UK debt living abroad after 10 years. Feeling wretched.

[dizzygirl26]

Weird why don't they put that other address on the letter? The one they put is in Glasgow:!:

I’ll use the Glasgow one if you think that's best.

Cerberus,what should I do about the second one do you think? Bin or return?

[cerberusalert]

Send it to the George SQ address in Glasgow.

 

Keep all their letters in case you need to make a complaint about them.

[dizzygirl26]

Ok then I’ll ask for the 2nd letter to be sent on to me then. Thanks for that.

[unclebulgaria67]

Whenever I send companies letters, I always enclose a copy of the letter they sent. This makes it easier for them to find their records.

 

Buchannon are a waste of time. They are a pain because the send loads of letters, but they don't do anything, beyond letters/phone calls. Dealt with them with a relatives debts, where communications were to my address, as it was used previously to forward on post. Anyway they sent loads of letters and phoned pretty much everyday, but it was for some debt my relative left behind more than 6 years earlier. Eventually they gave up after complaining, but I don't think they ever responded to the complaint. So you might not hear from them.

[dizzygirl26]

Bit late unclebulgaria-sorry I didn't see your post,I was at the post office-I’m lucky enough to live in a part of town where they have a late night counter for sending stuff so I sent my letter & it should be with them in 1-2 days as I sent it via super swift trackable airmail. Yes,I did give them my address here. To be honest I’d rather take anything they throw at me from where I actually am. Kept a copy of my letter etc. of course.

I don't suppose it would be worth it in the interim to shoot them an email would it? Probably not.

If it was that easy to trace me via a CRA in the first place why the hell did anyone wait until now? I’m quite confused.

[unclebulgaria67]

Bit late unclebulgaria-sorry I didn't see your post,I was at the post office-I’m lucky enough to live in a part of town where they have a late night counter for sending stuff so I sent my letter & it should be with them in 1-2 days as I sent it via super swift trackable airmail. Yes,I did give them my address here. To be honest I’d rather take anything they throw at me from where I actually am. Kept a copy of my letter etc. of course.

I don't suppose it would be worth it in the interim to shoot them an email would it? Probably not.

If it was that easy to trace me via a CRA in the first place why the hell did anyone wait until now? I’m quite confused.

 

BCW are bottom feeders. I suspect that other companies have tried to make contact by letter, but these have been returned marked 'gone away'. Perhaps your credit record shows you as gone away.

 

Don't bother with an email. You have sent the letter and it is up to BCW to deal with it.

 

Tell your relative to return all future letters received back marked 'not at this address'. If they get any phone calls, then they should simply tell the person, you do not live at the address, wrong number. BCW can't do anything, so they should stop trying to make further contact.

[dizzygirl26]

I don't think they've sent anything to my relative’s address so far as they would’ve told me about it. You're almost certainly right about the credit file being marked as such,but seeing as they would’ve been able to see it as a previous address,why wait so flippin’ long?

Anyway,I’ll certainly pass on that info. They'd tell anyone I didn't live there anyway as I haven't in donkeys years. I’d rather they knew for certain that I’m definitely not there now.

[renegadeimp]

They wait so long, because its a bad debt. THe previous creditor knows this, so sells it to another DCA, who hopes that you dont realise the debt is bad and make some kind of payment towards it. THis then allows them to come at you full pelt as you have acknowledged the debt.

[dizzygirl26]

Thanks renegadeimp,useful. So what would happen now that the DCA have my address here,would they update my credit file with this address? Sorry but as you know I’m really relying on you guys for advice.

[renegadeimp]

They could do, but theres absolutely nothing they could do to chase you or force you to pay anything. It sounds like they dont beleive you have moved abroad. However, thats not your concern, and honestly, i think you should do what has been advised throught this thread. Tell the people in the UK who are receiving the letters, to mark them not known at this address, and to return to sender.

 

Then ignore anything they try to say or post to you, and get on with your life. Once they know you aren't a pushover or a potential cash cow, theyll soon give up and harass someone else.

[dizzygirl26]

I will do that. I hope they do get the message that I’m not there though. There’d be no record of me having been in the UK since 2002 anyway! Aargh.

How possible would it be to get any link on my credit file removed from that address out of interest? I don't want my mum to get into any unnecessary strife because of my actions. Yes I do know it's a bit late in the day for all this but still. She's not the sort to use credit & everything she has is all bought & paid for. I wish I’d learnt better by example

[renegadeimp]

Addresses do not get blacklisted. Only people do. And after 6 years of no acknowledgement or payment, the debt is not enforceable by law, and you become "unblacklisted" in regards to that debt being attached to you.

 

 

As we have said all along, stop worrying, ignore them and get on with your life.

