CCJ Against my Address. Advice please!!

Nukumai

Long story short...my brother went overseas last year and, without my knowing (though he told me later), he wrote to various places to whom he had outstanding obligations (eg. mobile phone company) and gave my address as his new mailing address. I wasn't too bothered, as my bro is a well-paid software developer. Whenever mail came for him I forwarded it on to him.

However, it turns out that he was not, in fact, meeting all of his obligations, with the result that a County Court Judgement was awarded against him a couple of months ago - registered at my address. At my urging, my brother contacted the successful claimant and they were happy to write to the court with my brother's new address (in New Zealand). However, the court would not change the address as it (the address) was "not within our jurisdiction".

I rang them and spoke to them; they said that they could only make the change if the corrected address was in the UK. Of course, I offered them the logic that - if the original change of address was made without my knowledge - surely I should not be implicated. Moreover, my brother is freely offering them the address of his current whereabouts.

They repeated that, so long as we provide a UK address, they can make the change. I joked to the woman I spoke to that, in that case, my bro might as well make an address up. Her response was..."that's up to him".

I recognise that the CCJ is registered to my address and not my name so - in theory - I should not be affected, but I am always very careful with my reputation and my finances, and find this situation particularly embarrassing and distressing.

Anyways...does anybody have any experience/advice as to what legitimate options are available to me?

Note that I am not too keen on providing the court with a false UK address (though I did sense that the CC woman was subtly hinting that that would be a solution). Unfortunately, my bro is also not currently in a position to be able to extinguish the debt in full (though he is paying under an arrangement with his creditor).

Sorry for the rant, and thanks for reading!

GeorgeUK

Can't really offer any advice on this but might be worth contacting nationaldebtline to see what they say. Also check you credit file to make sure your brother is not associated financially with you.

Has your brother tried making reduced full and final settlement offers to his creditors? If the debt is with a debt collection agency, he may be able to settle for 25%.

Nukumai

George - thanks for the helpful advice.

damoandclaire

hi there.

providing you are not linked to him financially for this debt then it will not affect you. credit scores and credit files only relate to the person at the applicable address, e.g. you apply for a loan, then only your credit info at that address is checked.

hope this helps.