Worried about your OR interview?

lynnellen

my husband and i had a F2F interview a couple of weeks ago, i was really nervous but she was really nice and even got made coffee whilst i waited, she said we had made it easier for her by completing all our paperwork and taken all relevent paperwork required, also our expenditure figures were realistic, just waiting now to see if i can keep my car and if an IPA put on hubbys wages,

indigobeing56

I've just (finally) phoned to make my appointment at Court and it's not till May. Just want to say thanks for this information as I am very nervous about going and fear saying the wrong thing.
Have read lots on here but not posted yet. Nervous till May!

Spleen_2

This thread has helped - thank you.

I'm nervous about my OR appointment too. He immediately asked for a F2F, not sure why but that made me more nervous. I'm thinking "maybe he thinks I'm a complicated case" (I don't think I am)

Anyway, I see him on 15th May.

Spleen

rossireps

hi spleen
i honestly think its better as you can get things accross better,well hopefully anyway lol. also they can see your genuine from the body language etc. ive just had to speak to my examiner on the phone and although she was nice enough,it was horrible. as i couldnt see her so was panicking. good luck with it all im sure u will be fine

debtinfo

Hi Spleen, commonly F2F might be if you have been trading.

Sometimes though it is as simple as the examiner might be training or have to do so many per year to keep them from getting rusty, i kniow when i was training you would look for someone who lived fairly close to the office and pull them in for a F2F (hopefully an easy one) just to get a taste of doing F2F, just as nervous for the examiner when they first start doing them, if you dont believe look for the red panic buttons on the wall when you go in

IF

Hi Spleen, from you other posts you did owe HMRC so as DI has said this is probably why you have a F2F interview.

Please take deep breathes you'll be fine and take a bottle of water in with you and while they are writing things down you can have sips of water, so you don't feel you have to fill in the pauses. And if you don’t know the answer to a question just say so. Do have a list with all questions ‘you’ want to ask too.

Let us know how you get on

Best wishes
If...x

DelW

I have had the initial OR interview by phone but then received paperwork in the post asking for bank statements for the last 12 months. I'm so worried they'll say that at times when it looked like I has some money I should have paid more to my creditors. Apart from "telling me off" can someone let me know what else might happen. I am not in a position financially now to make payments to my creditors, hence BR. I've read that OR doesn't like it if it looks like you had money and got rid of it or disposed of it in some way. I just spent it! But I am worried though. any response would be much appreciated.

mysterio_2

DelW wrote: »

I have had the initial OR interview by phone but then received paperwork in the post asking for bank statements for the last 12 months. I'm so worried they'll say that at times when it looked like I has some money I should have paid more to my creditors. Apart from "telling me off" can someone let me know what else might happen. I am not in a position financially now to make payments to my creditors, hence BR. I've read that OR doesn't like it if it looks like you had money and got rid of it or disposed of it in some way. I just spent it! But I am worried though. any response would be much appreciated.

try not to worry (I know easier said) nobody's going to tell you off at alll..they've seen it all before and nothing nasty's going to happen trust me on that

if we're talking large sums of cash they will ask what you spent on...and nothing else usually

Spleen_2

Well the OR interview is tomorrow. Thanks so much for your advice and reassurance.

I'll go through all my paperwork again tonight to make sure I know what's what and don't get myself tied up. And you're absolutely right, I'm just gonna be honest about everything, even the stuff I can't answer.

I have been a sole trader, so I guess that's why I've got a F2F, thanks for clearing that one up.

I'll let you know how it goes

Spleen

Spleen_2

Finally had my F2F with the OR today. I cannot describe how nervous I was, so I'll share my experience with everyone - particularly if perhaps you're facing the same.

The person I saw, like Arrowarra, was very professional, but did his best to put me at ease. A reassuring smile, the odd conversation not related to the BR, and really made an effort to make the whole thing straightforward and not too scary.

Like Arrowarra said, tell the truth! Say "I don't know" or "I can't remember" if that is the case. I did this a few times, and it wasn't a problem. Take the time beforehand to go through your petition and try to remember what you spend eg your credit card debts on. I also made a small timeline, so I could easily refer to where I was working, when I was trading, who I was working for at any one time. This helped to build up the picture of how I got into this state.

At no point did he try to trip me up, or apportion blame, or ask why I'd been so stupid. It was just a simple case of gathering facts or asking why a particular incident had happened.

He was friendly and clear about the next things that would happen and answered some of my questions really clearly at the end.

In all, the interview lasted about an hour and a half. Thankfully, (although there is an order on the property), I can continue to live in my home, and my car was also not claimed. I was prepared to lose both, so am relieved that I'm able to keep both whilst bankrupt.

Looks like I'll get a BRO, which I'll take on the chin.

I'm not saying this is an easy ride (none of it has, so far), but at least relax, be honest, and be assured that they are simply getting information for their report and need to get their head around your personal circumstances.

Spleen