Thanks Rooster. I think Neil Hamilton was but not sure if he was whilst bankrupt??

Hi I am currently bankrupt ( was in court in October) I wanted to stand as an independent parlimentary candidate next year. Can I do this as an undischarged bankrupt or would I have to be discharged first? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone Thank you very much for your replies. Really has made me feel better. My wife was also surprised at the sympathetic nature of the OR when she had her telephone interview. I hope everyone of you that has already been through it has come out the other side ok. Thanks once again

Hi everyone A creditor has finally petitioned for my bankruptcy. Was in court last week and bankruptcy order granted. This is result of personal guarantees on failed business. My wife (who was joint debtor) declared herself bankrupt in May this year. The plan was for me to do the same once she was discharged and we had saved up the money again. My wife had a telephone conversation with the OR that all seemed pretty painless. OR was sympathetic. I have had a call from OR today and have to go for interview at OR office. When I asked why he explained that it was because a creditor had made the petition as opposed to petitioning for my own BR. Has anyone been through a face to face interview and is it more intense than a telephone interview. Even though I have done nothing wrong it is still difficult to think that they are not going to grill me to within an inch of my life. I just wanted a telephone interview!! Regards

Hi Erika Thanks for that - It doesn't say anything anywhere about commission paid work. (or if it does I have missed it). If my daughter pays me commission on anything sold (she cannot afford to pay me a regular wage) where do I stand with housing benefit? Any ideas? Regards

Hi I help my daughter out in her business a couple of days a week unpaid since I lost my job. Can I still claim housing benefit even though I "work unpaid" or will the benefits office say I should be paid for this work and turn down my claim?

Hi I sold my car to my company 18 months ago to make it a company car but kept myself as the registered keeper on the V5 document. I didn't inform DVLA of the sale as I didn't change the registered keeper details as I was the main driver and was responsible for tax, MOT etc... Someone has told me this was illegal. Can anyone elaborate on this and tell me if I have done anything wrong that I need to put right? Regards

When you say "find someone to pay the difference" is this at full value of the difference or is it like buying any equity in a house at a reduced rate?

Hi debtinfo Parkers guide says "private good £4500" "private poor £3700" My car is probably in the good bracket Regards

Hi My creditors have finally petitioned for my bankruptcy - in court in 3 weeks. I have a car that is worth £4.5k (book value). My total debt is £225k (business that was liquidated and I had personal guarantees on the loans). Given the amount of debt would the OR still take the car and sell it for £4.5k and give me £2k back to buy another car given that the £2.5k realised by the sale would not even make a dent in my overall debt? The £225k is split between 4 creditors. I need the car for work and so does my wife. Regards

i had a similar issue with Black Horse Finance and I took a copy of my agreement to my local Office of Fair Trading who confirmed that it was a loan agreement and NOT a HP agreement which meant Black Horse could not stop me seling the vehicle and had no right to the vehicle. When I mentioned the OFT to Black Horse they suddenly agreed that it was a loan agreement and they had no right to stop me selling it. Take it to your local OFT office and ask them to advise you on it. As I understand it, if it is a loan agreement they have no rights over the vehicle at all (even if the vehicle is mentioned on the actual agreement). If yu do not have a copy of the loan agreementask them to send you a copy. Good luck

Was it an Hire Purchase agreement or a loan agreement?

Hi Can anyone confirm which 2 years the benefits office use to decide whether anyone qualifies for contribution based JSA? If anyone was putting in a new claim today and their employer has definately posted NI contribution details with Newcastle for 08/09 AND 07/08 (THE LAST 2 TAX YEARS) are these the 2 years they will use? 06/07 SHOULD NOT come into the equation should it? Regards

Thank you for your kind words and advice Setoria. It is always helpful to hear from someone who has been there and come through it. Thank you and good luck

We have agreed reduced payments with our mortgage lender for the past 6 months as we just cannot afford our full payment. We have kep tothe agreement thus far. The payment is due on the last day of each month. We have just been offered a council house and have accepted it, however it needs some work doing on the interior before we can move in. This could be 4-6 weeks. We could really do with not paying our mortgage this time and keeping the money for the rent. If we do not pay this month can the mortgage company get us out within the next 6 weeks as we will then be in arrears? Any advice here would be appreciated Regards

So.....getting a bit confused but for sake of clarity can anyone confirm the folllowing? Am I entitled to JSA based on the fact that I have.... .....paid class 1 NI contributions for 07-08 & 08-09 on 20 hours @ minimum wage. I am getting conflicting opinions....some agree with the benefits office and others say I am entitled. Is there not a hard & fast rule?

Thats kind of what I thought. I have earned roughly £114 per week for the last 2 years and have paid NI contributions on this amount for 52 weeks of each year so based on this I should qualify? ....or am I missing something?

I have paid class 1 NI contributions. Erika PNP - What is the minimum NI contributions for the 2 years ?

Hi Yes we claim tax credits as my husband still works but I cannot believe that I am not entitled to JSA as I have paid in all my life!

Hi Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Just lost my job as shop closed down. worked 20 hrs per week @ 5.73 p/h = £114 Husband earns same amount so we now only earn £114 Been to claim Job seekers allowance and told I do not qualify as I have not paid enough NI contributions over last 2 years ("we're not interested in anything before 2 years ago") Also....looking to start a college course in September. I am 39 years old and have paid NI contributions since I was 16 excpet for 6 months (13 years ago) when our second daughter was born and 6 months (17 years ago) when our first daughter was born). Husband has paid NI contributions for 22 years non stop. Can anyone advise if the "nice lady" at the JSA centre was incorrect and are there any financial incentives for mature college students? Thank you in advance.

Thanks everyone. Really helpful advice

Hi I have an o/s debt for £444.21 that has been passed onto Scotcall debt collecting services who will pass my account onto a field representitive to arrange a doorstep call. Does this mean they will contact me prior to calling or can they just turn up unnanounced? I assume I do not have to let them in or even arrange a visit with them? Regards

Hi Emma If you have a bank loan with barclays you can do whatever you want with the money. If you buy a car the car is your car and as such you can sell it whenever you wish and then spend the money you receive from it on whatever you wish. Barclays have no say on when you sell the car. This would only be the case if you had the car on hire purchase - you do ot own the car until you have paid for it. I hope this helps Regards

Hi Palomino Thanks for that. Just a query on point No. 2 If CO granted and bankruptcy is after CO but house sale does not realise any surplus surely the "debt" would be included in bankruptcy as the debt was current before bankruptcy was declared. CO would them be nil and void. Am I correct in this or am I daydreaming?? Regards

Hi everyone Been to county court today and judge granted Natwest leave to apply for a charging order.This can (apparantly) be done wthout me knowing about it. So...questions I would like advice on are 1. If I go bankrupt before CO granted I assume the debt will be wiped and CO will not be able to be granted. 2. if CO granted and I go bankrupt afterwards will CO remain? but will debt be wiped? 3. The debt is joint & several with my wife but Natwest only going for CO against me (my wife has offered £1 per month a year ago and has not had any further hassle). If I go bankrupt before CO obtained and OR deals with my case can my wife buy my negative equity for £1 and then once I am discharged if my wife then goes bankrupt can I (having been discharged) buy her negative equity (or small equityby then) for £1? This way we're hoping not to put our house at too much risk, although we do have 2 children at home. 4. Car (worth approx 6 grand) is in my name. Can I transfer it to my wife then go bankrupt, so in effect be able to keep it? Any advice on the above would be most appreciated. Reagrds Brent