Money Advice Direct
FREEPHONE 0800 074 6918
We receive a lot of calls and emails from the public asking; "Will I lose my house with an IVA?"
Many people choose an IVA - individual voluntary arrangement as it allows the person to keep your house. Please note that the terms of the IVA usually state that the IVA payments made are in lieu of your share of any equity in your house.
If you are living in rented accommodation, there is no risk to your home in an IVA. You should however, check your tenancy agreement to ensure that the Landlord does not have a clause about tenants entering into an IVA.
If you live in mortgaged property, your creditors will want details of any equity that you have in the house. Equity is the difference between the value of your house and the amount of the loans secured against it.
As part of the IVA process, the Insolvency Practitioner will ask you to have your house valued. Your creditors are entitled to up to 75% of your share of the equity. You may be asked to release this money for the creditors benefit within the 5 years. This could be via a re-mortgage.
If there is little or no equity in the house at the start of the IVA, then you could still be asked to have the house valued in the 4th year of the arrangement and again up to 75% of your share of equity would be expected to be released for the benefit of the creditors. If there is equity in your house then the terms of the IVA will address it.
The trustee in bankruptcy has to take steps to realise his interest in your house within three years of the date of the bankruptcy order. If there is no equity in your house then the bankruptcy trustee may still want to sell your so he can sell the endowment policy. He can even insist the house is sold if he feels the house is too big and surplus to the bankrupts requirements.
In bankruptcy you will need to negotiate to buy the equitable interest I the house; otherwise your house will have to be sold. Bankruptcy is very strict when your house is involved. The rules state that your share of any equity in your home is transferred to your trustee when you are made bankrupt.
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.
If you wish to ask will I lose my house in an IVA or just discuss whether an IVA and understand how it can help you please complete the following form or telephone freephone 0800 074 6918.