PayPlan

[pfjc1000]

Hello

 

I'm new to this site, so hi to all

 

I recently left UK to live in Australia (4 year VISA) about 18 months ago with quite large debts that i was struggling to pay when I got out here. Main issues were sending money back to my UK account, bank charges for this process and exchange rates AUD -STG which were high at the time. I defaulted back in June and haven't paid anything since then. My debt consists of a few credit cards, bank loan and an overdraft.

 

I found PayPlan before I found this site and I have been in touch with them and they drew a up a budget payment plan that works out how much spare cash I have every month and how much they reckon I can pay to them (PauPlan) every month. The trouble is, the repayments I will struggle with (400 pounds) and would be comfortable with paying half of what they've suggested for each month.

 

Can I offer the reduced payments to them? what are they like as a company, has anyone used them before? Could anyone tell me my rights also and can I pay back what i can afford.

 

Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated. I have worried about this a lot, but have read that there is no recriprocal agreetment for unsecured debt between UK and Australia.

 

thanks in advance

 

pfjc1000

[cerberusalert]

Have a read of this thread http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collection-industry/221573-debt-being-chased-australia.html before you decide anything. It's a bit long but well worth the read.

[pfjc1000]

Hey thanks for your reply. There is some real interesting stuff in there but noticed that the original question was for old debt being resurfaced (6 yrs +)

 

Would the same apply to me as my debt is relatively new, roughly 6 mths??

 

Also would it be worth going the cca route, what with me living in Oz??

 

Cheers

[cerberusalert]

Would the same apply to me as my debt is relatively new, roughly 6 mths??

Yes, they don't have the legal authority to chase debt in Oz unless they've already obtained a CCJ against you before you left the UK.

Also would it be worth going the cca route, what with me living in Oz??

It depends on how old your a/c is & how you applied for it.

[pfjc1000]

Cheers for the advice

 

I know that I had no ccj's against me when I left the UK as I had no problems with my bank a/c and credit cards.

If I have got ccjs against my name they would be incorrectly filed then? Is it worth a check to see if I have and how difficult are they to remove?

 

I can prove I've lived in Australia since May 2008 by my passport and 457 VISA stamp? Would that be enough to prove I dont live in the UK?

 

My bank a/c is years old and my credit cards are probably around 3-5 years old.

 

Cheers

[cerberusalert]

If I have got ccjs against my name they would be incorrectly filed then?

Yes.

Is it worth a check to see if I have and how difficult are they to remove?

You could check online at CCJs, court orders & fines - Search yourself and others - Trust Online If there are any they are relatively easy to get set aside.

I can prove I've lived in Australia since May 2008 by my passport and 457 VISA stamp? Would that be enough to prove I dont live in the UK?

Yes.

My bank a/c is years old and my credit cards are probably around 3-5 years old.

CCs after 2006 are usually enforceable.

[ozzyboy]

Hi PJ,

 

As Cerberusalert has suggested, keep an eye on the other thread relating to UK to debt in Australia.

 

Some of the info relates to stat barred debt but the main topic is how an Australian DCA is trying to magically convert a UK agreement into an Australian one...with about as much success as ye olde alchemists trying to turn lead into gold.

 

The other similarity 'twixt the two is that is highy probable that the DCA's experiment will blow up in their face too.

 

More to the point. you may also find some good info on the expat focus debt forums at Expat Focus - Forums - Expat Issues (scroll down for country specific forums) - Credit and Debt Management

 

This is where the current thread on CAG started (before Pie and Beer's lawyers got it shut down) and there are many, many posts on there concerning different aspects of UK debt in Australia that will set your mind at ease.

[pfjc1000]

Hey, thanks to yourself & Cerberusalert for your help

 

I'm just in the process of finding out if my creditors and/or DCA's have registered any ccjs to my old address in the UK. If so, I'll start the process of setting them aside.

 

Yeah, was reading the other thread, some interesting stuff on there, just goes to show that the DCA's will stop at nothing to get you to pay up.

 

So glad I found this site !!

 

I think I will check VEDA also just to see if any stuff has been registered on my credit file in Oz

 

Just thinking now what to do about PayPlan !!!!!!

[mkb]

Just thinking now what to do about PayPlan !!!!!!

 

 

Email them & say that you have realised that these debts may be invalid so you won't be paying them until you have proof that they need to be paid and when you know exactly what is legally owed, you will contact them again.

[loobyloo85]

Hi

 

I have been with Payplan a few years now, and I have found their service excellent, and would recommend them. They do not charge fees, so the DMP is completely free of charge. They take away a lot of pressure when receiving letters and statements, as they just deal with everything on your behalf, and they also apply to get interest and charges frozen on your accounts. If you have drawn up and income and expenditure and your payment is £400, that you do not feel comfortable with, I would suggest getting in contact with Payplan to inform them of this, and they can re-look at your details to try and get this down to an affordable, realistic payment.

[pfjc1000]

Thanks, Ive fired an email off to PayPlan to ask if I can pay the reduced amount and see what they say

 

 

Just wondering on the ccj issue, if they can raise one against my old address in the UK, as I didnt contact them to tell them I was relocating to Australia as my cc's and bank a/c was in order then?

 

I know I definetly didn't have any ccj's when I left

 

Cheers 4 the advice:)

 

 

Just had an e-mail from payplan and they said that they can knock 20 or so pounds off the monthly payment, so nowhere near the figure I have proposed. I have sent them a final offer that i have increased by 20 pounds and have told them my final offer. I am really suprised that PayPlan doesn't know about no reciprocal agreement not non-secured debt between Uk & Australia. I would have though me offering to pay rather than not pay which sounds like I can easily do, they would have accepted anything

Edited December 9, 2009 by pfjc1000

[cerberusalert]

Just wondering on the ccj issue, if they can raise one against my old address in the UK, as I didnt contact them to tell them I was relocating to Australia as my cc's and bank a/c was in order then?

If they did that you can easily get it set-aside as they are not legally allowed to obtain a CCJ against a non-UK resident.

 

You can check online at CCJs, court orders & fines - Search yourself and others - Trust Online to see whether there are any against your previous addresses.

[mkb]

 

Just had an e-mail from payplan and they said that they can knock 20 or so pounds off the monthly payment, so nowhere near the figure I have proposed. I have sent them a final offer that i have increased by 20 pounds and have told them my final offer. I am really suprised that PayPlan doesn't know about no reciprocal agreement not non-secured debt between Uk & Australia. I would have though me offering to pay rather than not pay which sounds like I can easily do, they would have accepted anything

 

You need to TELL payplan what you can afford to pay & if necessary, draw up a fully itemised income & outgoing sheet that allows for EVERY expense you have in Oz (after all, how can this be proved ) then the remainder is available for paying off debts in UK. The minimum amount payplan work with here is £100 per month.

 

It's your money, your debts & you need to decide whats fair & whats not. The very fact that you are willing to pay is commendable.

[pfjc1000]

Thanks for all your help, as I have made no payment as yet, I sent an email to PayPlan and offered what I can, if they don't like it - tough