Interview at 10.30am Tomorrow

andreap1984

Ok, my interview is at half 10 in the morning

I am absolutely panicking, feel sick and scared

Can anyone advise what kind of things they will ask me? How long will it last and do I see the Official Receiver straight after (if so do I need all my bank statements)?

Because of the new changes from 1st December I changed my SOA and put an extra £30 to cover my Sky (Dojoman advised to do this), do I need to explain that i've done this and if not won't they ask how i'll be paying for Sky?

JMV

Is it your court petition or your OR interview?

My Telephone interview is at 10am today - so am also feeling a bit sick and scared

If it's in court you are unlikely to have to speak to the judge - and you may speak with the OR's office afterwards but this is just a quick phone call to take some details...I wouldn't explain anything until they ask...and mine was very quick and they are very understanding that this is a stressful time...

Good Luck - think of it like a dentist appointment - you dread it but it will be over soon..x

andreap1984

JMV wrote: »

Is it your court petition or your OR interview?

My Telephone interview is at 10am today - so am also feeling a bit sick and scared

If it's in court you are unlikely to have to speak to the judge - and you may speak with the OR's office afterwards but this is just a quick phone call to take some details...I wouldn't explain anything until they ask...and mine was very quick and they are very understanding that this is a stressful time...

Good Luck - think of it like a dentist appointment - you dread it but it will be over soon..x

Hi, its my court date

I will be a nervous wreck on my OR interview. Really worried that my past bank statements will show me buying things for myself but this was before everything went wrong

What if they pick at me and ask why I was buying things when I was in so much debt, it wasn't a lot just like bits and pieces on Ebay etc but i'm scared they will come down on me

What if I can't explain every single purchase?

JMV

Please, don't worry too much - court is really pretty painless (although you can't help being nervous)....

I don't think you will need to explain every little purchase - especially if they were before things went wrong...

I'll post agin after my interview so you'll have an idea of what they ask...but I think they are looking for the 'bigger picture' not every little detail....

hopefully someone else will come and reassure you - have a read of some of the posts on here about what happened at court and interviews - I found them very helpful in preparing for what was going to happen...

andreap1984

JMV wrote: »

Please, don't worry too much - court is really pretty painless (although you can't help being nervous)....

I don't think you will need to explain every little purchase - especially if they were before things went wrong...

I'll post agin after my interview so you'll have an idea of what they ask...but I think they are looking for the 'bigger picture' not every little detail....

hopefully someone else will come and reassure you - have a read of some of the posts on here about what happened at court and interviews - I found them very helpful in preparing for what was going to happen...

Thank you, hope it all goes well tomorrow and please let me know how it all goes so I have an idea of what to expect

:-)

Angiepange

Hi andrea

Let me tell you how the court day was for us and hope I can reassure you, how straightforward and professional it was. I know you are scared stiff at the moment, I was too, and no matter how much reassurance from others you get, its fear of the unknown. But I have read so many posts about peoples experiences of the court day and I am yet to read a bad one. In fact most people post with suprise at how smoothly and non judgemental they are dealt with in court.

Our court was a walk in service opening at 9.30. We got there for 9 and was directed by a friendly receptionist upstairs to the counter to wait for opening. We were first in the queue, joined by 3 other people all waiting to declare BR. The counter clerk called us over, checked through our forms, amended a couple of errors and got us to sign the forms. We also had to swear on the bible. The clerk was really nice, chatty, put as at our ease explaining what would happen next.

We then went back downstairs to wait to see the judge. We probably waited about 45 mins. Then got called in together (husband and me) to a small room where we were greeted by a lovely friendly lady judge. She had our forms in her hand and was skim reading our reasons for going BR. She was really sympathetic, asked us a couple of questions about a debt advice company we had approached prior to BR (long story but basically had been messed around by them big time) and extended us her sympathy for what had led us to BR (at which point I got very tearful) and said she had no problem with stamping our BR orders.

We were in and out in 5 mins. Also, andrea, many people do not go in front of a judge, so that may not happen with you. After that back upstairs to wait for a brief call from the OR. We both spoke to him, again he was very nice, confirmed a few ID details with us, we then had the opportunity to discuss our CO Op basic account we had opened prior to BR, he took the account number etc and said that would be fine to use and wouldn't be closed. He also told us they would be in contact shortly to arrange our interviews and that was it.

All in we were at court for just over 2 hours.

About a week later we received a phone call booking our telephone interviews and then got a letter in the post asking for bank statements wage slips etc, to return to the OR prior to our interviews, which took place about 2 weeks after court day.

Sorry I have waffled on but just wanted to try and reassure you that you will be fine tomorrow and come back and post so we can say 'told you so' in the nicest possible way of course! :)


Good luck hun, you will be fine.

Angie x

andreap1984

Angiepange wrote: »

Hi andrea

Let me tell you how the court day was for us and hope I can reassure you, how straightforward and professional it was. I know you are scared stiff at the moment, I was too, and no matter how much reassurance from others you get, its fear of the unknown. But I have read so many posts about peoples experiences of the court day and I am yet to read a bad one. In fact most people post with suprise at how smoothly and non judgemental they are dealt with in court.

Our court was a walk in service opening at 9.30. We got there for 9 and was directed by a friendly receptionist upstairs to the counter to wait for opening. We were first in the queue, joined by 3 other people all waiting to declare BR. The counter clerk called us over, checked through our forms, amended a couple of errors and got us to sign the forms. We also had to swear on the bible. The clerk was really nice, chatty, put as at our ease explaining what would happen next.

