Two of the largest IVA firms have recently announced the latest in a long line of customer transfers within the industry:
- all Aperture’s open IVAs have been sold to Jarvis Insolvency; and
- Vanguard’s open IVAs will be administered by Ebenegate.
Sale of Aperture’s IVAs to Jarvis
On 5 September 2020 Jarvis Insolvency announced:
Jarvis Insolvency have recently taken over your IVA from Aperture and will now be managing and supervising your IVA moving forwards. This follows an agreement between Aperture and Jarvis Insolvency and an Order made in the Leeds County Court.
Every IVA is under the name of an Insolvency Practioner (IP). The court order would have been to change the IP for all existing Aperture IVAs to Laura Prescott, who works for Jarvis.
Aperture was the second largest IVA firm in 2018, but it stopped taking new IVAs in June 2019. At that time there was some talk that new business that would have gone to Aperture would instead go to Jarvis – see some of the comments below my article Aperture – no longer taking new IVAs.
This transfer has affected 25,000 people who had open Aperture IVAs. They are receiving an email stating what has happened,
Aperture was itself spun out from Grant Thornton in 2015. It then purchased many IVAs from other firms – buying ClearDebt’s IVAs in 2016 and Debt Free Direct’s IVAs in 2017. As a result, many Aperture customers started with a different firm and the transfer to Jarvis will be their third IP.
Ebenegate to administer Vanguard IVAs
Vanguard was the fifth largest IVA firm in 2019, setting up over 6,000 new IVAs. In August 2020 Vanguard announced:
Please note that as of Monday 17th August, all live Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) are now being serviced by Ebenegate.
This seems to be simply an outsourcing function at the moment. There is no mention that the IPs have changed so Vanguard remains responsible for these IVAs.
Ebenegate says:
Our UK office manages the day-to-day running of the business, while our Mauritius office are the customer care specialists and case-handling experts who will be your point of contact throughout the life of your insolvency case.
There are close connections between Creditfix, the largest IVA firm and Ebenegate. Finbora Group Limited, previously known as Creditfix Holdings Limited, bought Ebene Gate Mauritius in 2018-19. Creditfix and Ebenegate share some personnel. This weekend, the Ebenegate phone number on the Vanguard website was answered by a Creditfix employee, who knew nothing about Vanguard IVAs.
Here is a recent comment on an IVA forum:
I have been in an IVA for a year now and found it very stressful and taken a toll on my mental health (which I am in the process of sorting) I have been speaking to my mum and step dad and they have said they are willing to pay a F&F so I can start fresh, I have been trying to contact them for weeks now emails and phone calls and no response ( Was vanguard now ebengate) I don’t know what I’m meant to do as I can’t get through to anyone any help would be much appreciated.
It remains to be seen how well outsourcing administration to a different time-zone will work for people with Vanguard IVAs.
IVA customers can’t object
You have no right to object to a transfer, even if it is to a firm you deliberately decided not to use at the start of the IVA. You cannot switch to a different firm you would prefer.
After your IVA is set up, you become a commodity for many of the large IVA firms. Your case is a potential stream of income over the next few years. It can be sold to another firm or outsourced to a firm who thinks they can process the IVA more cheaply.
And if communications with the new firm do not go well, there is no independent Ombudsman you can appeal to.
Customers may lose out
The changes come at a difficult time. As furlough and other government assistance unwind, some people with IVAs will need help from their IVA firm to understand the rules around redundancy and payments breaks.
Without proper support, some customers may not realise there are options that could allow their IVA to get back on track or to complete. Systems that prioritise “efficiency” over good communications may result in more IVAs failing unnecessarily.
Reform needed to Insolvency options
Covid-19 and new IVA rules
End your IVA and get a DRO?
Sue Turner says
Hi. Can you tell me what this means for people who had completed their ivas with their original companies. I was with debt free direct and completed in 2015. I was approached last year by aperture about ppi and have received notification that they had re submitted claims. Does this mean I can now expect to be hassled by this new company even though I think they have squeezed everything they can out of the PPi.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I think that closed IVAs have stayed with Aperture. So they will continue to hassle you, not Jarvis.
