Debt Camel

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Aperture – no longer taking new IVAs from June 2019

UPDATE in September 2020, Aperture sold its 25,000 open IVAs to Jarvis.
See Major changes for thousands of customers with Aperture & Vanguard IVAs for details.

Aperture has told many debt advisers it will not take referrals for Individual Voluntary Arrangements after the end of June 2019.

The debt advice firms received an email saying:

I write to inform you that Aperture Debt Solutions LLP has recently taken the decision to suspend our client acquisition strategy in the IVA sector; as such, we will be unable to deal with your client referrals with effect from 1 July 2019.

Aperture will continue to manage the existing portfolio of clients already subject to an IVA and our services in that regard will not be disrupted in any way. We are happy to continue handling your case-specific enquiries in respect of those clients as they progress through their arrangements.

According to Insolvency Service figures, Aperture was the second largest IVA firm in 2018. There have been rumours that Aperture is closing to new business for a few months – these emails confirm this.

Aperture, the large IVA firm, is no longer taking any new business

Current and previous clients

35,000 people have an IVA underway at Aperture. This should not affect you and you should carry on making monthly payments as usual.

My comment  – I hope Aperture will be improving its communications and customer service to these existing clients.

There have been persistent complaints about this, especially from customers who has set up an IVA with another firm and whose IVA was sold/transferred to Aperture. Customer emails are unanswered, IVAs reach their last payment with no communications, customers are later told there are arrears or that equity needs to be released, etc

Many previous Aperture customers have been upset at the extremely pushy letters they have been receiving. These say someone has to sign up with Aperture’s expensive Claims Management Firm to enable claims to be made for PPI, payday loan and other mis-selling.

My comment: I hope this policy will now be reconsidered.

A problem for free-sector debt advisers?

Many local Citizens Advices and other free-sector face-to-face advisers used to refer clients to Aperture because Aperture could provide face-to-face support across the country. Other IVAs firms don’t provide this because they are either small and local, or telephone-based.

StepChange has in-house Insolvency Practitioners who arrange IVAs for its clients, but it used to refer a small number of clients to Aperture who needed face-to-face support, were based in Northern Ireland or were self-employed.

All these debt advice organisations now have to find alternative arrangements. Many only see a small number of IVA cases. Conducting a “beauty parade” to find an alternative IVA firm will be time-consuming and expensive.

The bigger problem for anyone wanting an IVA

There is no published information that can help people choose between IVA firms. And anecdotally, there are significant differences between IVA firms.

If firms aren’t all the same, you need to be able to select the best, or at least avoid the worst.

Review sites aren’t helpful

Review sites are often full of enthusiastic people who have just had an IVA set up. This made-up example is typical:

“The whole process took around one month, excellent service from start to end, I was kept updated throughout. Jayne was understanding and non judgemental.”

But an IVA lasts for five, six, seven or more years, not a month. A review from someone whose IVA has only just begun is largely worthless.

As I said in “What will happen at my IVA annual review?”, many people find that after the warm, helpful team that sets up IVA, once it is underway you are dealing with the B team for customer service.

Failure rates are kept secret

Probably the most important factor for anyone to consider is the IVA failure rate at a firm.

More than a third of IVAs are now failing, but some firms say they have much lower rates than Insolvency Service average statistics. So other firms must have much higher rates.

How can someone avoid one of the firms with high failure rates when data is not published? I think the Insolvency Service should publish this data by firm.

Comments are now closed on this article. 

Please add your thoughts to the new 2020 article on Aperture’s IVA’s being sold to Jarvis.

Comments

  1. Phil Duscovitch-Davis says

    Not being cynical (much!) But I don’t suppose Apertures decision has anthing to do with the fact that the deadline for applying for PPI refunds is almost upon us and they won’t be able to scalp people with extortionate commission fees anymore!

