Halifax/Albion UK Debts living in Spain

[Pensionista]

I am a retired British man who has lived for the past 8 years in Spain, now receiving a portion of state pension from UK and from Spain into Spanish bank account.

 

I suffered serious business/financial problems here (mainly caused by my business partner absconding in 2006 and exacerbated by the global recession) culminating in my inability to continue to pay the spanish mortgage in my and business parter´s name, which I had kept up since his disappearance on an unfinished building project here, and also uk credit card minimum payments. My total state pension income being a total of 750€ per month depending on exchange rates.

 

In this regard, early this year I contacted 3 credit card account holders with a total of 29.000 pounds debt, MBNA visa(11,000), MBNA Mastercard (10,000) and a Halifax mastercard (8,000) (was visa originally) - offering a nominal payment to each - MBNA accepted 11 pounds on one and 10 pounds on the other and I believed the Halifax had accepted 8 pounds. MBNA have suspended interest on their 2 accounts.

 

Since January I have received 5 letters from Halifax asking me to call them, and although I have written and given them a mobile number they have never called.

 

I have now started receiving letters from Albion Collections (10 & 19/5) asking me to call and I have noted that the debt is increasing, despite the fact that I continue to pay the 8 pounds per month. I last wrote to Albion on 25/5, (enclosing my letter to them 23/5 and a letter to Halifax of 31 March) stating again that I have a pay as you go mobile and I cannot afford to call them from Spain, pointing out that interest is still being added to the Halifax account and reiterating that there is nothing further I can do but continue to make the nominal payment of 8 pounds.

 

So :- Albion have my mobile, Halifax have my mobile but no-one is ringing me. Any opinions as to what I should do next? Mind you after reading some comments on this forum I believe I may have done the wrong thing in asking them to call me on my mobile - I can do without the stress of bully tactics on the telephone!!

 

Any advice gratefully received.

[cerberusalert]

Albion are in fact Natwest,,, they are the bank's in-house collection arm. If they prove true to form they will inundate you with threatening letters and possibly eventually 'phone calls. The majority of these threats they'll either be incapable of carrying through & those that remain will probably be too uneconomic because it would not be financially viable for them to pursue... which are, see; http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?250889-Can-I-Be-Sued-For-An-Overseas-Debt-(1-Viewing)-nbsp

 

At the end of the day they will sell the debt on to an outside debt collection agency who like Triton will threaten but are unlikely to follow through.

 

Personally I would just continue to pay a nominal amount and in fact even reduce it given your financial circumstances and wait for an external DCA to contact you. Then we'll provide you with letters demanding that they prove a debt exists, they have the right to collect & that it's enforceable.

[cerberusalert]

So :- Albion have my mobile, Halifax have my mobile but no-one is ringing me. Any opinions as to what I should do next? Mind you after reading some comments on this forum I believe I may have done the wrong thing in asking them to call me on my mobile - I can do without the stress of bully tactics on the telephone!!

Do not speak to anyone on the 'phone, everything must be in writing or email, that way it leaves a nice paper-trail they'll be unable to deny.

[Pensionista]

Thanks so much for the prompt replies. I will not be answering my mobile to any strange incoming numbers then!! Nor giving into both Halifax and Albion´s demands that I call them. I will continue to make the nominal payment of 8 pounds per month.

 

I will be more than happy to send off some of the letters I have read about here. I am very relieved after reading around this forum. I was creaking under the strain of the letters arriving, one of which (from Albion) says

"Pay now or call us immediately. If you dont, legal action may be taken against you and a debt collector may visit you at home to collect the debt."

And the address they are writing to? A postbox in a post office...............

lol

[cerberusalert]

Albion are incredibly stupid when it comes to the legal jurisdiction of a debt. They will more than likely threaten you with a UK court which is impossible because a judgement cannot be entered here in the UK against a non-UK resident.

[twofoot]

Been there and done that with Natwest here in Spain. I stopped paying them because of the hassle they gave me and now they have given up. Plenty of empty threats but no action. Get your life back and stop paying the morons. Ignore all mail and calls and you'll soon be worry free. They'll threaten you with a Spanish DCA but it won't happen. I actually got one letter from a Spanish DCA but ignored it and they went away.

[Pensionista]

Thanks for your comments. Typically all has been quiet this week but I am girding myself for another series of threatograms from Albion ...... but more calmly now I have decided I will not be calling them or answering their calls if they ring.

 

Thanks again

[cerberusalert]

Eventually they'll give up and pass the debt on to a debt collection company who'll probably prove themselves to be as inept as Albion.

[Pensionista]

Albion are in fact Natwest,,, they are the bank's in-house collection arm. If they prove true to form they will inundate you with threatening letters and possibly eventually 'phone calls. The majority of these threats they'll either be incapable of carrying through & those that remain will probably be too uneconomic because it would not be financially viable for them to pursue... which are, see;

 

At the end of the day they will sell the debt on to an outside debt collection agency who like Triton will threaten but are unlikely to follow through.

 

Personally I would just continue to pay a nominal amount and in fact even reduce it given your financial circumstances and wait for an external DCA to contact you. Then we'll provide you with letters demanding that they prove a debt exists, they have the right to collect & that it's enforceable.

