I owe a small fortune to a Dutch bank - what can they do to me?

stickybeat

In 2001 I lived in Holland with an ex, we got a mortgage and during the six months we lived in the property I paid my half of the rent to him cash in hand. When we split up, I called up the bank to arrange to make my part of the payments directly to them until the property got sold. They then said, well, no - we want the back log of missed payments, which at the time amounted to about £6000. Needless to say, I had a small shock - he'd never once made a payment the whole time we lived there and I still don't get how he got away with it - I never once saw a letter from the bank, there was no hint at all that anything was wrong.

So there was nothing I could do - I didn't have the 6K and I could only (just) pay half of the monthly payments until the property got sold, but it was pointless to even do that when my ex just went underground and paid nothing (still).

I sought financial advice and offered them a full and final settlement. Because the flat didn't sell, the debt wasn't just the backlog of missed payments - we're now talking the whole mortgage. My offer was rejected, and no wonder as it was a drop in the ocean of money owed. So again, I couldn't do anything. In October 2003 I got a letter from a UK debt collection agency telling me to pay up (the full mortgage amount which was about £130,000). I obviously couldn't do so, so sent another full and final settlement offer. Same story again, and I can see why as it was a tiny amount I could offer.

I have no assets, no savings and I'm a single parent. There is nothing to take from, I can't even offer them a payment plan because every penny is accounted for. So I've left it, based on advice from sources I've consulted (such as a financial advisor who said if they didn't accept my offer it was in their court again).

Now, they've come back, asking me to pay the full amount which has grown to €180,000. My ex has disappeared off the face of the earth, I have no way of knowing if they've tracked him down (I haven't been able to).

I'm about to fire off another full and final settlement offer. But I can't see any resolution to this. I could offer to pay them £20 per month, but that's about it and they're obviously not going to go for that.

What can they do to me? I can't see how they can take something I don't have?!

Any advice is very welcome.

GeorgeUK

What has happened to the flat? Do you still own it?
Was the mortgage in your name or both names?

Not sure if you can ask to be made bankrupt in Holland or how that would work. I would possibly contact nationaldebtline in the first instance. If they don't know what to advise, they may be able to suggest someone else to contact. The rules for collecting debts owed in Europe changed in December 2008 so not sure if that will have any bearing on what is advised.

stickybeat

I have no idea....... As far as I know it didn't sell at the time.

Merlinexcalibur

but that's about it and they're obviously not going to go for that.

Well, you already knew that. Which is why, as George UK suggested, it is vital you get third party assistance with all this ASAP. Don't want to sound like a broken recorded but then again CCCS IS there for all to use in these situations. They will advise you that you should also only ever to offer payments you can reasonably afford. This sensibly also protects you from further financial difficulties. Because no one can see the future, or what may happen tomorrow. Particularly not right now in the UK with things how they are.

he'd never once made a payment the whole time we lived there and I still don't get how he got away with it

Well, it's probably very simple how he got away with it. He's vanished off the face of the Earth as you've said. Putting all those things together potential something untoward was occuring and you would be surprised how very very easy it is for people to 'get away with things'. Surprisingly easy.