  2. Dawn Williams says

    I have to say my personal experience of Aperature actually when they were Grant Thornton was pushy. I potentially only just met the threshold of disposable income for an IVA but at a meeting with their adviser, suddenly I had plenty of spare income to pay an IVA. He was so quick in making amendments and not providing back up information I was dubious and opted to hold off in case there were further changes to my situation. I am pleased I did and although 6 years later I still have the debt, I would not have been able to maintain the IVA payments they were suggesting. Lots of things have changed during that time and due to health reasons life is unpredictable.
    Interesting I have since become a Debt Adviser and not once has a client been recommended for an IVA – most usually qualify for DRO or want to repay the debt no matter how long it takes.
    Let’s hope this is the start of positive changes in the world of IVAs.

    • Angeleyes says

      Hi can I ask you advice , I was with DFD which Aperture have taken over , was only told this about 2 weeks ago and now they are chasing ppi that I received ( and spent ) as hadn’t heard anything about it , the company I used to claim the money have now been asked by aperture to get me to sign a form to say they can look into it ? As the deadline is in a few weeks should I ignore it ? Or do you think that would be the wrong thing , obviously I finished my Iva with DFD in 2015 and I don’t remember any mention of paying ppi to them thanks for your time

      • Brian Todd says

        Sorry for the lateness. You are mean to pay all ppi to iva company, but as far as aperture are concerned I wouldn’t, trust them. I had £6,000 in ppi and over £8,000 paid in but the creditors have only received £2,200. And I have finished with them but they say I owe more than the original. As for ppi you can still claim it as it is part of my job, but don’t do it till you have your certificate.

  3. Suzanna Walker says

    One possible reason is that IP’s can only supervise so many cases. There is a finite a number that anyone supervisor and their support staff can reasonably manage. I order to grow you need staff, office space ( obviously) capital investment for extra staff, training, office staff and their systems have to be developed so that the mundane or repetitive processes of their operations are fully automated. So it could be that they are saturation point. Then again it could be that staff are being diverted to complete all PPI processes up to the deadline. Some creditors are now filing automatic claims if PPI comes in the free search that people can submit. Why they didn’t do that in the first place is a question to ask as it would have cut the number of claims made by CMC at source.

  4. Yvonne says

    I knew they would do something like that because the ppi is ending and they have ripped everybody off ,me included. I finished my IVA 5 years ago only with aperture for a just over year as they took over my original company I was with . They have had lots of ppi money of me in fact double what I owe and hardly any of it went to the debtors must of it went in there pocket and it’s not right or fair I hope some cleaver lawyer will find a loop hole and sort them out if they do I have kept all my paperwork

  5. Someone In The Know says

    I’ll tell you exactly why Aperture has stopped taking new cases.

    The senior management team at Apature are also part owners but were getting increasingly narked by the equity share Grant Thornton still holds.

    So the solution; run down the back-book of Apature; and open a new business for the new case.

    The new front end is Jarvis Insolvency Limited.

  6. A concerned citizen says

    As someone who worked in the free advice sector a lot of people referred to this company. Their edge was the face to face element and the fact that their relationship managers were effectively sales reps. But the face to face support was only till they signed you up and the real work was done back in Belfast. I saw a lot of unethical practice by the reps. There is very rarely a case which is a is best for these days. TIP seem a ready made alternative. Agreed that kpi should be published.

  7. Kevin Arndell says

    I have to agree that there is a possibility that Aperturehave finally realised that they cannot handle their large scale acquisitions of other firms caseloads and have recognised that their service has, basically, gone down the toilet each time and not given time to recover before the next acquisition hit. Hopefully they have decided to focus on clearig up their act with ongoing cases before taking on new business.
    I would also add to your latter comments in the article that debtors have no recourse or access to mediation in an IVA, which is, and has been for me, an ongoing concern. Those, having conducted an often in depth “beauty contest” often find themselves shunted on to a company they either did not previously consider, or even definitively rejected and have no say in the matter or real avenue for complaint when badly served therefter.
    Debtors have no ombudsmn to turn to and the ‘regulatory bodies’ are somewhat self serving and, in any event, will not actually intervene.

