of the ' forgotten ' people, in soceity. I know a few homeless people i've met on the streets, well enough to talk to,and theres this older guy, who always tells me stories of when he used to be an airline pilot, a captain, in fact. Now whether this is true or not, my gut feeling says he was. Because you can tell he is educated, his accent, everything about him. An old lady too, from a similar background. Everytime i speak to them, i think, there but the grace of god, but i don't believe there is a god. But where many people would avoid these people like the plague, i always take time to speak to them, because i genuinely enjoy talking to them, even if theres little else i can do to help them.

So i've gone off on a bit of a ramble now, and i've run out of words

So_Sad_Angel

Nohope wrote: »

I'm surprised you thanked me for my original post So Sad Angel. Maybe it feels like its too late to start posting my story, or for support. It never occured to me there would be a forum for br, but why should'nt there be ? in this day and age. But i'm being honest about what is happening to me, and if i can't help myself, maybe it will help others.

I`m glad you posted this morning & I thanked you as I felt so many similarities in your original post with what I , & so many other people on here, have been through or had to face to some degree or other.

I found that once I started to open up & share my experience I had, without knowing at the time, started the recovery & actually by helping others you are giving back & that help is a wealth far more valuable than money will ever be.

You need an action plan Hun....Start & organise who you will speak to & phone/email/see every organisation that has the potential to help you. Include in this the housing associations.....Guinness Trust may be in your area & don`t forget CAP too ( Christians Against Poverty) btw I`m not religious( at all!) but they have a good network & could help with housing advice.

I can see in your posts that although you may be down you certainly have drive to get this sorted....I suspect that leaving the debt behind will be a blessing in disguise in the long run & you will find a better life than before.

Regarding the homeless folks....misfortune can befall anyone at anytime...this process of BR taught me that as I went from a high flyer job to facing the same situation....my advice is ....don`t give up without a fight!!

Angiex