OR interview update...

nert

Well I had my interview on Wednesday....this is the bit I have been the most worried about, I literally sat there waiting for the phone to ring and was in a right state by the time it did...

I don't know if the majority are like this or whether I was one of the lucky ones, but the examiner (the same person that rang me the day I went to court- I have never actually spoken to my OR whose name is on my paperwork) but he seemed a genuinely lovely guy...without going into my circumstances he seemed to have alot of sympathy for me (my debts were from a loan left by an ex and negative equity in a property I couldnt stay in) so i dont know if the reasons for my bankruptcy made a difference.

Anyway, he just went through a few points on my SOA, didnt go through every question as I had expected. The only thing that surprised me was he asked quite alot about my job years ago (I left the company, then returned then went part time after mat leave) and also asked alot about the credit cards I had years ago that were paid off using a cosolidation loan I got 2 years ago.

I was very relieved to find out he was happy with my income and expenditure form! :jI was really worried about that so was very pleased when he said that! He was also happy with the fact I have use of a car I do not technically own, another issue I thought may have been a problem.

He said to me I must have been through alot of stress and emotions to have come to the decision to go bankrupt and I needed to stop worrying about who I actually owed my negative equity to for my repossessed property and just to let them fight it out as I didn' tneed to think about it anymore.

At the end I asked a couple of questions and I also mentioned the dreaded IPA. He said he hadn't mentioned it because it wouldnt be applicable in my case, the only thing disallowed on my expenditure was sky for £30- he said he wouldnt ask for £30 a month whern it only takes one thing to happen and you need it and are left with nothing etc. Yay!

We were on the phone for an hour but I asked quite alot of questions myself and as you may have noticed tend to babble on when Im nervous otherwise it wouldbve been alot shorter!

Anyway I just wanted to share this in the hope it will help somebody out who is sitting there currently in the sort of state I was in a few days ago...in my experience none of the process has been as bad as I was expecting, the examiners arent monsters and just want to get the facts straight. I think if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to be nervous about either!

I feel like the weight has been suddenly lifted off my shoulders and the last couple of nights sleep are the best I've had in ages. At this point if everything carries forward as suggested I think I can honestly say it will be the best thing i could ever have done.

If anyone has any questions about my experience please let me know
Thanks and good luck! :beer:

Lou67

:j

Hi nert!

So glad you have it over and done with, and yes everybody DOES dread that call from the OR, but they are almost always really nice. And so are the judges at the courts... Ours was very kind and understanding, and so compassionate that I almost cried.

They know that many people like you (and me - and many others on this board,) have had to go bankrupt often through no fault of their own, but because of circumstances: be it job loss/ marriage break-up / the recession/ new business going belly-up or other similar reasons...

As the notice at the top of this bankrupt forum page says; people go bankrupt after a lot of soul searching and stress and sometimes long periods of depression, and it's not something they do lightly. Some people are very judgemental and spiteful to bankrupts, like they're all low-lifes who deliberately bump up 10s of 1000s of pounds worth of debt, live the life of Reilly for a few years, and then write it off gleefully, and then are seen driving a £30K jaguar around the following week. Some of the negative things that I have read about bankrupts from some people, are unbelievable.

As you know, and as *I* know; most people who go bankrupt have absolutly no choice, as they have exhausted all other options.

Here's to the future, and good luck to you and yours :beer:
Glad you didn't get an IPA too. My husband and I didn't either!

nert

Arh good! Think thats what you worry about the most when you have no disposable income, that your suddenlyn going to be asked to be asked to stump up a load of money each month and wonder where on earth your going to find it from!
I completely agree about the stigma, especially when you see one sided reports about famous people who admit to just having a love for designer items... I'm not ashamed of what I've had to do as I know like you said that it was through no fault of my own- I will therefore tell anyone that i know willingly of the fact I am bankrupt and happy to discuss my reasons. The stigma is not what it was I dont think. Not that I am saying it should be taken lightly, far from it, its just when you have no other option it is sometimes the only way to move forward. It has saved myself and my family years of struggling and stress and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you for your support it means alot to have the people on this board to share things with :-)

Lou67

Hi again.

Yes, you're right about the stigma not being as bad as it used to be, as so many ordinary folk are having to make the decision to go bankrupt now. But some - especially anonymous people on the internet - speak to you like you're something they scraped off their shoe, and like all bankrupts are pond life who purposely rack up debts and purposely write them off. And people like Martine McCutcheon don't help, by going bankrupt, and then being seen in public with £1000 hair extensions a few days after her bankruptcy hearing!!!

And I personally think that an IPA is absurd, because they now take 100% of your 'disposable income,' but there's almost always something that comes along that you will need more money for; so if they take everything off you that 'they' class as disposable income, then you suddenly need extra money for ANYthing; (eg: time off work sick/vet bills for things that are not covered with the insurance/car maintenance bills etc,,,) you're stuffed!

mumofronnienreggie

Thankyou so much for sharing that.. i have got BR looming, just waiting for my Income support claim to be assessed and kick in and then its all go. thankfully, as I understand it from my ramblings on here, i wont even be considered for an IPA due to all income being from benefits but the thought of the OR interview is the bit that scares me sh###ess :-/ and these reports where someone literally tells the story in all its glory make such a good read for ppl like me who are waiting to do it and literally want to know the full ins and outs to put our minds at rest.
thankyou xx