Hi,
Please help as I'm feeling so anxious and not sure the best course to now take.
I had a car loan in Dubai which had half the loan still unpaid approx 15k dhs when I had to leave Dubai suddenly. I was pregnant and on a holiday to the UK became extremely ill and could not fly back to Dubai. For many health reasons I was never able to return. I paid several thousand dirhmans off the loan in the first few months of being in the UK. I tried to deal with Emirates NBD at the time to arrange repayments and repossession of the car which had been left in Dubai in my apartment block car park. They wouldn't help me or give me any means to contact them by phone and just kept repeating I had to go into branch in person. After many times explaining that wasn't possible as I was in and out of hospital in the UK I gave up as they gave me no means of sorting it (also of course I had no source of income at the time, pregnancy going wrong, a 1 year old and serious health issues.)
In 2020 I was contacted at my then current address by a solicitors. I did engage with them by email saying that I do not accept the debt at this stage until they can provide me a full breakdown of the debt they claim I owe and evidence of this directly from the bank with original contracts and evidence of attempt to contact me.
The solicitor never did this but continued every few months to email generically that I owed this amount 24k dhs and to contact them.
I have since moved address and just 2 weeks ago at my new address I received a letter from IDR, a generic letter saying they will contact me at this address. Since they have sent another letter telling me I have an outstanding debt of 23k dhs and they have been instructed by emirates nbd to collect it, their intention is to understand my circumstances and arrange a new method of repayment.
My question is:
what is the best course of action for me to now take?
Do I engage with IDR?
do I attempt to contact Emirates NBD directly,
if so how as this was impossible when I attempted in 2016 when I moved back to the UK?
The IDR have my correct address and have also sent me an sms.
If I ignore them does that give them more leverage?
Can they take me to court, if so what is the worst case scenario?
that I am found liable for the charge and agree repayment terms or can it be much worse than that? baring in mind, I have no assets and a very low income.
Thanks for any help and feedback, the anxiety is making me sick and I know that's what they usually rely on so trying to stay level headed.