Jarvis Insolvency says
You are right Sara – only active IVAs have been transferred to Jarvis Insolvency. IVAs that have already closed whilst with Aperture Debt Solutions remain with them.
Chris says
This is where it gets difficult for people with IVAs. Miss communication and lack of support and clear guidance. Who do we call from now?
Wellbeing services are discontinued (although still be charged on the fees list),
Does this new IP Jarvis charge cheaper fees, thus enabling there clients to pay more capital to there creditors?
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hello Chris,
If you have a query regarding your IVA, please feel free to contact Jarvis Insolvency – welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk – and we will be happy to help you.
Sarah says
Hi Sara I’m total useless when it comes to all this stuff what does this mean for Creditfix I’m so stressed out with it all
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Hi Sarah – you have a Creditfix IVA? You aren’t affected by any of these changes,
Hope it’s going well!
Mike says
This country is shocking if sadly you fall on hard times with ivas and bankruptcy, they stop you starting again by blacklisting people for 6 years! In that six years you can get loans , credit cards but at horrendous interest charges they fleece people not help but people just sit back and take it instead of challenging these corrupt firms ! A lot of profit in misery!!!
Foggy says
On your point of being unable to object or influence being ‘sold on’ as a commodity, I find it egregious that those in an IVA have, effectively, no voice once they are ‘hooked’. I have attempted, in the past, more than once, to raise awareness of this situation and to ask for a mediatory body or system and redress for insolvency provider failings, but have foumnd no support, or stomach for a fight ! Those in financial difficulties should not be left as helpless pawns in these chess games between the insolvency world oligarchs !
Mark says
This is a total and utter disgrace and yet another example of the FCA not really interested in those in debt. However they allow these sharks to continue to make profits and then to discard people on a whim. We desperately need stronger policing of all the Financial institutions in this country.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
The problem is that IVAs come under the insolvency Service and not the FCA. And the insolvency Service does not start from the FCA’s “treat customers fairly” position – it is more interested in maximising returns to creditors. But one of the big problems with the current IVA market is that the returns to creditors, especially from failing IVAs are often low or non-existent…
Andrew Ross says
You really could not make this up. It is an utter disgrace. I feel now is the time for a collective of those on IVA’s etc to form a group to fight back against this ruthless pathway. I believe those who find themselves in debt are perfectly happy to arrange an IVA, repayment plans and the like. The issue is that those company’s charged with arranging them have no interest in the welfare or well being of their clients as their clients are simply funding streams. It is that context that needs to be challenged. I am looking into the legality of “being sold off to another IVA firm” on the grounds of data protection etc, etc. Also are any of you aware that the e mail address from Ebengate on their correspondence does not work? I rang Ebengate yesterday and the dialogue i had was with a clueless and totally unprofessional women who simply did not know what she was talking about. There must be some way of challenging these company’s. Even if it means taking them to court. Thankfully i record all my calls so have quite a bit of evidence of bad practice via Vanguard and Ebengate. I feel people must make a stand as with the state of the Country and with many, many more who will now fall into crippling debt, these sharks are going to line their pockets while ruining lives and with nowhere for the client to go….THAT…….is the scandal.
Sara (Debt Camel) says
I am looking into the legality of “being sold off to another IVA firm” on the grounds of data protection etc, etc.
I am not aware that this can be challenged.
I rang Ebengate yesterday and the dialogue i had was with a clueless and totally unprofessional women who simply did not know what she was talking about.
Oh dear. I suggest you phone back and if you do not get a better response, you ask to speak to a manager or to have a manager call you back.
ting wong says
Can anyone please advise re: my IVA with Aperture (and now JI)? Aperture was due to close the case, as all payments were made back in January 2020 and they’ve dragged their heels insisting on a final year equity release review. I fear that JI will attempt to squeeze more money (eg insisting on equity release). Should I be worried? What should or can I do?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
A final review has to be done, but it should have been completed by now!
All you can do is talk to Jarvis: welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk.
J jones says
I’m about to pay my last payment of the 5yr plan..