  8. Elizabeth Everett says

    I work as a debt adviser in the charity sector, and have recently moved to a more rural part of the country. I am surprised at the number of clients I see who are in failed or unaffordable IVAs, whose circumstances may have changed, but they believe they are committed to paying the IVA even if they then can’t pay their household bills. One client I spoke to today is pregnant, and getting ill because she is dependent on food banks for food (ie no fresh food), whilst still paying £80/m to the IVA. Hopefully, this client can end her IVA and have a DRO instead. It is more difficult for debtors to access free debt advice if they live in isolated places without good transport links to local towns where face-to-face free debt advice can be accessed. If you search online for ‘debt advice’ you are likely to find an IVA company at the top of the list, as they can afford to pay for advertising. Charitable, free-to-access debt advice services can’t spend money on advertising, and clients are often not aware there is a choice, and that debt advice is a money making industry for private firms.

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      I completely agree.

      I see from your email address that you are an Advice UK member – can I encourage you to report this case as Social Policy through Advice UK?

  9. Lisa clark says

    Hi i started my with DFD, I had no communication saying I was now with aperture. I wish I had looked around more, can someone tell me sorry to be stupid but what is a DRO please

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      Has your IVA ended?

      DROs are an alternative sort of Insolvency in England and Wales. They are aimed at people who are renting, with debts under £20,000 and who have little money they can pay towards their debts each month. There is a major concern among debt advisers (many of the comments here are from debt advisers) that people who should get a DRO, where your debt is written off after 12 months and you do not have to make any payments, are instead being sold an IVA because the IVA generates large fees for the IVA firm.

  10. Elizabeth Everett says

    I think there is a typo and you mean ‘do not have to make payments’

  11. Chris says

    Hi,

    Just after some advice please, some time ago I had a letter from Aperture saying that because I had been in an IVA with them any PPI redress would go straight to them, however if I allowed them to reclaim PPI on my behalf as a goodwill gesture they would allow me to keep the 8% statutory interest. I thought no more of this and just threw the letter away as I did not plan to reclaim any PPI.

    Since discovering this site I decided I may as well try and reclaim PPI by myself using the resolver tool. I wasn’t expecting to be offered anything, however just recently have been contacted by Barclays confirming they were up holding my complaint and refunding £350, they have said they will issue a cheque to me in 10 days however it will be made payable to Aperture as I had been in an IVA with them (around 15 years ago).

    I was not surprised that Aperture would be receiving the refunds, but just wondered if there was any point in contacting them to see if they would still pay me the statutory interest, if not having read some of the posts on here regarding this company I’m not sure I really want to send them the cheque, so presumable I could just rip it up and there wouldn’t be any come back on myself?.

    Any advice appreciated.

    Thanks

      • Chris Phillips says

        Thanks for this Sara I hadn’t seen this link very informative. I didn’t sign any of their forms and haven’t heard from them since so I thinking I may just RIP up the cheque as dont want them constantly harassing me like some people are experiencing on here. Do u think their is any comeback on me if I just rip.it up.and forget about it or do I need to get legal advice for that. Thanks again this is a terrific site.

  12. Andy Laughton says

    I have finished my IVA with Aperture recently ( January in fact ) and i am still awaiting my completion certificate. I was awarded £21000 in PPI refunds and only £5000 of this actually went to paying off my IVA. 50% went to the PPI company i was sent to by Aperture with the rest going to Aperture themselves for Administration fees. I am glad to be out of this and glad to here nobody else will be getting fleeced by Aperture if they are taking on no new business.

  13. SARAH NEALE says

    We paid £6000 lump sum towards an IVA with Aperture July 2017, We sent them numerous emails, left voicemails and phoned them repeatedly until December 2017.
    Then in June this year they started requesting we sign up to their PPI recovery company, we threw the letters in the bin but my husband had a SIPP that was set up in 2013 and the company was going into liquidation. We had a solicitors already dealing with this since 2015 and it was now coming to fruition with the FSCS awarding us with compensation.
    Our solicitors have contacted Aperture to get them to sign a form to say that they have an interest in this. We only have £8000 outstanding to our creditors on top of the £6000 we have paid. Aperture have had 2 weeks already and have not signed the form nor have they contacted us with an explanation.
    We still do not have our certificate of completion either, it’s been 26 months and only now are they asking for income and expenditure??? After being ignored for over 2 years is this right? We want to complain but Aperture are again ignoring us.
    Where can we go for advice?

