IPOQ question - this can't be right can it?

affluenza

Hello all

I have an issue with completing my IPOQ form.

To explain, I moved in with my partner (NOT BR) after my bankruptcy in late August 2011.

My partner earns more than me but we contribute 50/50 towards household expenses. The relationship is still quite new and I moved in with him on the understanding that I would pay my share.

I don't know what he earns and he doesn't want to tell me but obviously the OR wants to know in order to calculate the IPA.

I call up the OR's office and ask how do I complete the form in this case - do I give my partner a salary figure matching my own and then put the full amounts down for expenditure and they then break it down 50/50;or do I put down my salary and half of the joint expenditure?

The upshot of this is that I was told that unless my name is on my partner's property deeds then I should not be contributing towards the mortgage as he managed before without my contribution and he can continue to do so!

I explained that I moved from rented accommodation of £475 a month, and that in doing so I reduced my payments towards accommodation (can't call it rent as such as that opens up yet more cans of worms it seems) to £175; if I don't pay anything then it will put a tremendous strain on the relationship and may result me having to move out etc etc...

I appreciate that my creditors want their share, but surely the partner of a bankrupt shouldn't be penalised for earning more than them.

I thought that the BR was MY problem as we have no financial association. I almost split up with my partner earlier this year because I feared something like this would happen. I don't dispute that I should pay an IPA, and am happy to do so but I didn't realise that my partner would be affected.

What do I do? I now feel like I've dug myself a hole and I've put a big strain on my partner and our relationship.

Surely I am not the only employed BR with an employed NON-BR partner.

Any suggestions?

skylight

Then you are a lodger paying rent! Opens no can at all (not like a tenancy AST could). Get a free lodger agreement online somewhere.

The OR can only take your OHs contribution to the household and not their salary. The OR has no right to that information at all. You're right, the BR is yours, and yours alone. The OR just needs to ensure you are paying an equal fair share but seems either a bit zealous or simply hasn't a clue. And the person you spoke to wont have been the actual OR that oversees things, rather an underling. Imagine it a bit like a big company and the OR is like the CEO that you would never actually talk to.

kepar

Playing DA why is he being penalised, if you are paying your share of the utilities and groceries etc. Like the OR says he was paying the mortgage before you came along.

I have not read of any one else having this problem, maybe the OR is new and trying to make a name.
Others have managed to pay "rent" so I don't see why you cannot do the same.

affluenza

Hi Skylight,

Thanks for your response. I suggested that I get a rentbook and was told that my partner would need to advise his mortgage company that he was subletting... and I would need proof that I was renting etc. So is there a difference between a lodger and a tenant?

I spoke to my "case worker" (or whatever you call them) and they then put me through to the person who calculates the IPAs and I went through it with her just based on guesstimates as I was at work and unable to get my hands on the accurate figures.

Now I am concerned that my life and relationship is in the hands of the office junior from what you say.

Kepar - it came as a heck as a shock. No I've been on this site a long time and I've never read about this before either which is why I am questioning it. There are enough people who think that we are financial lepers without needing to penalise those people who look beyond the balance sheet and see us as worthwhile human beings (because dear God some of us really have difficulty believing that about ourselves).

kepar

If you class yourself as a lodger then.
If you pay over I think it is about £340 a month rent, your partner will have to declare it to HMRC.
INAN will confirm or deny this and give the correct amount.

Ineedaname

I think the argument is that everyone has to pay their way and it's only fair that you contribute towards ALL householed expenditure as by moving in you have increased utility costs which may mean your partner would struggle to meet the mortgage payments.

If you lived elsewhere then you would still have to pay your way.

Personally, in this instance, I would stick to my guns and submit an SOA as the arrangement stands. All you put down for your partner's income is what they pay towards the total household expenditure, i.e. 50% of the costs.

However, if you wanted to push down the lodger route, the OR is right about your partner needing to inform their mortgage lender if you live there as a lodger. Have a look at point 6 under 'What you need to do before you take a lodger'. Although it does depend what's written in his mortgage contract!

The Rent a Room Scheme allows for £354 pcm tax free and that figure includes any amount towards bills as obviously a lodger would not be expected to pay utilities on top of rent, it's usually an all encompassing rental figure, plus any chargeable landline calls made.

affluenza

Hi INAN

Thanks for responding.

So let me get this right - if the total monthly figure for household is say £2000, then I simply put in £1000 as my partner's contribution even if he were earning £2500 (not a real figure before anyone takes it literally)?

Obviously I then contribute £1000 as well, is that right?

Thanks again.

Ineedaname

That's correct, because if you put in anything more then you'll show a false surplus.

Just to add to my comment above aboue everyone having to pay their way. Another point to make is that you have moved in with your 'partner' and a partnership denotes shared responsibilities! Perhaps your OR still thinks the man should provide?

affluenza

Ineedaname wrote: »

That's correct, because if you put in anything more then you'll show a false surplus.

Just to add to my comment above aboue everyone having to pay their way. Another point to make is that you have moved in with your 'partner' and a partnership denotes shared responsibilities! Perhaps your OR still thinks the man should provide?

My ex thought that I should provide everything! This is why he is now my ex!

The inequality in my marriage lead to its demise, but in the case of my ex he just wouldn't provide towards the household at all and he could. But I am not going to perform a post mortem on that relationship.

I will take your advice, they can always ask questions later if they don't like it; I am not obstructing I want to get this sorted as quickly and as fairly as possible.

Thanks again!

Ineedaname

It's up to you to make the decision on which way to go. I've just made suggestions on the arguments I would put to the OR if it were my SOA.

Good luck and do pop back to let us know the outcome.

davidgmmafan

To be honest I think this is pretty straight forward and they are just trying it on (the OR I mean not the OP). They know full well they CANNOT force you or your partner to declare what their income is. The only way they have of trying to encourage this is to assume that they pay half of the expenses which is what you are claiming anyway.

I think I read somewhere (I only read this quickly) that you are now paying less than you were before, in which case I can't see where they are coming from. Its no good just agreeing with the figures if it means a payment you cannot make. Indeed you have a duty not to allow this to happen as this will lead to more problems down the road...