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Moving Abroad - Would you pay your debts?
N-I-C-K
Posts: 3,268 Forum Member
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This is a interesting question... right here we go.
Your planning on emigrating to Australia, you have a few credit card debts, an overdraft and a small bank loan. In total say £6000.
Would you carry on paying them off, pay them off in full before you left or slope off without telling them you were emigrating.
Just interesting to read what other people whould do.
Your planning on emigrating to Australia, you have a few credit card debts, an overdraft and a small bank loan. In total say £6000.
Would you carry on paying them off, pay them off in full before you left or slope off without telling them you were emigrating.
Just interesting to read what other people whould do.
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Not sure if it's the case but someone said to me before if your out of the country for 7 years the debt gets wiped, probably just a bullshit billy:D
It's 6 years I think... If you can't be contacted regarding a debt after this time, although they can still chase you for the money it can't be taken to court.
http://ezinearticles.com/?UK-Debt-When-Moving-Abroad&id=6081
How would the debt collectors know that you've emigrated, as far as they were aware you could of moved 2 streets away - never mind the other side of the world.
I can't decide myself what i'd do, I suppose if they can't find you they would chase your family. But I suppose if you don't have any family (well not any you like) and are not planning on moving back home - WHY NOT?
Good thought though!!
Australia is hardly 5 months sea voyage away these days... with phone and internet etc it would be silly to think that they wouldn't catch up with you
I would imagine though that australia would be right on top of things though considering it is so hard to emmigrate there in the first place you have to have x amount of £'s and have a profession etc and they do a lot of background checks before they will consider allowing you in.
I would however pay any outstanding bills before I emigrated & make sure all my finances were in order.
You never know when you may need to come back to the country.
Are you married
If not, why not ????
I think I'm in love
If you leave the country you must ensure that all of your creditors change your account address to the foreign one.
Once the address on the account has been changed, it is impossible for them to blacklist you or take you to court - you have to be a UK resident for this to happen.
As for extradition, this only happens in criminal cases and as debt is a matter for the civil courts, there is nothing they can do (unless they believe fraud has been committed).
If you return to the UK, as long as they can't find you, which they often don't due to resources, you effectively 'get away with it'.
After 6 years they are not able to take any action of the debt.
I know, I have unintentionally been in this exact situation as described above.
once you are in debt and you try to apply for tv licence gas/water etc you will find out that it wasn't a good idea not to pay your debts
The debts have also affected her freedom to travel. She was born in Australia, but has received a letter advising her that, until the debts are cleared or satisfied, if she leaves Australia for more than 3 months and wishes to return, she will be expected to provide the same level of financial information as someone wishing to emigrate would have been. In Australia, other than her Single Parent Pension and help with housing, she's not entitled to any help whatsoever, & therefore has to work to pay her way, with part of her salary going to pay her debts. She wasn't entitled to benefits in the UK until she got her residency sorted out (5 years, I think), but now she's been told that if she returns to the UK, any benefits she's entitled to may be subject to deductions. She's now wishing she'd never left the debts behind the first time - so much does hang on them being able to find you, but it's actually quite hard to hide unless you've got a lot of resources to help you do it, especially if you have family, want/need to work etc. One debt can affect many other areas of your life. If you can pay up, I think it's better to do so even if you'd rather not.
Pay them. If you ever have to return to the UK to live again you would have great difficulty getting credit or accommodation to rent.
Either way, far too much hassle. People need to repay their debts especially if the debt is over luxury items.
Because it's stealing - why do people think it's OK?
Of course they got checked before they left (i think criminal records are given a good going over) but as they didnt fall behind til they got there, they got away with it. Aparently you start with a clean slate there anyway.
I imagine its highly unlikely they will catch up with them. what is barclaycard going to do, send the baliffs to australia??? The creditors will just write the debt off.
True, but everyone I know that has ever emigrated to australia or wherever, never wants to come back!