I’ve now been told that I’m may have to look to release money out of my mortgaged home.
I receive pip,my husband was furloughed and his company are making redundancies shortly,he’s just recovered from 2 bouts of bladder cancer.can someone advise me please
Sara (Debt Camel) says
so quote a few questions:
– is the IVA just in your name?
– is the house in joint names?
– how much equity is there in the house?
– if your husband is furloughed, has it been hard making the payments?
– is he likely to get a lot of redundancy money?
– how large is your mortgage and how difficult will it be to pay it if he is out of work?
– how old are you and your husband?
J Jones says
Both our names
Mortgage is in both names
Around £20,000 equity
Yes
Around £2,500
£36,000 left
We wouldn’t be able to pay full amount of mortgage payments
I’m 61
Hubby 62
Sara (Debt Camel) says
OK, so Jarvis have also replied to you – if your IVA has been transferred to them you need to talk to them about the options and the sooner the better.
It seems clear from what you have said that if your husband is made redundant, then not only would you be unable to release equity but you also could not manage the standard alternative which is another year of IVA payments. So instead your IVA firm could then propose to your creditors that your IVA is completed now “on the basis of the funds paid to date” – so you would not have to make any more payments.
Because of both your health problems there is a case for saying that is what should happen anyway, even if your husband keeps his job.
It sounds as though you two have been through a lot over the last few years. If your husband does lose his job, you need to know that mortgage lenders are being told by the FCA, their regulator, that they have to give support to all people who can’t pay the normal mortgage payments because of coronavirus problems. I wrote this article today about this: https://debtcamel.co.uk/payment-breaks-end-pay-mortgage/ – this will apply to you even if you haven’t taken a Covid-19 mortgage payment break. What I didn’t put in that article – because it was getting too long and complicated – is that the FCA also said they had to pay particular attention to customers who may be vulnerable – with both your health problems and your age, that is you! So whilst i hope you don’t have to put this to the test, i hope that if you do have to talk to your mortgage lender they are more sympathetic than you might fear.
J Jones says
Thankyou very much,for your kind words,and I will speak to jarvis again,I spoke to them today and I was told that after I make this final 5yr payment they’d be intouch concerning the further details
Jarvis Insolvency says
Firstly – congratulations on maintaining your payments into your IVA for 5 years, particularly with the difficulties you have mentioned above.
If your IVA was with Aperture Debt Solutions and is with Jarvis Insolvency, please contact us on welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk and we will take a look for you.
Viktor says
Hi, My IVA just been taken over by Jarvis. Since then I’ve paid 2 installments but I have not received any email, txt, phone call or any way to see
that my money has not gone to their pockets. I have no profile or anything to follow my payments. Are these just thieves?
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hello Viktor,
As a general policy we don’t email, text or call after each payment is received. Payments made into your IVA will be utilised to pay any outstanding fees and then will be paid to creditors as a dividend payment.
If you have any queries relating to your IVA or would like confirmation that your payments have been received and allocated to your IVA, please email welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk together with your reference number.
Kind regards
Jarvis Insolvency
Julie says
Just keep copies of everything victor,it’ll be on your banking information. At least with aperture ( who I was with until Jarvis took over ) i had a client portal,where you could see your upto date payments at least..
I’ve now got one payment left out of my 5yr plan so good luck.
Chris Davies says
Hello,
My IVA finished at the end of June 2019. All references to it have since been removed from my credit files and I also have an e-mail from aperture confirming that the IVA is finished. However, I have a number of issues still persist
1. I was contacting Aperture on a regular basis to get my Certificate of completion. Not once have they replied to me since the end of August 2019.
2. For some reason, Aperture have passed my IVA on to Jarvis Insolvency as an “open IVA”. Also, I have had no contact from anyone at Aperture, in any shape or form to state what has been going on.
3. Someone from “First Dispute” company (who are they) have now been chasing up MBNA for PPI and this has been done behind my back, where I have received no contact from either Aperture or Jarvis Insolvency to state what they are doing.