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      It is a shame you did not send them a formal complaint about failure to close your IVA in 2017. But they could have refused if you would not sign the PPI authorisation papers.

  14. Debbie's says

    I asked them for a settlement figure I ask them three time it was the same amount. I have paid this off. I did break my contact with them as I couldn’t pay them. As l lost over thousand pound a month about three years ago and got two nex credit card. I pay the settlement but now there are asking for wagesslips and P60 from Nov 17 2 Nov 18 why are they asking for them and do I have to send them

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      So you didn’t pay for a few months? Then you paid a large amount to settle this, which is what Aperture said you should pay? If this is what happened, then Aperture still need to close down the IVA and are probably just asking for information to let them do this.

  15. Christina says

    I had paid all my debts, standing order
    for six years, each month £147.00 for 6years as agreed, was with DebtFreeDirect, but the final last payment, was taken by Aperture, Belfast.
    Spoke to Lynn, who congratulated me, for
    paying fully, & promised to send me final
    papers. But heard nothing, so my name is
    not cleared yet.
    Christina

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      How long ago was thus. Have you asked Aperture why you haven’t had your completion certificate?

  16. Mrs Jane says

    I had an Iva with aperture and made regular monthly payments for over 4 years, then they increased my payments which were too much and after 2 late payments they ended my Iva in the last year. I now have another Iva, and have had to start at the beginning again this time for 6 years instead of the initial 5 years. I am struggling to keep these payments, I am 70 yrs old and had 2 heart attacks, what happens to these debts when anything happens to me, I don’t want them to pass to my children. Can you advise me please.?

  17. Brian Todd says

    Sorry for the lateness. You are mean to pay all ppi to iva company, but as far as aperture are concerned I wouldn’t, trust them. I had £6,000 in ppi and over £8,000 paid in but the creditors have only received £2,200. And I have finished with them but they say I owe more than the original. As for ppi you can still claim it as it is part of my job, but don’t do it till you have your certificate.

  18. Sandra says

    Hi reading all these posts has got me really worried. Made the last payment in 2019 having reached the end of the direct debit payment schedule set by grant Thornton then heard nothing for a few months recieved a some forms for PPI which i had none because they had requested three times early and was told there was none plus firm to remortage told not viable heard nothing for nine months then recieve this report only the second one in six years. They also asked about equity release only to discover that is also mot viable because i still have a mortage which the equity release company requires this to paid first nothing left what will they come up with next and when will this nightmare end.

    • Sandra says

      No that is the problem asked them in may 2019 hiw much more i needed pay and fir hiw long no response. They wrote in mar 2020 with a report only the 2nd in 6 years when asked what they wanted told need to supply mortgage statement replied back mortgage much like themselves did nit supply these statements annually so once again asked how much the payments would be only this time was threatened with non compliance and that the iva would be breached so wrote back explained again only this time suggested that maybe i should talk to the ombudsmen still waiting

      • Sara (Debt Camel) says

        I am afraid you can’t go to the Ombudsman about IVAs :(

        But you can send a complaint to the insolvency Service Gateway instead. See https://debtcamel.co.uk/complaint-iva/ which looks at IVA complaints.

        It sounds as though they want to look at equity release. if you have the email trail saying your IVA has already been extended by a year instead, they shouldn’t be doing this.

  19. Jemma Routledge says

    I have an IVA with aperture originally grant Thornton. I started it in 2012 and I lost my job and we couldn’t afford the payments… we regrettably didn’t contact them for 6 months … I got a new job and we contacted them but it took another 6 months for them to sort a new payment plan out. So in effect we were 1 year in arrears… we set up a plan with the 1 year arrears and the added year for equity release as we couldn’t remortgage… we are due to end IVA in June this year but have had a email saying no now it’s 2021. Surely they can’t do this??!! We have an email trail to conform this:

  20. Pauline pownceby says

    We were with debt free direct and finished it several years ago.
    I have just received and email from aperture stating though closed, there is money owing to us? They are asking for bank details etc to arrange the payment, I am dubious and need to know if this is genuine how can I check? Can anyone advise?

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      You should distrust any request for your bank details.

      Get in touch with Aperture and ask if this is genuine. Use the contact details on Apertures website not any links in the email you have received.