[dizzygirl26]

Well,they got my letter anyway. Sent it super fast airmail with a signature needed on delivery & I was able to track all of this online. My only hope right now is that they'll at least update their records with my address. I know they have no reason to believe me but I could give them plenty of proof. Plus if they called my relative she'd give out my address anyway which surprise surprise would be exactly the same as the one I gave them.

[unclebulgaria67]

Well,they got my letter anyway. Sent it super fast airmail with a signature needed on delivery & I was able to track all of this online. My only hope right now is that they'll at least update their records with my address. I know they have no reason to believe me but I could give them plenty of proof. Plus if they called my relative she'd give out my address anyway which surprise surprise would be exactly the same as the one I gave them.

 

I doubt you will get a response. They will just go quiet. That was my experience. Perhaps they can't write letters.

[cerberusalert]

Well you have proof that you've notified them of your current address, although it's non of their business as the alleged debt will be statute Barred. .

[dizzygirl26]

Well,we’ll see,they might come back at me saying it was CCJd x amount of years ago yet.

[cerberusalert]

Well as I've said, if they have and it is more than six years old their right to take enforcement has expired under sec.24 of the Limitations Act. If it were under six years old you can apply to have it set-aside as you never received the original papers. This would then mean they cannot reapply in the UK for a CCJ as you are not a UK citizen, the only recourse they would have is to attempt to bring an action in Japan & that will not happen.

 

You can set your mind at rest by checking to see whether there is a CCJ at http://www.trustonline.org.uk/ using your previous addresses... this would cost £4. If nothing is showing either there never was a CCJ or it has expired to all intents & purposes.

[dizzygirl26]

I’d have to get a friend to help me out with that as I don't have any credit cards these days. Might get on to that this weekend. About the setting aside stuff,applying to have that done isn't always successful I presume. It might not work in my case because I didn't exactly tell them I was going anywhere

[renegadeimp]

I still do not understand why you are worrying over this? the debt/default/CCJ has expired and they cannot take any action. They are simply chancers pushing their luck and hoping you give in and pay them something, because they dont want to realise that theyve bough a bad debt.

[dizzygirl26]

I know but I am a worryhead…my mind just thinks the worst. Sorry about that. Anyway as a latest development,my relative just told me they phoned her the other night asking if I lived there & she was "What?She’s been living on the other side of the world for the past xx years & hasn't lived at my address properly in at least xxx years!"Well.

[renegadeimp]

As i said, they are chancing their luck. The debt is unenforceable in law, but that wont stop them from trying to bully and harass someone into giving them money.

[dizzygirl26]

Hi all. I’ve been laid up with a nasty cold since last weekend but I am going to enlist the help of my friend to

check that Trust online site this weekend just to put my mind at rest. I haven't heard anything back yet but you know how bad the post was recently so anything’s possible

In the meantime (and please don't tell me off for worrying again) I was wondering,just in case they do happen to be chasing up an existing CCJ, now they have my address do you think they'd respond to me by letter at my new address first before re-sending any court documents etc. to my relative’s address? I am definitely going to check once & for all over the weekend so I can take any steps if necessary but as you know I have no idea how this all works & my cold meds are addling my brains more than they usually do. Just want to be one step ahead if you know what I mean.

[renegadeimp]

They cant chase up the CCJ. You are no longer resident in the UK, and for them to challenge jurisdiction and gain enforcement orders after the amoutn of time that has passed, is impossible.

[unclebulgaria67]

Hi all. I’ve been laid up with a nasty cold since last weekend but I am going to enlist the help of my friend to

check that Trust online site this weekend just to put my mind at rest. I haven't heard anything back yet but you know how bad the post was recently so anything’s possible

In the meantime (and please don't tell me off for worrying again) I was wondering,just in case they do happen to be chasing up an existing CCJ, now they have my address do you think they'd respond to me by letter at my new address first before re-sending any court documents etc. to my relative’s address? I am definitely going to check once & for all over the weekend so I can take any steps if necessary but as you know I have no idea how this all works & my cold meds are addling my brains more than they usually do. Just want to be one step ahead if you know what I mean.

 

They won't bother with any of this. I bet you don't hear any more from the company chasing and they will just sell the debt on if they can. Just being cynical, but with a relatives debt who had gone abroad, the debt companies played pass the parcel for about 8 years, before they stopped bothering. I presume the debts are now written off and credit record noted as gone away.

 

No point stressing. If you don't hear anything, just tell your relative to return any future correspondence to the sender, with a note on the envelope that the addressee is not resident at the address. If you hear anything at your address in Japan, I would would fall off my chair. Do post back if you do.

[dizzygirl26]

I will…and I just want to say thanks again to you all for advising me so far,you have been a real help in everything. Virtual tipple of your choice for you all. I may well be back so apologies in advance!