UK debt being Chased in Australia

[expatdebtor]

Just thought I should call for anyone who is also suffering at the hands of Pie and Beer DCA in Australia, legal fight against them is moving and all hands on deck... so to speak! Watch this space! Bodgit very very busy... and also (BTW) my hero!

[Stillfrantic]

Hi, hope you can help me. I am in a similar situation with a DCA chasing me - but mine is the other way around. We stupidly left some debt in NZ 18 months ago and returned to live in the UK. We have now received a letter from Telogram on behalf of Capquest wanting us to confirm our address. I also received an 'international' call last week, but when he asked for us by name I told him he had a wrong number. I am now petrified as I am certainly not proud of what we have done, but am desperate for some quick answers. A CCJ was not issued against us before we left NZ. Can Capquest chase for the debt here in the UK? I have no idea where they got our address from or telephone number as we are ex directory. Please help.

Edited November 17, 2009 by Stillfrantic
Error

[expatdebtor]

My gut feeling is you are as safe as houses... well, safer! Read the threads and stickys here and start with a DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEBT letter... see templates, and request CCA.... they will harrass because scaring people makes them pay... be brave, say nothing over the phone and keep reading this site( and donating if you can) for the massive support they are...

[Stillfrantic]

Thank you for your reply. I will keep you posted when they contact me again.

[cerberusalert]

Thank you for your reply. I will keep you posted when they contact me again.

 

If & when they contact you again send them this http://www.consumerforums.com/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/573-general-debt-letter-if-you-know-nothing-of-the-debt

[Ladida]

Are there any template letters for the privacy commisioner.

 

Also need advice on who to complain to in oz about a consumer issue. If anyone can help could you pm me please.

 

Ladida

[Bodgit]

sorry guy's for not replying sooner have been quite busy.

 

The situation is at present an investigation by the CRA has left the black marks on our files.

 

Plonkers are trying to take court action against a few people over here at present.

 

The privacy commisioner is still investigating both VEDA and Plonkers but will take some time.

 

For all of you that have recieved phone calls, letters,a Veda listing or other horrible contact from the WA idiots please PM me with your details.

 

I have some very important info that will require you to contact your relevant legal aid divisions in the state you reside.

 

I will need you to supply them with some contact details that they will be able to use but for obvious reasons I'm not willing to post on here just yet.

 

Please let me know as soon as possible.

 

Bodgit

[DAVEDU]

Well done Bodgit, your'e a DCA fighting Pioneer - Credit to you

 

If anyone has been contacted by these idiots chasing unproven and unenforceable debts, even if you've already been intimidated into paying them, you need to PM Bodgit asap.

[expatdebtor]

:) Things are looking very tragic for Pioneer WA, all support needed, if you have any trouble with them, on any level re: UK debt, PM Bodgit, or me first if you feeling nervous! Happy to help with what I know... which isn't much by comparison... GO PFF!

[expatdebtor]

sending smiles... first in our house for long time... to bodgit:D

[noomill060]

Plonkers.

 

What an apt name- no doubt run by someone called Trotter...

[noomill060]

Trotters Independent Traders, or TITS for short.

[Bodgit]

Rodney and Delboy are much more intelligent than these idiots!!!!

 

Numbers for each states Legal aid are below.

 

Tas- 1800 232500

Vic- 1300 881 020

Qld- 1300 651 188

WA- 08 922117066

Act- 02 62571788

Nsw- 02 92124215

SA- Legal Service Commission on 1300 366 424

[Bodgit]

to all

 

The CRA Veda have now decided to remove all adverse listings that where placed by Plonkers from the credit files starting today.:D

 

A win for the little people.....

 

The Legal Aid dudes are now working on the Plonkers and Balls Legal teams to ensure they 'F' off completely from our lives.

 

Great news for us all. please contact the legal guy's above if you have any dealings with these idiots and do not pay plonkers a cent.

 

Will keep you all updated.

