Leaving UK debt behind and moving to South Africa

[BeeBee13]

Hi there,

 

I have lived outside the UK for over a year now and now living in South Africa. I tried for over a year to keep paying off my UK Credit cards- Barclaycard and MBNA with debts of around £14k.

 

In March this year I called the bank to let them know that I couldnt afford the monthly payments as I now have no job and also the exchange rate is so low my Rands wont cover much of the debt monthly. They said I could default for 7 months and then the debt would be sold on or I could pay but they said I had to keep paying with a minimum amount. As I had no job I stopped the monthly payments and its been 6 months now. I havent told them I am living here and have had no emails or anything from them as they dont have my number or address.

 

I wanted to find out if they were able to chase these debts to SA and what the best option was for me to do? I am having terrible sleepless nights over this and the thought of it is making me feel sick to my stomach but right now I have no way of paying them back.

 

Any feedback or advise would be much appreciated.

[unclebulgaria67]

For such a relatively small debt, if they can't trace you in the UK, I cannot see that they will try to enforce the debt. Most DCA's will check UK records first to see if you live there and if so then check whether you own any property. If they cannot see any ongoing activity on your UK credit record, I doubt they will want to incur any costs, without a reasonable chance of a return.

 

Eventually someone may twig that you have moved abroad and you may receive communications from a Debt Collection Agency. In theory, if they found you in SA and believed they had a chance of getting a return, they could go through a lengthy expensive process, as there are reciprocal arrangements in regard to UK court and SA courts. But for a debt of this amount, I think it would be pretty unlkely.

 

I would suggest that you try to stop worrying about this. Debt is purely a civil matter and if a debt owner wants to try to collect the debt, they will have to go through the proper legal processes. If they ever do contact you, unless it is a letter from a court that you can verify, I would ignore them.

[BeeBee13]

Thanks for letting me know on the below.

I am just worried that if I want to go back to the UK for a visit or holiday that when I apply for a visa it will be declined from this?

Would they serve court orders in the UK against me?

 

For such a relatively small debt, if they can't trace you in the UK, I cannot see that they will try to enforce the debt. Most DCA's will check UK records first to see if you live there and if so then check whether you own any property. If they cannot see any ongoing activity on your UK credit record, I doubt they will want to incur any costs, without a reasonable chance of a return.

 

Eventually someone may twig that you have moved abroad and you may receive communications from a Debt Collection Agency. In theory, if they found you in SA and believed they had a chance of getting a return, they could go through a lengthy expensive process, as there are reciprocal arrangements in regard to UK court and SA courts. But for a debt of this amount, I think it would be pretty unlkely.

 

I would suggest that you try to stop worrying about this. Debt is purely a civil matter and if a debt owner wants to try to collect the debt, they will have to go through the proper legal processes. If they ever do contact you, unless it is a letter from a court that you can verify, I would ignore them.

[renegadeimp]

Being in debt is not a crime in the UK. You wont be refused a visa for it.

[unclebulgaria67]

Being in debt is not a crime in the UK. You wont be refused a visa for it.

 

Yes debt is nothing to do with anybody, apart from you, the debt owner and anyone you apply for credit from in the UK.

 

Were you expecting someone with a long pair of rubber gloves at border control ? ( lol)

 

It tends to the Islamic countries where debt is a state issue. e.g Dubai where debt can lead to a debtor being held in custody, while they resolve the matter.