  21. Sara Jane C says

    Has anyone thought of speaking to the regulators of Aperture – The Insolvency Practitioners Association at all? They should be held accountable too as they surely inspect this firm on a regular basis? What are they doing?!

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      That is the point about putting in a complaint to the Insolvency Service Gateway – those complaints go to the IPA to look into.

      • Sara Jane C says

        Thanks for the reply Sara which I understand and appreciate. The IPA will fine an IP at Aperture, say £1,500 and then off they go again – the IPA must have stacks of complaints against this firm, but still they are allowed to trade! I don’t understand what the IPA look at when they inspect them, for this firm to be able to get away with continually ripping people off! Maybe it has something to do with the amount of money Aperture are paying the IPA into the IVA scheme……..?!

  22. Pammi says

    I am not surprised to read comments about Aperture. I feel sick I am in joint IVA , other half is alcoholic I have been lumbered with IVa payments. I raised a complaint with Aperture asking them why they interlocked a vulnerable person into iva they allegedly say all debt options were discussed this is not true . My other half debt is less than aperture expect to release in equity unbelievable who in their right mind would go into iva then expected to pay more out of equity. And other half is not complying with evidence. Aperture were made aware of alcoholism at the beginning and they have it in black and white on the proposal. I can’t sleep with stress.I am 4 yrs in and the way it’s going it may fail. Complete Rip of I was in dmp with no problem then I went for advice and got talked into joint iva, their advisor spoke to my other half over the phone for no more than 5 mins. Plus after my complaint they didn’t say where I could escalate to I had to contact them and they actually said no point because only thing that will happen is ip will get a disciplinary but it’s ok for them to Mis sale. Can anyone please tell me what’s the best way forward

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      are the IVA payments up to date?
      you own the property jointly with your partner,, how much equity is there?

      • Pam says

        Hi the payments are up to date. I think there may be £50k equity. In a fixed mortgage until 2023 which aperture gave permission to look at lower interest rate. I just don’t know where to turn plus I had a email from their complaints officer about closing Iva I asked them how much was needed . Strange they say over 39k something about 100 percent don’t under stand it. They keep pushing the goal posts.

        • Sara (Debt Camel) says

          If your payments are up to date and you are 4 years in, it is well worth trying to “save” your IVA, by getting reduced payments that you can afford agreed. It may even be possible to get your creditors to agree to close the IVA on the basis of the money you have paid so far, so it is completed early. But this depends on your current position and prospects.

          I think you need some help with what to propose to Aperture so that you know it is affordable for you and is in a format that may be acceptable to creditors.

          Your local Citizens Advice is often the best place for this as they may be able to write to Aperture on your behalf. Try to get an appointment with them. If that isn’t possible, talk to national Debtline on 0808 808 400 – they will be able to help your draw up an Income & expenditure form in a recognised format that you can then send to Aperture.

          • Pam says

            morning Sara thank you for your advice Very helpful . I have battled with Aperture even after they closed my complaint. They have now allowed other half his actually expenditure for alcohol . As previously stated my other half is not co operating with payslips etc. I have asked Aperture to consider earlier closure of IVA or 6 yr Iva. I am so stressed out I am now on anti depressants. The whole idea of Iva was to be debt free and not be saddled with further debt via a secure loan which is what they expect if we can’t remortgage. I can’t sleep because I know the other half will not comply. I have sent Aperture medical evidence to confirm my other half has alcohol addiction. Can I ask will covid provision apply to us we are nearing month 48 in November I don’t know why it’s November because Iva started in August 2016. I tried to get specialist advice not been successful keep been told we can’t get involved in Iva. Thanks Pam

          • Sara (Debt Camel) says

            You have asked Aperture to propose an earlier closure. You have provided them with evidence about your OH’s medical situation. You could also provide them with evidence about your own mental health problems. I suggest you ask Aperture for a response.