We then went back downstairs to wait to see the judge. We probably waited about 45 mins. Then got called in together (husband and me) to a small room where we were greeted by a lovely friendly lady judge. She had our forms in her hand and was skim reading our reasons for going BR. She was really sympathetic, asked us a couple of questions about a debt advice company we had approached prior to BR (long story but basically had been messed around by them big time) and extended us her sympathy for what had led us to BR (at which point I got very tearful) and said she had no problem with stamping our BR orders.

We were in and out in 5 mins. Also, andrea, many people do not go in front of a judge, so that may not happen with you. After that back upstairs to wait for a brief call from the OR. We both spoke to him, again he was very nice, confirmed a few ID details with us, we then had the opportunity to discuss our CO Op basic account we had opened prior to BR, he took the account number etc and said that would be fine to use and wouldn't be closed. He also told us they would be in contact shortly to arrange our interviews and that was it.

All in we were at court for just over 2 hours.

About a week later we received a phone call booking our telephone interviews and then got a letter in the post asking for bank statements wage slips etc, to return to the OR prior to our interviews, which took place about 2 weeks after court day.

Sorry I have waffled on but just wanted to try and reassure you that you will be fine tomorrow and come back and post so we can say 'told you so' in the nicest possible way of course! :)


Good luck hun, you will be fine.

Angie x

Thanks for the mesage Angie, it is reassuring but agree as its the unknown I probably won't feel better until its all dealt with tomorrow

With regards to the OR interview and sending them statements I am worried that they will scrutinise that before I strarted paying for everything (as partners business failed) I was still buying myself things - not spending loads, but I wasn't paying the debts as CCCS advised I didn't have enough to make payments, I wrote to them advising them of this and asked if they'd freeze interest etc but they never did and nor would they take smaller payments that I could afford)

I am and have been for the past 4 months paying for everything which leaves me nothing hence why I am declaring myself BR.

I have taken advice from CCCS and National Debtline who both advised BR was the best option, do I just need to tell the judge this or do I need to show proof I have spoken to them?

Angiepange

We didn't need to show the judge proof, although our reasons on the forms stated we had taken advice from CAB, CCCS and National Debtline. She did comment that after our horrendous experience with Debt Advice Network, she was pleased we had contacted the above mentioned debt charities and received free, impartial advice. But that was all, no proof necessary.

I think its natural to worry about every pre BR transaction you have made, but in our experience we were never questioned about what had gone in or out of our bank account in the months leading up to BR. The OR was more interested in when credit had been taken out, when we had remortgaged the house or consolidated debts and what that money had been used for.

couldntgetworse

As far as the court goes mine went something like this.

1) Emptied bank account via the cash point (before the hearing).

2) Arrived at 8:20am (my local court open early for BR's so you don't get people listening in)

3) Wait in queue, got seen at 8:30am

4) Hand over forms in triplicate (yes you need 3 copies). Clerk goes through forms with you (no they don't ask anything about what debts are for, they just check they are filled out correctly).

5) Read a statement that you agree by signing another form you aren't telling any porkies.

5a) nearly forgot this bit lol....... Hand over £600 in cash

6) Get told to return in two hours, however, should the judge have any questions you need to be in the building (they'll have a restaurant/cafe, so take a paper and a couple of quid for a coffee)

7) Return to Clerk's desk, and get a bit of paper with your BR number on it, and I was then told the OR would be in touch within 48 hours.

8) Leave court and go on a mad spending spree (actually this bits a joke, to try and lighten the mood)

Thats it btw, there is nothing to worry about.

After this the OR will get in touch, you'll arrange a phone interview, and they'll send a list of stuff they want (12 months bank/credit card statements statements/loan agreements that sort of stuff).

Seriously don't worry about it, the most painful bit is having to sit in the cafe for a couple of hours doing nothing.

Cheers.

andreap1984

Angiepange wrote: »

We didn't need to show the judge proof, although our reasons on the forms stated we had taken advice from CAB, CCCS and National Debtline. She did comment that after our horrendous experience with Debt Advice Network, she was pleased we had contacted the above mentioned debt charities and received free, impartial advice. But that was all, no proof necessary.

I think its natural to worry about every pre BR transaction you have made, but in our experience we were never questioned about what had gone in or out of our bank account in the months leading up to BR. The OR was more interested in when credit had been taken out, when we had remortgaged the house or consolidated debts and what that money had been used for.

Well that I can cover, I was just worried that i'd need to explain every single penny. No doubt I will probbaly end up in tears as i'm useless at keeping things together and explaining this to people without getting into a tongue tangeled mess

Suppose I need to realise that there are loads of people in my shoes - I just want to kiss goodbye to the last few rubbish years I have had and look forward to a fresh new start to 2011.

sugarbabe-47

Hi Andrea

I agree with Angie as below:

Let me tell you how the court day was for us and hope I can reassure you, how straightforward and professional it was. I know you are scared stiff at the moment, I was too, and no matter how much reassurance from others you get, its fear of the unknown. But I have read so many posts about peoples experiences of the court day and I am yet to read a bad one. In fact most people post with suprise at how smoothly and non judgemental they are dealt with in court.

Mine was the same, we all feel anxious, scared etc and once it is over you too will be reassuring people on here

It is a rollercoaster of emotions but remember you haven't committed a crime - just had some bad times. Its the O/R's job to ask questions to understand the situation that you are in and they are sympathetic and very understanding.

Good luck and take care
Sugar