Ex-husband has gotten £15k debts in my name

KA87 · 5 February 2015 at 8:50PM

Hello,

Last month I found out my husband of 8 years has taken £15,000 of loans in my name. He has suffered a severe gambling addiction for over 15 years and despite us trying everything it has got the better of him time and again and with a young baby son I have decided I can't take anymore.

I have always tried to be frugal and sensible with money and never missed a payment on any of my bills/loans. I have found out the £15k is over 7 loans/ cards of all which have had missed payments and one of which (a £300 payday loan with Satsuma Loans!!) has gone to default with Call Credit.

He has moved out and along with assistance from his mother they have managed to get all the loan payments and credit card bills up to date and paid off a couple of the small debts and closed a bank account he took out in my name. However he or his family cannot manage to get a large loan to pay off all these debts, the best they can do is pay off the minimum payments/ loan instalments each month.

I really don't know what to do. I went to the Citizen's Advice Bureau they have told me I should inform each of the company's a fraud has occurred but I am really worried that he will lose his job and go to prison.

Is there anyway I can transfer the debts into his name so that it doesn't affect my credit file?

Alternatively if I do inform these companies that he has committed fraud will they go down the judicial route? Is it likely he will go to prison? What about if he did offer to pay all these debts in full?

If I do inform them it was fraud, will the credit reference agencies definitely revoke these accounts from my file?

Sorry for all the questions, just really unsure what the best thing to do is.

Many thanks

19lottie82 · 5 February 2015 at 9:28PM

I'm afraid you only have two options here, leave the debt in your name or report it as fraud. This means you will no longer be responsible, and your credit history will be restored, but your (ex?) husband will more than likely be prosecuted.

Personally, I'd go for the latter. If he doesn't have a criminal record already, chances are he won't go to jail, especially I'd he can prove he is getting help for his addiction. If he made an offer to pay the companies that he defrauded, I imagine this would help too.

And no you can't "transfer" the debts into his name, as you mentioned, his credit rating is wrecked, hence why he can't get a loan to pay you back.

Bublin1 · 5 February 2015 at 10:51PM

He wasn't worried about ruining you when he took out the loans....do what you have to do to protect you and your child.

The_fog_has_lifted · 6 February 2015 at 12:29AM

You have to protect yourself and your baby so get rid of that debt and make life easier hun! he will have to face up to his crime and addiction and if he goes down the judicial path he will get the help that he needs to recover.

KA87 · 6 February 2015 at 11:16AM

Thanks very much for your replies.

I know I should report these as fraud but just really worried about him going to prison. From my point of view, he will lose his job and that will mean he won't have any income and won't be able to give financial support. His mum looks after his monthly salary and she transfers me £500 a month in child support. CSA is £200 but he is a good father other than his horrendous addiction and is trying to give us more to make things easier. He has a decent wage every month but if he was to lose this and go to prison I would be very worried about being able to afford things for my son and I.

duchy · 6 February 2015 at 11:41AM

Are you likely to need a mortgage for you and your son in the future? If you are then you won't get one without cleaning up your credit file.

He has had an addiction for fifteen years and in your own words has failed time and time again.-For now his Mum is bailing him out- What happens when he does to her what he's done to you -and she washes her hands of him ...or she gets old or sick and can't "control" his addiction consequences ?

Five hundred pounds a month is a lot of money-unless he is a very high earner then the CSA amount is likely to be lower and at any time he could decide that he only wants to pay that and there would be nothing you could do about the reduction. Equally just because his addiction thus far hasn't affected his job- doesn't guarantee it won't in the future.

You and your child can live relying that that money will continue to come in (can you be sure it will if he starts another relationship -or even has more children?) but it's not a certainty by any means.

It's a clear choice- stand alone financially with a clean credit record or take the money for as long as it continues (and remember how reliable a gambler is) and keep your trashed credit. If at any point he declares bankruptcy those debts will end back at your door- and any attempt to rid yourself of them legally will be negated by your silence at the time you discovered them.

Do you rent or have a mortgage at the moment ? Whose name is it in ?
Do you work ?
Where do you see you and your son in five years ?

If it came to the crunch would his family remortgage to pay off those loans in full to avoid you reporting him and the likely consequences ? (regardless of what they say now)

Ultimately your first responsibility is to your son and yourself and your security- relying on a family who currently are helping you but may change their minds later on (eg when baby is old enough for nursery -want you to work instead of taking "their" money-or if he has a new relationship ). Just because they are helpful now - it doesn't mean things can't change.

girlsmum · 6 February 2015 at 11:53AM

You must report him it is the best way to make his admit to what he has done, Gambling addiction is an illness and he needs help, by others rescuing him all the time he won't get help.

I know this as my dad was a compulsive gambler, he stole approx £20k from an employer, it was over 20 years ago and he is sadly no longer with us, but he was arrested and charged with theft, went to court he got a suspended sentence and was made to addend Gamblers anonymous.

duchy · 6 February 2015 at 12:29PM

Have you checked your credit file (and his) to make sure there are no more "surprises" in the pipeline ?

cakeforbrains · 6 February 2015 at 1:26PM

You poor thing.

Didn't want to pass by without adding my voice to the 'report him' camp. You have recently split up with him and you're probably in the 'I hope we can all get along nicely' phase, but if you don't report him now you'll regret it.

As others have said above, you can't guarantee the £500 maintenance. In fact, you can almost guarantee its ceasing once the gambling gets its claws back in.

If you can't bring yourself to do it for you, then get your mummy protective instinct going and do it for your son. He deserves to live the life that you want for him, not one shadowed by debt that you didn't create.

Karen777 · 6 February 2015 at 2:12PM

have you spoken to him about the possibility of reporting him? Is he willing to get help with his gambling?

Brightspark87 · 6 February 2015 at 2:31PM

this is a horrid situation and I am glad you are not suffering alone xx

Ex-husband has gotten £15k debts in my name

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free