  23. Gwyn Richards says

    hello
    I am in an IVA with Aperture who bought my IVa and my ex wife’s from Cleardebt after about three years with them with No problems.I received communications from Aperture telling me I was in arrears with payments.My payments were three times more than my ex wife’s.After waiting for over a year They admitted that they had an internal banking error.They moved the money around but it has resulted in me having to pay £500 per month.I am now divorced and cannot sell the marital home due to both of our Iva’s not being completed.
    Aperture now have a “machine” that called you and you press one if it’s convenient to speak.When you get put through their first comment is “thanks for your call today,how can we help you?” DUH they called me. Unfortunately it’s here we go again with them ie paying them money and them telling me they haven’t received it !!!. £1000 paid in May,Now their threatening me again that the IVa is about to fail and Bancruptcy will follow,this is after paying them £250 per month for nearly eight years now.My IVa is due to end in October this year.I am now very reluctant to pay them any more money.Aperture are total robbers.Out of my £250 per month the creditors get about £60. Aperture keep the rest.How can this be legal andoriginally instigated in law with government approval.I am at the end of my tether.What do you suggest I do,short of kill myself !
    Is

      • Sara Jane C says

        Really sorry to hear how you are being treated (although not surprised – I’ve been there too). As Sara says above, follow the procedure and put a complaint to them in writing first of all and if the response is not acceptable (it won’t be) then escalate to the Insolvency Service complaint gateway (form to complete on their website). It will then be sent to their regulators (IPA I guess still) and see if they can discipline the IP for you – you won’t get any money back – but it will be yet ANOTHER slap to Aperture as the outcomes will have to be published. Good luck and take care.

  24. Jacki Shirley says

    I too had IVA with Grant Thornton which was transferred to Aperture. I have never missed a payment for the 5 yr period and was advised it may be extended for an extra year at the outset which I was in agreement with. Aperture have to date claimed at just short of £5000 that I am aware of but this is not showing in my account, they seem to be adding more and more admin fees in the £100’s and I am being told I have to take out a second mortgage for another 10yrs to clear the debt in full. My understanding of IVA is this was to assist me to agree a settlement payment I.e. right off a large amount of the debt as this was how it was sold to me. I am concerned that this company is not disclosing everything or paying my creditors and forcing me into a position where I will continue to have minimal disposable income for double the period of my original IVA of 5years that I have complied with and paid all agreed payments throughout. Recent communication to try to get to the bottom of this have been responded to quite abruptly being told I have to pay until the whole original debt and all their additional fees are paid in full. After reading all the posts above I very worried I am being scammed by this company.

      • Jacki Shirley says

        They said I don’t have options to extend but my biggest concern is the fees they have added for themselves has increased my original debt by 50%. My original debt was £18k, I have paid in the region of £7.5k in plus they have also had £6k minimum PPI to date, totally approx £13.5k with PPI still being paid in and only 2k has been paid to my creditors with them claiming all the rest for fees(that’s over £10k in their pockets!) Surely this is not ethical, nor can be justified when they are supposed to be supporting people to get out of debt 😤

  25. Sandra says

    I did make a complaint the reply was that the complaint was partial upheld then instructed i had to pay a further 12 months not heard from the ip about this but when i looked at the report the amount set out at the begining has been paid plus they had only set the direct debit for 60 payments ( 5 years ).but the creditors don’t seem to have been paid anything when i recieve debt arrears notification from them in fact the amount owing is the same as it was 6 years ago so not sure what is happening just seems what almighty mess i thought this process was to get me out of this mess with less stress but this has put me under more stress it is affecting my physically and mentally put me in a place i really don’t want to be i know the outcome i don’t want to be here anymore.

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      So the result of the complaint is that you do not have to release equity but pay an extra year? Isn’t that what you wanted? Have you not talked to Aperture about arranging this?

      It’s the IPs job to pay your creditors, you don’t need to worry about that.

  26. Latara Payne says

    **Sending this on behalf of my mum and dad who aren’t very tech savvy**

    My mum and dad took out an IVA with Grant Thornton and then later it got took over by Aperture. They cleared their debt and got sent their dismissal certificate in 2015. Recently Barclays has got in touch with my mum to say that she is owed around £7000 in PPI and that the cheque will be going to Aperture. When my mum phoned Aperture she stated that she hadn’t got any outstanding debt as it has all been paid, yet the person over the phone had said (quite rudely) that the PPI money belongs to them because they still have debt to pay. My mum has looked on her credit file and there is NO OUTSTANDING DEBT. My mums credit score is EXCELLENT. Why should they be given the money when it is NOT there’s??? This isn’t the first time this has happened.