If my IVA finished at the end of June 2019, it should not have been sold/passed to Jarvis Insolvency. Also, they have had my MBNA details from day 1 of my IVA so why is “someone” chasing up PPI all these years later?
Really not happy and very uncomfortable about all this
Sara (Debt Camel) says
have you spoken to Jarvis about this?
Chris Davies says
Hello Sara,
I spoke to them (cold) a couple of weeks ago. I didn`t get much sense if I am honest. All the person kept saying was that they could go after PPI any time, even if I had had a Certificate of completion. I have since found your site and am slightly more informed https://debtcamel.co.uk/gt-ppi-letters-after-iva/.
That said, there is no way my IVA in any shape or form could be described as “open” and as such should not have been sold to Jarvis Insolvency. I feel strongly that there are numerous data protection breaches here. In their letters to me, MBNA have already stated that the LOA (Letter of Authority) that was provided to them did not meet their requirements……………yes, because it did not have my signature because I never gave anybody permission to send a LOA to make a claim in my name.
The last contact I have had with anyone from aperture re my IVA was an e-mail at the end of August congratulating me on completing my IVA.
Can I just add at this point that my IVA was originally with Clear Debt and I have never dealt with such a cowboy organisation. Again, when they sold my IVA to Aperture, I had no contact with anyone, by any means, to inform what was going on. I never got any yearly statements from Clear Debt and never had to do a yearly financial statement (or whatever it was called).
I will keep you posted (any further advice btw)
Sara (Debt Camel) says
So they are correct – well probably, it does depend on the wording of your IVA but you would need a solicitor to advise on that – that they can go after the PPI when your IVA is open. And indeed closed, but without a Certificate of Completion your IVA is open. so that would seem to be the relevant case.
Although it is odd your IVA has been sold to Jarvis, it may be a lot easier to deal with them than Aperture, whose communications have been very poor recently.
You can argue that you never gave consent to First Dispute to send a PPI claim to MBNA.
The problem is that if Aperture had asked to you give your consent, you would have had to give it or they may have decided to fail your IVA.
And it isn’t clear how this could actually benefit you at all. I guess you may be so cross you just want to pusue this even if you don’t get a penny from it but the downside is your IVA has still not been completed and do you really want this to be held up any longer? Let alone risk Aperture/jarvis saying they may fail your IVA because you are not co-operating with your supervisor?
from a practical point of view, you are not going to get the PPI refund paid to you and the most important thing is surely to get your IVA closed asap. Have you talked to Jarvis about this?
Julie says
I have just received a letter from Lloyds bank saying that a ppi payment of £2,789 has been paid to aperture,I also wasn’t aware that they could and did do this..
I informed Lloyd’s that I’ve never given permission for them to do this but they said all the checks they needed were clear and I did ??
That money has now been credited into my iva,when I’m in dire need of a new roof .I’ve just made my final 5yr payment
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Had you made the claim for a PPI refund or did Aperture?
Julie says
Aperture
I didn’t think I had any
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Well if you were in an IVA any PPI refunds should go to your IVA firm.
See the reply I have just given to Chris above this one. They should have asked you to authorise the PPI reclaim – but it’s not clear there is anything you can do to get this money to come to you.
Have Aperture agreed your IVA has now ended? you aren’t being asked to release equity?
Chris Davies says
Hello Sara
I spoke to Jarvis this morning and had a lengthy conversation with one of their reps who goes by the title “Title Client services Officer”. She has confirmed that my IVA was fully closed down and completed on 20th September 2019. So my IVA is finished and I`ve already stated, it was removed from my credit file on or about October last year. So there are no concerns or worries on that front.
She can give no explanation as to why I have not had a Certificate of Completion or a closing statement to show how much my creditors received, how much Aperture received and how much was written off.
I have also registered a complaint re possible breaches of the data protection act as it would appear Aperture instructed First Dispute Company and passed my details to them. This was done without my knowledge or permission.In respect to any possible PPI, at present MBNA can not tell me how much compensation (if any) is involved. i`m tempted to just progress the matter further with MBNA because what can Jarvis actually do to me. They can`t resurrect the IVA and put it back onto my credit file!!??
