Money Advice Direct
FREEPHONE 0800 074 6918
We receive a lot of calls and emails from the public asking; "What happens if I just stop paying into the IVA?".
Once you are in an IVA you are in a contact. If you stop paying into the IVA then the IVA will fail. Once the IVA fails the IVA Insolvency Practitioner can petition for your bankruptcy.
If you stop paying in to the IVA then the IVA Insolvency Practitioner will contact you within 2 weeks and ask your reasons why you stopped paying. If you stop paying and give no reasonable reason then you will receive a certificate of default which may lead to bankruptcy.
Rather than just stop paying into the IVA you should phone or write to the IVA supervisor and tell him/her your concerns.
Rather than failing the IVA the proposal can be updated to make things easier.
If the personal circumstance affects the IVA payment the IVA Insolvency Practitioner will have to contact the IVA creditors and hold a special IVA meeting to vary the terms of the IVA.
On occasions circumstances change and sometimes incomes decrease. This can happen as a result of a change in personal circumstances, change in job or the loss of a job. If this happens, it is essential that you let the IVA Supervisor know so that they can reassess the situation for you.
You can never predict what is going to happen in the future. If you have a problem with making the payments, speak to the Supervisor, who will be able to look at the reason for you struggling to make the payments and advise you on what can be done.
It is important to remember not to panic if this happens. It does not necessarily mean that the IVA will be terminated.In some situations, it may be possible to add on the missing payments at the end of the standard IVA period, but this is at the discretion of the Supervisor.
If you wish to discuss what happens if you just stop paying into the IVA and understand how it can help you please complete the following form or telephone freephone 0800 074 6918.