Returning home to South Africa with debt.....

arambol

I'm asking this on behalf of a friend.

She is South African and will be returning home to Cape Town in 6 months time for family reasons.

She currently works in the UK and has debts (loan and credit cards) of circa 35k which she pays off the minimum each month.

When she returns to SA she will have difficulty meeting the minimum payments due to the exchange rate.

She doesn't wish to default and while she probably won't come back to the UK she won't just dump the debt and run.

I have suggested speaking to PayPlan or the CCCS and arranging a DMP but how would this work?

Realistically should she contact while still in employment, or contact them and arrange it just before she leaves the UK having given up the job or arrange it and make payments from South Africa via bank transfer?

She wants to pay off the debt but at a reduced rate, probably as a DMP, but what would be the best way to go about it?

She has property in SA so bankruptcy isn't an option as I believe they can take international assets.

Any other options?

Thanks. Appreciate any advice.

Tixy

Hi

I'm not sure a UK DMP charity/organisation will be able to help her once she has left, but it seems sensible to talk to them now and get some advice. She may need to do a self-managed DMP, which I guess might be more difficult, although perhaps not if she is able to maintain a UK bank account.

Bump for anyone else to giveadvice.

arambol

Thanks Tixy,

She could keep a UK bank account I guess. She planned on sending money to the DMP from South Africa via bank transfer. With the internet that's pretty easy now.

If it takes her 30 years to pay it off she doesn't mind as long as the payments are more manageable and reflect her wage in South Africa which will be much less than the UK wage.