 

2 letters received this morning:

1. From Albion Collections - Call us to discuss the matter

2. Power 2 Contact - includes

"Halifax has engaged power2contact to act on its behalf in relation to accounts such as yours where it has lost contact with accountholders".

"If you fail to contact Halifax within 3 working days of the date of this letter, we will instruct one of our Resolution Officers to visit you at the above address to discuss and hopefully resolve the matter with you". Once again this letter is addressed to my Spanish post office box in a post office.

 

I telephoned Halifax when I first got in difficulty (in fact before the first payment was missed on the credit card) and they told me to wait until the first payment had been missed and to contact Resolutions Department - which I did, 1/2/2011, and was under impression that arrangement to pay 8 pounds per month had been accepted. I have continued to pay 8 pounds every month. I also wrote to Halifax on 31 March 2011 and to Albion on 23 and 25 May. Hardly a case of "lost contact".

 

Should I respond to these letters or just add them to the increasing pile of threatograms?

Anyone know who or what Power 2 Contact - Crewe are? Are they another Halifax arm like Albion or has this debt been sold on to them?

BW

Pensionista

[cerberusalert]

Should I respond to these letters or just add them to the increasing pile of threatograms?

You could always buy a Hamster... it would make good bedding.

 

Ignore them, they are part of Credit Solutions Ltd. I'm surprised they never threatened a doorstep collection agent calling, maybe they can't afford a holiday this year.

[Pensionista]

You could always buy a Hamster... it would make good bedding.

 

Ignore them, they are part of Credit Solutions Ltd. I'm surprised they never threatened a doorstep collection agent calling, maybe they can't afford a holiday this year.

 

Ah but they did - in their letter dd 2nd June 2011

"If you fail to contact Halifax within 3 working days of the date of this letter, we will instruct one of our Resolution Officers to visit you at the above address to discuss and hopefully resolve the matter with you."

 

Ok added both letters received today to the pile. Out of interest if they havent bought the debt, why are power2contact now involved - now we have 3 parties involved Halifax, Albion & power2contact - how many more organisations are likely to pitch up!!

BW

pensionista

[cerberusalert]

Halifax & Albion are one and the same, after they've exhausted their cycle of threat-o-grams they either sell the debt on or farm it out for an outside debt collection agency.

how many more organisations are likely to pitch up!!

It could be passed between several DCAs, each one further and further down the food chain.

[twofoot]

Any more threat o grams can be binned and forgotten. Get your life back. Adios amigo

[Pensionista]

I have now started receiving letters from Albion Collections (10 & 19/5) asking me to call and I have noted that the debt is increasing, despite the fact that I continue to pay the 8 pounds per month. I last wrote to Albion on 25/5, (enclosing my letter to them 23/5 and a letter to Halifax of 31 March) stating again that I have a pay as you go mobile and I cannot afford to call them from Spain, pointing out that interest is still being added to the Halifax account and reiterating that there is nothing further I can do but continue to make the nominal payment of 8 pounds.

 

I have received a letter from Albion Collections apparently in response to my letter of 25/5 (see above)

quote

Thank you for your recent contact.

We are not able to consider your request until we have received full income and expenditure details from you. In order to come to a mutual arrangement for the above account, please can you send the following information as soon as possible to the above address:

 

A full list of creditors and balances owed to each

A breakdown of your monthly income and expenditure

A monthly offer of repayment

 

Until we receive your details, you should continue to make payments to your account.

 

Should you wish to do this by telephone, please call us on the number above..............................

UNQUOTE

 

Should I answer this? Should I provide what they are asking for? Should I offer what I am paying at the moment (8 pounds per month).

 

Any advice gratefully received.

[cerberusalert]

They are not entitled to that information, only a court can demand that & that will never happen.

 

Personally I would stop all payments now and ignore them. Eventually the a/c will be passed to an outside debt collection agency.... ignore them too.

[Pensionista]

They are not entitled to that information, only a court can demand that & that will never happen.

 

Personally I would stop all payments now and ignore them. Eventually the a/c will be passed to an outside debt collection agency.... ignore them too.

 

Thanks for your quick response Cerberusalert.

 

At what point is the copy credit agreement requested?

 

I am confused and worried and dont know what to do for the best - I dont have a problem continuing to pay the 8 pounds per month I have always offered and paid - I dont want to antagonise them more than absolutely necessary. My wife is suffering from a chronic illness which is made worse by stress.

 

What impact would moving back to the UK have on this situation that I have with Halifax/Albion? It may be necessary for medical reasons to do so in the future.

Thanks for all advice.

[cerberusalert]

At what point is the copy credit agreement requested?

You can either request it now or wait for an outside DCA to get involved, it costs £1; http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?414-CCA-request-letter.

I dont have a problem continuing to pay the 8 pounds per month I have always offered and paid -

That's only a decision you can make.

What impact would moving back to the UK have on this situation that I have with Halifax/Albion?

Whilst you are in Spain it is extremely difficult for them to take any enforcement action against you, whereas once you return to the UK it would make it easier for them., but that's nothing to worry about now. If you did return there are several options open to you depending on your circumstances on how to deal with all your debts.

[Pensionista]

Thank you very much for the advice - I think I will go on paying the 8 pounds per month as usual, add the letter to the pile and wait for a DCA letter.

Thanks again.