 

Bodgit

Edited November 20, 2009 by Bodgit

[expatdebtor]

Whose not singing anymore???

[ODC]

to all

 

The CRA Veda have now decided to remove all adverse listings that where placed by Plonkers from the credit files starting today.:D

 

A win for the little people.....

 

The Legal Aid dudes are now working on the Plonkers and Balls Legal teams to ensure they 'F' off completely from our lives.

 

Great news for us all. please contact the legal guy's above if you have any dealings with these idiots and do not pay plonkers a cent.

 

Will keep you all updated.

 

Bodgit

Its a pity that the authorities here lack the teeth of our Oz cousins. Of course the connection between government mininsters and ex minister may be something to do with it. It could of course be that one of the biggest CRAs is owned by a DCA so their must surely be a coonflict of interest there

[Bodgit]

ODC,

 

I think the fact that the lawyers pointed out to Veda that if they set a precedence in this case then any Aussie DCA could buy any overseas debt from anywhere in the world and list it as a fresh debt in Aus, the point finally struck home. It would be a financial calamity with their investigations department snowed under, and the threat of libel action a real cost risk.

 

The privacy code here seems to be enforced a lot better here than UK, but will hold off saying it's great until they finish their investigations.

 

I'm sure most people will agree that if the financial institutions helped people out in difficulties and worked with them then these situations would not arise.

 

I personnally would have made a reduced offer if they had gone about this differently, but legal threats, total indifference to our situations and the lack of respect for me and my family put my back straight up. Then to find they had black marked me in a completely illegal way meant that I will fight them for every last penny.

 

Australia has a system in place to assist those in financial hardships. It is now part of the credit code and must be adhered to.

 

It seems that we were very lucky to find these great lawyers to help and not be judgemental towards us. If they are reading this thread then my thanks go to them all for the help and support they have provided.

 

The skirmish has been won but the final battle is still on with Plonkers still claiming they should still be able to collect on their Lemons, and as yet have still not pulled out from the legal summons they have issued to a PFF member.

 

The Legal guy's are onto this now and hopefully Plonkers will realise that they pull out now with some profit left or lose the lot in fines and counter claims for harressment and libel damages.

 

CAG, I can't thank you enough for all your support and advice. I have personally learnt an awful lot about the credit laws of both UK and Aus with all your assistance and for that I'm very grateful.

 

If I can help anyone else with the same issues / problems then please feel free to PM me. I will try and help as much as i can.

 

As for the rest of the PFF thanks for your help and support. Together we made a difference and helped other people on the way. Good on Ya guy's.

 

Bodgit

[3tea]

Bodgit,

 

I have been following your thread with interest as Veda are also the primary CRA in NZ.

 

I have a threat from a UK Credit Card company that they are about to sell an alleged debt to an 'overseas' DCA, so I am anticipating a similar problem to yours.

 

I have been looking at Article 8 of the Data Protection Act 1998 with regard to the UK creditor disclosing data overseas and wondered if this was the main thrust of your campaign to get the CRA entries removed?

 

Or was it simply that UK debt is exactly that and simply can't be converted to Oz?

 

Regards,

 

3tea

[ODC]

I personnally would have made a reduced offer if they had gone about this differently, but legal threats, total indifference to our situations and the lack of respect for me and my family put my back straight up. Then to find they had black marked me in a completely illegal way meant that I will fight them for every last penny.

 

That is the thing about most DCA ****. Their GREED takes over and they do not try to make any arrangement regarding alleged debts. From practically the first letter they demand payment in FULL, threaten Legal Action and sending the boys round. They employ ill educated ill bred ignoramuses as telephone threat monkeys who constantly telephone again repeating the often illegal yet empty threats. I have one DCA who I deal with who from day one were pleasant and understanding and as a result get paid regularly and I never even asked them for a CCA.

