Money Advice Direct
FREEPHONE 0800 074 6918
We receive a lot of calls and emails from the public asking; "What will happen to my furniture in an IVA?".
The bulk of people entering into IVA do of course own furniture. Please note that furniture is kept entirely outside of the IVA, therefore you will not have to sell them.
An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is a formal agreement between you and your creditors where you will come to an arrangement with people you owe money to, to make reduced payments towards the total amount of your debt in order to pay off a percentage of what you owe then generally after 5 years your debt is classed as settled.
Under normal circumstances, there should be no reason for the car to be taken in an IVA. If, however, the car is an expensive one then the creditors may suggest the vehicle is sold and a cheaper one bought, and the money saved would be paid into the IVA arrangement, thereby increasing the offer to the creditors.
If the car is on Hire Purchase, the vehicle belongs to the finance company until the last payment has been made, but if the HP payment is a large amount, again the creditors could ask that the car be downsized to one with a cheaper monthly payment.
Your lifestyle isn’t forced to change if you enter an IVA, providing that you do not have an excessive one. The creditors will want to be sure you have a reasonable standard of living, and there are guidelines to ensure this.
However, allowances cannot be made for such things as social life, lottery, and smoking etc. These are not seen by the creditors as essential living expenditures, particularly when you are unable to meet the contractual monthly payments and are asking them to write off a percentage of your debts.
You will be expected to live within your budget as much as possible, which is why it is essential that you cover all the normal household living expenses on your financial statement.
If you are considering an IVA and are what will happen to your furniture in an IVA please complete the following form or telephone freephone 0800 074 6918.