Sara (Debt Camel) says
did she say Jarvis have your IVA?
Chris Davies says
Hello Sara,
Yes, they have my IVA. The reason I was given was it was in case people like myself contacted them and they needed to refer to old contracts. It would appear that Aperture have sold them a large number of completed IVAs as well as “live” IVAs. I`m not sure what authority they have to do this. If they have done this to people with completed IVAs (like myslef), then I see it as a huge breach of the data protection act, especially if they have not informed the IVA client. It just all sounds very dodgy
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hello Chris,
I can confirm that only active IVAs were transferred to Jarvis Insolvency. Where an IVA has closed, ie the final report and certificate of completion/termination has been issued, these were not transferred to Jarvis Insolvency. However, a trust remains in place which Aperture are continuing to administer. It would be helpful to locate your IVA to get to the bottom of this for you. Would you be able to drop an email to welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk with your IVA reference number?
I can also confirm that Aperture’s IVA proposals allowed the Supervisor to make investigations into any financial mis-selling claims on your behalf and to appoint a third party company to do so, Frist Dispute Management. If your IVA has indeed closed under Aperture, any PPI award that is made would still be due into the IVA estate. As mentioned above, Aperture still manage the closed case IVA trusts and can be contacted on IVATrusts@aperture.uk.com for an update.
I hope this helps
Jarvis Insolvency
Julie says
Hi Chris
Just read your comments and I agree totally with you on data protection aspect as I’ve just had the same done to me.
Aperture also used the first dispute firm to apply for ppi info on myself and husband,I knew that I didn’t have any as I’m disabled and wouldn’t have be able acquire any ppi on any of my loans or credit cards,but my husband did have one,like yourself we’ve never given permission for our data to be passed to anyone other than our iva supervisors to deal with our creditors..
We’ve just had a letter from Lloyds bank saying a ppi case has been paid to aperture via a claim from first dispute..
We had no idea this was happening and the amount would’ve helped pay towards much needed work on my roof..
I tried to contact aperture but you can’t now,I contacted Jarvis who’ve now bought out open iva from aperture who told me that aperture are the only ones who I can talk to but only via email,that was 10 days ago and still no reply…
I’m sick with worry,julie
Julie says
I paid my last 5yr plan payment yesterday to jarvis.aoerture hasn’t replied to my email on the ppi payment they’ve received.
Jarvis told me that I have to try to remortgage and release equity,but obviously due to no credit rating,I’ll health of my husband and our ages. I receive highest rate of pip for personal and mobility issues.
There a very high probability that hubby will be made redundant by xmas aswell as 133 ppl are being made redundant.
I am aware that I can pay a further year tho which may be a struggle if redundancies to fall on us
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hello Julie,
Congratulations on making your final voluntary contribution into your IVA. If a PPI payment has been received, it will be due into your IVA for the benefit of your creditors,
Please do let us know if you struggle to make payments in lieu of the equity in your property if you are unable to remortgage, as we will be able to help you further.
Jarvis Insolvency
Julie jones says
My iva is now under Jarvis ( apparently)
When I contacted them they told me my final 5yr plan payment was £114.10..
I paid that and am now waiting for them to finalise a further year of payments as I can’t get any money out of my home..
I’ve just checked my bank and it’s showing that my final payment was paid to aperture !!
I’ve also had a call from a grant Thornton number !!!
saying their jarvis and that I still owe £101.15…
I’ve downloaded the portal their now sending us but all that is asking menus to download files ( no account details and no way of just messaging them via it)
What us GOING ON
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hi Julie
All active IVAs were transferred to Jarvis Insolvency and members of staff from the Aperture Belfast office were also transferred as part of the acquisition. Any payments made have been processed within your IVA as all direct debits were transferred over. Unfortunately the Aperture portal is no longer in use but if you’d like to get in touch with us please email welcome@jarvisiva.co.uk
Jarvis Insolvency
Julie jones says
Seeing as you get back to me quicker via debt camel than via your email system maybe this is the better platform…
Danny Bamber says
You have taken on approx 25,000 clients from Aperture so will this years annual review get done before Christmas regarding individual IVAs?
