I am British and moved to The Netherlands 16 years ago when work was in abundance. Being self employed in today's present climate is a much bigger challenge and I find myself in a very difficult situation. My work has almost dried up and I would like to return to the UK with my Ukrainian wife and child.... However my debts amount to around €22000 (unsecured) and we do not own our own house here. To settle this debt before we leave would be at present impossible. My question is, would my best option be bankruptcy? And would this have any adverse affect on our return to the Uk? Would this have an affect on my wife's application for a uk visa or citizenship? Thanks in advance for any advice

A friend was recently caught by this [problem] offering 'free trial', not realising that she was actually signing up for a monthly supply on a continuous payment arrangement. Money for postage was debited from her card but alarm bells began to ring and she cancelled card and removed all funds from her account so that no further money could be taken. She did cancel as per their instructions after realising the difficulties people had when trying to get money refunded. So the goods arrived and payment cannot be taken so there can be no refund problem. However there is no trading address on the website (which I believe is not legal) so there was no way of knowing where the goods had been sent from. On cancelling she was instructed to return the goods to an address in the Netherlands by signed for delivery. This will be expensive, so having been completely and deliberately misled by this company she intends to bin them. I don't think this company can have any legal redress on this as they are certainly not adhering to UK distance selling regulations. I would appreciate any advice on the legal implications of this. It is impossible to speak to them - only a message can be left and they ignore.

Does anyone happen to know what Limitations there are in the netherlands off hand? Lol, i was going through an ancient email address which I hadn't used in over 10 years and noticed an old bank statement where I owed fl. 6000 (now about €3000) lol!

Hi all, I have been living in the Netherlands for four years and now in the process of sepearating from my husband - i left debt in the UK around 7k (bank overdraft, pay day companies) with the intention of repaying when i started living here, unfortunatley as my husand was out of work for much of the time i lived here i was unable to pay back. Can anyone please advise on the best way to tackle the situation. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, I hope someone can help me with some advice. I lived in the UK for 8 years with my English husband. Then our relationship went sour, he moved out of our joint mortgaged property, leaving me to pay all the bills (such as the mortgage) which I couldn't. The house is now being sold but with a huge shortfall (£30k) and I have some smaller debts which are in my name because he was unemployed (credit card £1900, personal loan £1200). First there was talk of voluntarily handing back the property to the mortgage company because of arrears so to avoid being homeless I moved back to the Netherlands where I'm from (moved in with my mother in January 2013). My husband is now saying that he will declare himself bankrupt and leave me with the joint debt (which is the shortfall on the mortgage). I don't see how I can pay back the debts (unemployed) and find it unfair that I will be solely responsible (but understand that's just how it is). I am now also considering bankruptcy but want to do that in the UK where my only debts are. I understand that I will have to move back to the UK for at least 3 months plus 1 day to show that my 'centre of main interest' is in the UK before I can declare bankruptcy which is fine. I can rent a room and find some kind of job. Alternatively, someone suggested that since I still have a house in the UK, I wouldn't need to!? I could just go the local court and apply for bankruptcy. Do you need to prove to the Official Receiver that I've been living in the property? I do pay all the bills still such as council tax and home/content insurance. Will he need to see any bank statements to prove that I've been paying for food and such? How will the official receiver look at me moving back to the Netherlands after I've applied for bankruptcy and before it's been discharged? It will be pretty obvious that I moved to the UK just to declare myself bankrupt, right? But will the OR care??? I read that he might care if I have debts other than in UK and I moved to the UK to clear those foreign debts (to make use of easy UK bankruptcy laws). But these are UK debts only incurred whilst living in UK. I have a child that I'll leave with my mother but don't want to stay away for a year or more. I will remain in full contact with the OR when back in the Netherlands. I don't have assets in either country after the UK property has been sold and no debts in the Netherlands so it makes sense to be bankrupt in the UK only!? I have nothing to hide. I just don't want to be bankrupt in the Netherlands where it takes 6 years for a clean slate instead of 1 year. Sorry for the long story. Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!

Hi I have a claim form from a UK court for a mortgage debt incurred in the Netherlands in 2001. I had a mortgage, lost my job and returned to the UK in 2003, defaulting on the debt. The house was sold but had a shortfall, which with interest is now around £90.000. I heard from a UK solicitor earlier this year and on checking, believed that the debt was statute barred and advised not to make any admission. I now have a court order for the debt. I am now retired with only a state pension and a small RAF pension, and minimum living expenses. I can't afford a solicitor but can I get legal aid, and do I need to acknowledge this debt? Any help/advice appreciated. Thank you.