Court Date for BR on Thursday and I'm scared

Daisy4567

Hi, no proof other than the bank statements. It's what we were advised to put? Well, actually, no, it was more, but we reduced it. When you work it out per meal, per day, it seems barely anything?

Our energy bills are high because unfortunately, in our rented accommodation, we had a dodgy boiler which used loads and has left us repaying a lot.

We don't have breakdown cover but the maintenance, tax, mot etc is included in the essential journeys.

You get a holiday fund???

If I say to the OR to reduce groceries but include that, and emergencies elsewhere, won't she tell me off again?

We've done all of this through the CAB. I'm so gutted their advice, guidance and help seems to be less than optimum.

DH and I both wear glasses, DH should wear contact lenses for his job (as a Chef) as when he sweats where the legs on his glasses lay, it aggravates his psoriasis and ends up bleeding on each side of his head and his nose where they sit. These are £30 a month.

Banquo21

Daisy4567 wrote: »

Does £553.88 seem a lot for groceries and cleaning? It only equates out to £9.89 per day/each which is only £3.29 per meal but obviously a chunk of that goes to cleaning as well

It does seem very high, I'm afraid. It's not certain but you may well be asked to justify this. If you download the expenditure spreadsheet the OR uses you are very high. However, if you have special needs to justify this you should he ok. The OR should be flexible but expect somethings to be changed. Remember this form is to determine what, if anything you can pay back to your creditors in the form of an Income Payment Agreement. If the OR thinks you are upping the expenditure to avoid this they will tell you.

However, in your case I just think you were badly advised and the OR should understand this. They are really cracking down at the moment on Bankrupt forms filled in by professional firms who charge a fee as these eek every penny so an IPA cannot be enforced. Yours doesn't look like that so don't worry. And remember the word Agreement in an IPA. It has to be mutually agreed between the OR and the Bankrupt


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/insolvency-service-household-expenditure-survey-in-connection-to-income-payment-agreements-ipa

egrescrimp

Yes you get a holiday fund having a holiday/break is reasonable

The arrears you owe on the electricity will be wiped out the day you go bankrupt so whatever extra you are paying to clear arrears, remove it

The OR follows guidelines and the food/shopping amount you quote is very high compared to those. If you can back it up with receipts etc you might be fine, but there is a good chance you'll be pushed closer to £400/£450.

The OR won't be mad if your SOA changes between now and the interview, just tell them you've reviewed your outgoings and realised a few things aren't quite right. You may even find the OR adds things or increases/decreases things on your SOA to make things work for you.

Try not to worry too much though, the OR won't leave you on the breadline.

elljay

Yes I agree about the food/household shopping bit. I have been allowed £50 a week as a single person and a couple would normally spend say half again, so £75 a week max. The guidelines suggest more than that so even if you have to cut your amount down you will still have plenty. I don't buy a lot of cleaning materials and so my actual spend in this category is £23 - £25 a week. Did you include pet food in that? I was given an allowance of £40 a month for pet food/vet/insurance separate from my own food etc allowance.

I also agree about the electric/gas bit too. Does this amount include any arrears? If so, remove those and then let us know what your spend is.

I'm a bit concerned that you spent that amount on the credit card and that it went on essentials, which suggests you might overspend on whatever the OR allows you still. Do you have a budget? If not, have a look at the Debt free Wannabe section there are ideas on there about how to make one yourself or use a package. In my case I have a simple spreadsheet with columns for the amounts the OR allows me in each category and I record everything I spend. I enjoy the challenge of underspending where I can, then the spare each week goes into my 'spends' category which pays for all sorts of treats like days out with family at a theme park, pub meals, savings etc etc. But only if I've got the money in there first!! Do you do anything like that?

The other suggestion is to look at the OS board on here for great ideas on changing how you do things so you save some money. Weekly meal planning, bulk buying, dropping a brand etc etc. Because I had cut down so much before my BR, just to pay the bills, I now feel very rich on the amount I am allowed. At last it's great to be in control of my own money instead of it going out just to keep my head above water!!

It sounds to me as if you're taking control now, very positive. It makes such a difference doesn't it.

Daisy4567

Thank you, I'm going to phone National Debtline on Monday and ask their advice to fill in a new SOA.

Just a bit worried because the OR said we 'should have checked our forms' - which we did, over and over, so I'm worried she'll say why do you need to change it? She said it's a legally binding document - can I tell her I feel we had been badly advised?

elljay

Daisy4567 wrote: »

Thank you, I'm going to phone National Debtline on Monday and ask their advice to fill in a new SOA.

Just a bit worried because the OR said we 'should have checked our forms' - which we did, over and over, so I'm worried she'll say why do you need to change it? She said it's a legally binding document - can I tell her I feel we had been badly advised?

Yes the bankruptcy is legally binding and I'm sure the info you've given about your creditors is accurate as far as you know and the reasons why are I'm sure, perfectly truthful, but the IPA/SOA bit isn't yet binding, until it's been agreed between you and the OR - you then get a document to sign which binds you to pay whatever has been agreed. Mine came a few days after the interview and the actual IPA payment start date was about 6 weeks further on. My SOA on the bankruptcy forms was really just a starting point, it changed a lot when I had my interview.

Good idea to ring Nat Debtline.

Daisy4567

Phew, that's a relief!

One question, our Sky and B/B is £37.50. It includes the Internet. We currently have sky movies and if necessary we can downgrade, but we don't go out, I spend night after night alone because my husband is a Chef so can't I keep that? I got an amazing deal on it.

We don't have Landlines but each have a mobile phone which is approx £25.00 per month, each. So it's actually only £87.00

I don't work from home per se, although I do have to do things for the company Facebook etc at home, for which I am not paid but it is part and parcel of the job. It's a family business and it needs doing, so I do it.

They do let you have the Internet at home don't they?

Daisy4567

Also, gas and electric is only £160.00 for both so I'm not sure why she put that amount of our SoA, she's meant to be the professional so I didn't question it

egrescrimp

Daisy4567 wrote: »

Phew, that's a relief!

One question, our Sky and B/B is £37.50. It includes the Internet. We currently have sky movies and if necessary we can downgrade, but we don't go out, I spend night after night alone because my husband is a Chef so can't I keep that? I got an amazing deal on it.

Of course you can keep it But that doesn't mean the OR is going to allow the full amount in your SOA. The internet and phone part will be fine, the TV part they may say no to but it doesn't mean you have to get rid of it. You can use other areas of your SOA to cover it, such as the new holiday fund you had no idea about being able to use

Once the SOA is agreed is down to you how you spend the money. Nobody is going to make you spend to the exact pound and pence on what is agreed, life just doesn't work that way

Daisy4567 wrote: »

We don't have Landlines but each have a mobile phone which is approx £25.00 per month, each. So it's actually only £87.00

I don't work from home per se, although I do have to do things for the company Facebook etc at home, for which I am not paid but it is part and parcel of the job. It's a family business and it needs doing, so I do it.

They do let you have the Internet at home don't they?

Basic phone and internet won't be a problem, with more and more services moving online including government services it's a utility that people need in my opinion.

egrescrimp

Daisy4567 wrote: »

Also, gas and electric is only £160.00 for both so I'm not sure why she put that amount of our SoA, she's meant to be the professional so I didn't question it

Don't worry about it, when having your interview just say the amount has changed and I now pay £160 by direct debit or whatever method you pay with.