Jarvis Insolvency says
Hello Danny,
An annual review is required on each IVA within 2 months of the anniversary of the IVA, so it very much depends on the date that your IVA was approved. However, all annual reviews will be completed within the required timescales and you will receive a copy of the report that is sent to your creditors.
Jarvis Insolvency
Danny says
Thanks for response. Yes I see your point. The reviews will be spread out over the year as and when they become due. So that takes the pressure off you.
EB237 says
I set up an IVA in December 2018, for a debt around £6000. Ive got around £4000 left.
My financial circumstances have changed significantly since, in that at the time of the IVA being set up I was a student. Now, I earn lots more a month since qualifying in my role.
I contacted Aperture to inform them of this change a few months ago and filled out a new expenditure form but I never got a response. I have since made two more phone calls to Jarvis and both times have not been given any real information on what I can do. This has led to me feeling distressed because I desperately want to pay off as much as I can and as far as I am aware that whilst my salary has increased I am legally bound to be paying more into my IVA. It seems though, despite my efforts to do this, it has not been actioned. I made a further phone call and was advised to write an email with my concerns and include an updated expenditure form which showed I can afford to increase my payments 5x what I am now. I did this 4 weeks ago and still not recieved a response. Ideally i want to increase my payments monthly so that i can pay off the iva sooner.
As I delve more into this and do more reading I start to realise I could have been missold an IVA as a resolution to my problem. But I am worried that the IVA is going to seriously affect my chance of getting a mortage which is what I want. Do you have any advice?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
TO have your IVA completed early, in addition to paying off the debts that went into your IVA, you will also have to pay the IVA fees, likely to be about £3500. And possibly also statutory interest as well.
Also even when it is completed, your credit record will still be wrecked and you will find it VERY hard to get a mortgage until 2025. So there isn’t a lot of point is making your life hard by straining to repay it faster than Jarvis say.
Yes you may well have been mis-sold this. Putting a student, expecting their income to increase in the next few years, into an IVA for just £6000 … it is VERY unlikely a good debt adviser would have thought that was a good move. You should have had all the fees etc explained to you clearly so you could see what you were getting into. A debt management plan or possibly a DRO would have been much more sensible.
EB237 says
Thanks for your reply. I went into an IVA in the first place because I couldnt keep up with the interest payments from the credit card. I went through a period of months not actually repaying any of the credit card and just paying interest and eventually falling behind. When I went into the IVA the person who organised it knew my plan to qualify within 2 years, I was told at that time I could go into the IVA and my chances of getting a mortage wouldn’t be affected. I didnt know enough about it at the time and it appears to be the worst solution. I am very upset about it. To make things worse once the IVA had been started a few months later I recieved a letter from the credit card company saying I had been incorrectly charged interest. Something that I tried to fight with them when i began not being able to keep up the payments. Anyway by the sounds of it I am stuck in the IVA until 6 years are up. Just cant believe that I am now earning good money, cant get my way out of it and wont be able to get a mortage. Is there anythiny you suggest I do goint forward? Thank you for your time today.
EB237 says
Do you know if I was gifted the money from my partner would the extra £3500 fees apply? I wondered if that could help me get out of the IVA early and if it says completed on my credit file would it then help my chances of getting a mortage? It just seems reasonabls to me if I explained to the mortage advisors I was missold an IVA, am not in any financial difficulty whatsoever anymore and havent been since those missed payments in 2018 when I was earning a pittence – would that make a difference?
Sara (Debt Camel) says
Yes & No.
The 3500 fees are always charged.
But if you make an early settlement offer with the money coming from someone else , then if the creditors accept that offer the IVA is completed. That is different from you saying you want to pay more each month, then they will expect you to carry on until all the debts & fees are repaid in full. With the settlement offer, your creditors will get 3500 less, With the fully paid option, you pay more and your creditors get paid more. (I am simplifying a bit here)
It will still make it very hard to get a mortgage – but of course you will have a large deposit when you do get one, which is good.
I am afraid mortgage advisers aren’t likely to be interested in your story about how you were missold this.