 

The skirmish has been won but the final battle is still on with Plonkers still claiming they should still be able to collect on their Lemons,

 

This is the best bit. The greedy OZ DCAs bought these lemons in the hope of making a fast buck whilst their UK co-slimeballs are laughing and being able to get shot of a load of useless debts

[expatdebtor]

3Tea,

A uk debt is exactly as you say, that. It cannot be converted to Oz and I would be pretty sure NZ too. The section 8 you refer to is just extra ammunition to fire at the DCA making threats, VEDA appears to list whatever anyone tells them... legal or not! Check your file, but read back through these threads and start with the CCA process... unless you are happy to ignore them, they will probably give up anyway. I had a string of all sorts of legal action threatened and none came to fruition. They most trouble I have had has been done with no notice to me at all.... ah the professionalism of PIE and BEER Credit WA!!

[expatdebtor]

I should also reiterate Bodgits sentiments,

I was telephoning each and every month (for two years) making payments that often left us eating bread and soup for dinner (literally), and every call I was threatened and pressured into paying more.

 

At the same time UK DCA telephoned my house @ UK times... 3 am etc. Even spoke to my kids on one occaision... told them Mum and Dad needed to call 'really big problem'. They did'nt care that we are low single income family with four children under 9.

I suffered clinical depression, as a direct result of their threatening and harrassment. Any moral obligations I had -have totally evaporated.

[noomill060]

"Any moral obligations I had -have totally evaporated."

 

Good.

 

 

The word "moral" doesnt appear anywhere in the Consumer Credit Act 1974/06. Dont let anyone pretend that it does.

 

Use the law to nail their b@lls to the floorboards.

 

They would do the same to you.

[Taormina]

Good on you guys!!! I have been follwoing this thread with extreme interest. I am in NZ and have received a yellow post card from a UK DCA, all the normal threats etc. We have tried to deal with the bank direct in UK but you get passed pillar to post and they will not help you! Anyway.

 

To 3Tea - yes it is VEDA that hold our accounts. I have been searching the net for months now and have not found one single thread where a UK DCA or a foriegn DCA acting (dodgily) for a UK.

[bartasip]

Hi Guys,

 

I imagine that this post was very helpful to a lot of people here. Just want to add a few questions that was not mentioned here. Please advise for me and others that will help a lot.

 

If you have a credit card and you don't want to get CCJ on your account, because you can not longer pay 21.99% you can.

 

1. Ask for a settlement quote

2. Ask to write if off

3. Do an IVA (if you find work)

4. Go Bankrupt (if you still can not find work and want to live in uk)

5. Plan X (if you do not want to live in UK anymore)

 

Plan X:

 

a) Fill your P85 that you will no longer be a resident

b) Pay all you NI or other charges if you have with HRMC (government)

c) Send Self Assessment and make sure you do not owe them any money

d) Unregister Electrolal voting roll

e) Give an another European address to your bank

 

Question 1:

After this is done, they would not be able to obtain CCJ on you, which means they can not enforce it to any country?

 

Question 2:

You must do a), b), c), but do you have to do d) and e)?

 

Question 3:

Is there a difference how much you owe them?

>5k

5k

15k

more then 25k

 

Question 4:

If the % goes up, in a few years with up to 21.99% it can reach 20, 30 or 50 k in a few years, so what then?

 

Debt managament plan is up to £12k

AVI if it is up to £25K

Bankruptcy - unlimited amount

 

If you owe money to the bank on a credit card, or a loan I understand that the bigger it is the more effort they put to find you. However, is this true?

Correct me if I am wrong, as these answers will help a lot of people to sleep.

Edited November 21, 2009 by bartasip

[expatdebtor]

Bartasip

I'm sorry, can't help with plan X. It was never our intention to make a plan and in fact were happily paying back debt from UK while in OZ (even after we realised they couldn't legally chase us for it), we had been here a year before running into financial trouble. Then all sorts of things happened that were largely out of our control... it was in desperation that I found this forum to get me out of the holes a nasty DCA had me trapped in.