    From looking at all of these comments it is making my blood boil at the fact these people can do this!!!

    Please help! My mum has tried phoning Grant Thornton (no help)…. she has phoned Aperture (awful customer service)…. Barclays have already sent the cheque to Aperture and my mum can’t stop that…. The next step may have to be Citizens Advice.

  27. Ray Fitzgerald says

    Having heard that Aperture Manchester has gone out of business I have been trying to contact their hesd office in Belfast with an urgent enquiry but cannot get them to answer the phone, all Manchester numbers are cut off, I have posted on their Facebook page and sent them an enquiry on their website, still no reply. Anyone else had problems?

  28. Sara Jane C says

    This is shocking isn’t it. Have you tried the Insolvency Service helpline (google for the number)? Give them a call and tell them the situation and ask for advice and also ask how you escalate a complaint – maybe, just maybe, someone will look into it for you ! Good luck

  29. Patricia Reast says

    Hi or
    I had an IVA with Grant Thornton which commenced in 2008. Late in 2010 I lost one of my two jobs and could not afford the repayments. To avoid bankrupcy, my brother offered to borrow me £5k with which to offer Grant Thornton as a full and final settlement of my IVA. The creditors agreed to accept the £5k and my certificate of completion was subseqently issued in February 2011.
    Late last year, i was contacted by a company saying they could check all my old loans etc to see if i had any PPI. I was contacted by them on the 20th of this month advising that my claim against Yorkshire Bank had been successful and i was being awarded nearly £2k. The claims management company (Allay) were charging me £500 in fees, so i would end up with about £1.5k. However, i have received the award letter from Yorkshire Bank and they say that because i had an IVA they have sent the whole award to my Insolvency Practitioner.
    My question is this: As Grant Thornton was bought out by its management team and changed its name to Aperture do i actually still HAVE an Insolvency Practitioner?
    ALSO – If Aperture is classed as my Insolvency Practitioner how long would they legally have to keep my records?
    AND – If Aperture has my records and are legally allowed to keep the PPI award, are they obliged to refund the amount needed to pay Allay for recovering the PPI award?
    Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
    AND –

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      do i actually still HAVE an Insolvency Practitioner?
      yes.

      If Aperture is classed as my Insolvency Practitioner how long would they legally have to keep my records?
      This isn’t a very interesting question – what matters is whether they have still got your records. Send Aperture a Data Subject Access Request asking for a copy of all your personal information

      If Aperture has my records and are legally allowed to keep the PPI award, are they obliged to refund the amount needed to pay Allay for recovering the PPI award?
      yes, they should pay your claims company.

        • Patricia Reast says

          Been away for a few days and just got back. I rang the bank this morning and they told me that Aperture was paid on the 29th July following them telling the bank they had an interest in the money. As advised I am about to contact Aperture and request a copy of all my personal information. As i had to borrow £5k from my brother to pay to my IVA and have still not paid him back in full, can i ask them to repay my brother?

          • Sara (Debt Camel) says

            As i had to borrow £5k from my brother to pay to my IVA and have still not paid him back in full, can i ask them to repay my brother?
            no – Aperture will only pay the creditors in your IVA.

  30. Patricia Reast says

    Hi Sara
    Ive written this out once but it says its too long but doesnt say how long it can be. So im splitting it up….

    1.
    Im struggling to get hold of anyone at Aperture because theyre not answering their phones at all and their contact form on their website is for current clients only and you have to provide a reference number etc before the form will send – i dont have a reference number.
    Ive made a complaint against my claims management company and they are going to contact Aperture direct for payment, not me.
    I have also done some research…………
    IN THE GREEN v WRIGHT case the following was given as the reason why the PPI award could be paid to IP……..
    “the definition of “assets”within the IVA was the same as that for bankruptcy. The right to pursue the PPI mis-selling claims was in existence in 2007 when the IVA was entered into, therefore an asset was comprised within the IVA. This is regardless of the fact that the debtor or the supervisor may not have been aware of the existence of any such claims when the IVA terms were agreed”.

