What happens if I move in with my partner in an IVA

You can move in with your partner during an IVA if you wish. However there are implications you need to consider. Particularly, how they will be affected and what will happen to your payments.

Included in this article:

Are there any downsides for your partner?
Will your IVA payments be affected?
How to minimise disruption to your IVA

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Are there any downsides for your partner if you move in with them?

Your IVA is a personal agreement that only affects you. No-one else is directly impacted. This is the case even if you are already married and living with them.

Because of this, if you move in with your partner (or they move in with you) during your IVA, they will not be directly impacted. Most importantly their credit rating is not affected. They will still be able to borrow money and get new finance agreements in their name if they wish.

In addition their assets remain their own and are not at risk. If you move into their home it will not be affected in any way. If they have savings they do not have to use these to pay your your IVA.

Your partner does not become liable for any of your debt if you move in with them during your IVA.

Will your IVA payments be affected after you move in?

Moving in with a partner (or they moving in with you) could mean your IVA payments go up. This is because some of the living expenses you were previously paying on your own, can now be shared.

Your partner may now pay half of the rent, council tax and utility bills. As a result, you would expect to be able to save money. Your surplus income therefore increases and your IVA payments could also go up.

The way to confirm this is to complete a new income and expenses budget which reflects the contribution your partner is making to the bills. Your IVA company will normally ask you to do this when you move.

If after you move in with your partner, you are supporting them financially, your surplus income may actually go down. In these circumstances it may be possible to agree a reduction in your payments. However this is not always possible.

Struggling to get your head round all of this? We can help. Call us (0800 011 4712) or complete the form below. The advice is free and confidential.

How to minimise disruption to your IVA

When moving in with a partner, the best way to minimise disruption to your IVA is to treat yourself or your partner as a lodger. This allows a simple change your income and expenses budget.

If you move into your partner’s property, you show you are now making a single payment covering your rent including bills. Where they move in with you, you simply show an increase in your income based on the rent they now pay you.

The advantage of this is it means you avoid having to complete a household income and expenses budget. You do not need to declare your partner’s income and specific expenditures to your IVA company. This keeps everything simple.

It also means that it is easy to change back if you decide to move out again before your IVA is over.

Want to move in with your partner during your IVA? We can help you decide the best way forward. Call 0800 011 4712 or complete the form below and we’ll call you.

24 thoughts on “What happens if I move in with my partner in an IVA”

Stephen B says:

21/07/2023 at 11:12

I’ve moved into a flat with my girlfriend we are both on the tenancy. She earns more than me. I still have the same outgoings as when I set up iva and do not benefit from her income. I pay half the bills. Can I say we are lodging together rather than being partners to prevent having to give her income details even if I’m on tenancy. I need to tell them my change of address.

James Falla says:

21/07/2023 at 11:19

Hi Stephen

You definitely need to tell your IVA company about your change of address.

I would agree that the easiest way to describe the situation to your IVA company is that you are living in a shared house and both split the bills 50/50. That way, you just have to update your personal income and expenses budget and don’t have to give any info about your partner or her income.

It does not matter that you are both on the tenancy. Many people share rented property with both their names on the agreement.

DonnaM says:

04/08/2023 at 16:31

Hi , me and my husband are with an IVA, we are having to make the decision to move in to his mother’s house so we can care for her full time. What I am concerned about is will this affect her at all?

04/08/2023 at 16:39

Hi Donna

If you move into your partner’s mother’s house, I can confirm that your IVA will not affect her in any way. So from that perspective you have nothing to worry about.

However, it is likely to mean that your living expenses will change. Perhaps your expenses will reduce because you no longer have to pay the same amount of rent and bills?

Once you have moved you will need to tell your IVA company and they will do a new review of your income and expenses. If your surplus income has increased because of a reduction in your expenses, then your IVA payment may have to increase. You can read more about this by clicking on the following link: Can my IVA payments go up?