New Zealand creditors tracing debtors in the UK using UK based DCAs?

[jimjones81]

Hi, I currently have a huge student loan debt in New Zealand. I am in the UK.

 

The NZ govt is now trying to recover defaulted loans mainly in Australia and now the UK, soon to be using DCAs.

 

Does anyone know how easy it is to trace a debtor if the DCA only has a name and date of birth?

Also does an overseas debt become a UK debt if passed to a UK based DCA?

[cerberusalert]

If you are on the electoral roll or have any form of credit, mobile 'phone contract, bank a/c or pay utility bills you will have a UK credit reference agency file which can be searched along with the electoral roll by DCAs & dedicated search companies. Obviously if you have a common name like Smith it will take them longer but they would only need to concentrate on new files with no past credit history.

Also does an overseas debt become a UK debt if passed to a UK based DCA?

There are reciprocal agreements between the two countries where enforcement can be taken cross-border but in general unless they already have a judgment from NZ they would have to bring an action in a UK court.

[jimjones81]

Hi Thanks for the response.

If I settled with the original creditor, would the UK DCA still be able to legally persue me? Even if a judgement was made was in an NZ court?

 

My concern is that I might be able to come to an agreement with the NZ Inland Revenue (the creditor), but still be chased in the UK if the debt has been sold to a DCA.

[Sidewinder]

Then you would just refer the UK DCA to their client in NZ and leave it with them to confirm between them that no further liability exists? If the debt has been sold then I daresay that the original creditor could not deal with you unless they take the debt back from the DCA.

[jimjones81]

If the debt was sold (to a UK DCA) then would it count as a UK debt, or would they still need a NZ court order?

Also how much to DCAs usually pay for debts (as as % of the original).

[cerberusalert]

I doubt whether they will sell an IR debt to a DCA in the UK although they may enlist their help in collecting.

 

There are reciprocal agreements between the UK and NZ so if there is already a judgment they would have no difficulty enforcing it via a UK court, particularly as it is a government debt.