How do you choose an IP for an IVA

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debtinfo wrote: »

Couldn't agree more DC. There are lots of good IP's there, I was just saying that it's not impartial as it is basically a club which is why the mods may not like people redirecting posters there which was the original statement.

For the record I have heard good things about Melanie as well

Hi debtinfo

I have no issues or problems with any of your posts on this thread, they are spot on in my opinion.

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furrybloke wrote: »

My opinion is that you should always talk to Payplan & CCCS as the charity advice. See what they suggest, if an IVA then shop round the IP companies, that way you avoid all the sales speak to start with & if you are recommended an IVA you go with who feels the best & if it sounds to good it is, there are always the companies that will say it twill only cost you a pittance to get you to sign up.

Hi

Fair enough, thats your opinion and sounds good to me, but remember Payplan are not a charity and never have been as far as I am aware.

Also, both the agencies you mention have reps on the iva.co.uk forum I believe.

nottoolate

allofadither wrote: »

Hubby is a sole trader and he is considering either BR or an IVA. All personal debt not business.

So, how do folks decide on a suitable IP?

If for example, he approaches CCCS or someone similar and he is deemed suitable for an IVA, I've read on here that they will out source self employed cases to Grant Thornton.

Is that also the case for other debt charities?

Are people allowed to make recommendations on this forum?

Thanks,

Dither

do your research everywhere you can and make sure you avoid the truly dreadful firms like debtfreedirect

Anondebtadvisor

I have also heard very good reviews about Melanie Giles and her team :-)

milliemonster

Well I am a member of the 'other forum' and have been since before I started the IVA and I chose Melanie Giles as my IP based on reviews and her conduct on that site.

I have to say 2 years down the line I know i made the right decision. I do wholeheartedly agree with debtinfo and DC's posts regarding iva.co.uk, I think the reason I tend to direct people there when they have a burning question is because I know they will get an answer there quicker than they will on here, I have to say I haven't ever come across a thread being frozen due to it not being 'in the right vein' so to speak, and that's after being an active member on there for 2 years now.

It's not a club, anyone can join, like they do here really. There are representatives from many firms, (including payplan, CCCS and national debtline, and CA occasionally) along with a few IP's, they do get a lot of spam though.

In my own experience though, I first spoke to Tina Shortland from Mel giles team who is one of her debt advisers, after speaking to CCCS who I found totally alien/condescending, Tina was like speaking to my best friend, she didn't recommend any solution to me at all, just spelled out my options after listening to me blabbering through the tears for over an hour and left me to come to my own conclusions and which way I should go.

We spent a couple of weeks deciding to go ahead and then phoned Tina back, we then spent a further 6 months back and forth with Mel/Tina etc to get our proposal right, they put in a lot of effort for us but never once tried the hard sell/ pressure us in any way.

2 years down the line, I can text Tina any time day or night and she will call me to discuss any worries, I can email mel and received a reply within a couple of hours, again any time day or night. Mel is very professional, approachable and fair and I feel we are in safe hands.

Mel does give an awful lot of her own time on that forum and at the very least new posters over there are treated fairly and with respect, somewhat fairly lacking on MSE at times I think.

CCCS would have had me in a 20 year DMP, totally unworkable, I do think IVA's are very worthwhile and although i was a poster on here for a few years before I even found the other forum and went down the IVA route, MSE had always led me to believe rightly or wrongly that I should only deal with a debt charity and that IVA's were essentially 'the bad guy' and only a DMP or BR should be considered. I'm glad I didn't take the advice this forum or CCCS led me to believe and looked further afield.

Anondebtadvisor

What a lovely post MM :-)

You only have to read around this forum and other like it to see the bad experinces some people have with IPs and their IVA companies, unfortunatley all IPs seem to get tarred with the same brush and gives the industry as a whole a bad reputation.

It is good to hear your experience and i am sure you will continue to have a good relationship with your IP and good luck with the rest of your IVA x

milliemonster

Thank you Anon, it hasn't all been plain sailing, we have had car issues and a couple of problems but nothing that hasn't been able to be sorted out, I think that is one of the good things about improvements in IVA's now in that they are not so rigid that you have to put your life on hold for 5 years or don't take into account any emergencies that can crop up during that time.

A good IP is the answer and when you think CCCS have only a couple of IP's for the thousands of customers they have, then they can't exactly give their clients a decent one to one service can they?

Anondebtadvisor

No i agree a good IP and communication is key to IVA success.

It always amazes me the amount of people i come across who have never spoken to their IP.

I always advise people to seek advice from a 2 or 3 companies, always speak with their IP and never go with a company that contacts you or cold calls