Debt help please

[debtfreeoneday]

Hi all,

 

This is my first post although I regularly pop on and try to gain information.

 

Anyhow, we are in Australia and unfortunately left lots of debt behind in UK. Due to reasons I cannot go into on here, we were unable to keep up repayments and the bank point blank refused to help us. We had tried to sell our house but it is in negative equity, so after researching the best thing for us is to let the bank reposess it, we know the consequences of this but will be here in Australia for a good few years.

 

My question is this - my husband is worried that if and when we visit we will be arrested and sent to prison for the council tax bill. I know that debts are civil matters but he says council tax is different and we will be sent to prison. I cannot find a definitive answer to this, do you know if we will be arrested if we go back at anytime?

 

Thanks for any advice and what a great website this is.

[cerberusalert]

The local Council will have in all probability obtained a 'Liability Order' for non payment of the tax & technically they could apply to a court for an arrest warrant if all other enforcement methods have failed. In reality this is unlikely as the collection will have been passed to a bailiff firm with probably hundreds if not thousands of others and unless they have a UK address would be unlikely to apply to a court for a warrant.

 

I have never heard of anyone being arrested at immigrations for anything like this.

 

How much is still owing on the Council Tax & have you considered contacting them and coming to some arrangement for payment?