    • Patricia Reast says

      2. AND ON A WEBSITE I FOUND THIS ARTICLE… dated May 2011…
      In December the Financial Services Authority introduced rules to stop mis-selling, which required providers to talk customers through the key features of a policy rather than assuming they will read any relevant documentation, and make it clear that the cover is optional.
      But the banks, represented by trade body the British Bankers’ Association, compained that the rules were unfair because they would be applied retrospectively. In January the BBA launched a high court challenge against the FSA and the Financial Ombudsman – but today’s ruling found against them. The high court judgment endorsed the approach taken by the ombudsman and the FSA, and the banks now have 21 days to appeal.

      MY IVA completion certificate is dated Feb 2011. As per the court ruling in April 2011 (article dated May 11), PRIOR to the ruling i would NOT have been able to claim that i had been mis-sold PPI because my reasons for claiming were that i was not told the PPI was optional. Therefore, MY right to claim a mis-sold PPI was NOT in existence at the time of my IVA and therefore could not be included as an assett.
      I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      My thoughts are that this is almost certainly a lost battle.
      If you want to take it further you will need to talk to a solicitor, not me.
      Sorry.

  31. Lesley W says

    I set up an IVA with Grant Thornton in early 2015, this was subsequently transferred to Aperture. I had no problems with Grant Thornton who would respond to emails and or calls and I had a dedicated IP name. Aperture have proved a nightmare they never answer emails. I have paid all my direct debits initially set at £160 pm, increasing to £1280 on completion of my mortgage, as set out in the original agreement. I have submitted my annual income and expenditure annually as requested, with little movement, downwards, in surplus income. This month I was contacted by my bank to advise my account was almost overdrawn. When I checked Aperture had take £1590, on checking online my future payments are now set at £1590 until completion in Feb 21. I contacted them by phone to be advised they had tried once to contact me in June & had left a voicemail. This is untrue. Customer services! said he would get someone to call me back, this has not happened. I have emailed directly & via their contact on my account, neither has been responded to. Do you have any suggestions or can they just do this with no notification, a 24% increase in monthly payments.

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      They aren’t the best at communication (to put it mildly).

      I suggest you cancel the DD they have. Set up a standing order to carry on with the monthly payments you think they should be.
      And send Aperture a complaint by email to complaints.supervisor@aperture.uk.com saying what has happened, what you have done and that you are happy to discuss what your monthly payment should be if anyone will talk to you about it.

    • Lesley W says

      Thank you for your quick reply.
      Whilst out this afternoon I actually had a phone call from Aperture, she was trying to tell me that the increase was due to the income & expenditure report I had submitted in June 2020, however I submitted by annual income & expenditure in March, it was reviewed in April and states that payments were to remain the same. When I pointed out to her that I submitted in March and was reviewed in April, why would I have submitted another one 3 months later, suddenly she kept saying hello, hello, as though she couldn’t hear me and then I got no response!

      There was also an email (2 hrs before the phone call), also referring to a June income & expenditure report, I keep my records digitally saved on my computer, they are all dated March, I have nothing saved as June (thought I would check in case I had lost the plot!).

      I have responded to this and pointed out that I did not submit in June and “perhaps they have made an error with people working from home” and asked that they return the payments to £1280.00.

      I am interested in your suggestion of cancelling my direct debit and setting up a standing order (not sure if I have their bank details to do this, but will look into) . I will give them a day or so to answer and then follow your helpful suggestion.

      • Pam says

        When Aperture wanted to increase my payments to a ridiculous amount,I cancelled my direct debit payment and now pay them manually via the client portal.

    • Sara (Debt Camel) says

      yes, 25,000 open Aperture IVAs have been sold to Jarvis. I am writing a new article on this.

      • Sandra Gregson says

        Hi how will these iva customers know? Will these include those that have only 8 ir 9 months left on their iva”s or will they keep them

        • Sara (Debt Camel) says

          People are getting emails. These may be being sent out in batches.
          It looks as though open IVAs are being transferred, even if they only have a short while to go.

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