OR interview was a disaster!!!

Suggi

Well today I had my telephone interview with the OR and it was not a pleasant experience, she kept asking why I had taken out payday loans and I kept explaining that there must of been a reason originally but I couldn't remember what the reason was. I also explained that when paying them back I was left short so would borrow again and there began the cycle. During the 45 minute telephone interview I was told that I would have to pay back £290 in an IPA and they want my car which she agreed was valued at £2000. I told her I do a 30 mile journey to and from work daily, plus i have to travel to another work site regularly, she just insisted that every insolvency office sets their own limits and their limit was £1000. She said I should see if I could find someone to buy it for £2000, and they would then give me £1000 to buy something else. I asked her how I would get to work in the meantime and that I did not want to tell my employer about my bankruptcy to which she said she was sorry. I also said that it looks like she is calculating my sons disability living allowance and my child benefit in her calculations to which she asked who is the DLA paid to!!! She then said I needed to send in a letter of proof of his disability as well as 2 years worth of bank statements!!! I just wanted to let everyone know that it's not always that easy. If she had said I could keep my car and pay back more to the IPA I would've been glad. I will no longer be able to take my son to football because it is located in a remote location and being that he is autistic I really don't know how I am going to get around with him plus to both sites for my work. It looks like I may have to find another job or not work at all. So I just wanted you all to know that the interview with the OR is NOT always plain sailing.

Keeping_Positive

Im sorry it was a horrible experience. I would query her workings as im sure they arent to take child benefit into consideration also not you sons dla.

It seems self defeating for them to take your car as you need it for work.

More experts will will hopefully be along soon I hope.

Stay strong xx

debt_doctor

Hi,
I would tell her that a £1000 car would not be suitable for a vehicle that had to do 60 miles each day and be reliable.
Suggest that £1500 is more realistic and start saving up £500 to hand over to the OR. If she isn't happy then tell her you want to make a formal complaint as you need a car for work - no car = no IPA, and £1k isn't enough in your circumstances.

Do you think your IPA is fair?

DD

SteveABC

Sorry it was not a good experience.

My car was worth £1500 at the time of BR and I explained I did 50 mile round trip to work every day and also (like you) needed it for work for meetings in other office's etc.

My son too received DLA. I told them I also needed a reliable car to cater for the needs of his disability.

I was able to keep the car.

Regarding the DLA, this too was originally included as income available to me (as it was classed a "total household income") and my IPA was ridiculously high and unaffordable. I wrote the OR a letter explaining about my son's disability and that the income was designed for him to meet the cost of additional expenses in connection with his condition. I also reminded them that in all means-tested benefit calculations, DLA is classed as a disregarded income and I felt that should be applied to my IPA.

Luckily for me, they then reduced the IPA by over £200, but had they not I would have appealed or asked for a review.

Hope it works out for you and good luck.

Suggi

Thanks KP I'm beginning to wonder if I've done the right thing.
@DD I will suggest that. I don't dispute the IPA because I knew I would have to pay something back but I'm more upset about my car. I'm a single parent and to now have to go looking for a reliable car is just upsetting. I was supposed to call my friends and family this evening to see if they can help but I just don't have the energy. I feel like my stress is never going to go away.

Keeping_Positive

Try to relax this evening have a bath and early night then come out fighting tomorrow xx