What could happen? Running away from debt

Mrs_Sparkle

Someone who used to work for me left the UK last month. He hadn't been paying his bills for some time and I believe he left a loan of approx. £30K outstanding. Since he left I've also received final demands from 4 suppliers for fairly small amounts (<£500 each) and one of these- council tax- now has a court summons. This bloke has left his work address as a forwarding address for all his personal mail. I've sent each of the letters back to the sender saying it's not a residential address and I cannot provide forwarding details for him.

I'm just wondering how far the suppliers will take it- can I expect bailiffs to turn up at work? Is there anything more I should do except return all his mail?

lynsayjane

i'd suggest making sure your bosses are aware of it so that if the bailiffs etc do turn up it won't fall on your shoulders!

Mrs_Sparkle

Good idea but I am the boss! So I feel I need to deal with it in a responsible way.

PS Nice avator!

lynsayjane

perhaps speak to any legal advisors the company has or cab. they should be able to tell you whats best to do.

thanks

madduck

I think that you've done all that you can. I take it that you've explained that x was a former employee and is no longer employed by you?

I've had this happen a few times with employees who have left the organisation that I work for (I'm an HR Manager). In all instances the individuals have left at little or no notice and have left no forwarding address.

Do you have a forwarding address for the individual? Whilst you might not be able to give the details to the folks looking for him - I would be damn tempted to forward the details to him and advise that this address shouldn't be used for personal correspondence and tell him to sort it out.

Mrs_Sparkle

madduck wrote:

I think that you've done all that you can. I take it that you've explained that x was a former employee and is no longer employed by you?

I've had this happen a few times with employees who have left the organisation that I work for (I'm an HR Manager). In all instances the individuals have left at little or no notice and have left no forwarding address.

Do you have a forwarding address for the individual? Whilst you might not be able to give the details to the folks looking for him - I would be damn tempted to forward the details to him and advise that this address shouldn't be used for personal correspondence and tell him to sort it out.

Thanks for that. No I haven't explained that he was a former employee but I have given all the companies my contact details so they can phone me to discuss if they want to.

I don't have a forwarding address for this person- I can see why he didn't leave one now! I knew he was planning to run away from the debt but he didn't tell me he was going to use the office address- worse still, the address belongs to our client so it'll be extremely inappropriate for bailiffs to turn up.

madduck

To be honest I would be really clear with companies that he was a former employee, he was using the address for correspondence without your consent and that you are unaware of his current whereabouts.

Unless the folks that work with my organisation are totally unique, you'll probably find out that they will leave you alone from there on. It probably happens quite a bit. If the amount of money is large or they are desperate to pursue, they will make other efforts to follow him up.

Don't know about you, but it really hacks me off when people run away from debts like this (and with obvious forethought). I can't sit on a pedestal and lecture about getting into debt (£40k of reasons why I can't), but why should they run away when the rest of us have to work our way though it?

Mrs_Sparkle

Thanks madduck, I'll take your advice

I think the bloke is mad for doing this- he's gone to live in a country that he's never even visited and doesn't have enough money to last a lifetime yet will find it difficult to get work in his new country. If it doesn't work out he'll be pretty stuck if he decides to come back to the UK. It does annoy me, yes- I can't lecture about getting into debt either but at least you and I are paying it all back. I'm afraid I don't have any sympathy with people who run away.

Smashing

madduck wrote:

Don't know about you, but it really hacks me off when people run away from debts like this (and with obvious forethought). I can't sit on a pedestal and lecture about getting into debt (£40k of reasons why I can't), but why should they run away when the rest of us have to work our way though it?

Well, you're quite welcome to run away from it too, but it will only catch up with you, like it will catch up with him and then the journey back will be twice as long.

madduck

Smashing wrote:

Well, you're quite welcome to run away from it too, but it will only catch up with you, like it will catch up with him and then the journey back will be twice as long.

Maybe it will catch up with him - but perhaps not. In the meantime it is the likes of Mrs Sparkle who are left to do the tidying up.

It also doesn't help the rest of us. DCAs and others think that we all tell lies and are trying to avoid our responsibilities at the best of times. People like him give them more ammunition!

My rant ends here! Sorry

Mrs_Sparkle

madduck wrote:

Maybe it will catch up with him - but perhaps not. In the meantime it is the likes of Mrs Sparkle who are left to do the tidying up.

It also doesn't help the rest of us. DCAs and others think that we all tell lies and are trying to avoid our responsibilities at the best of times. People like him give them more ammunition!

My rant ends here! Sorry

Rant away... I feel exactly the same! At least you and I will have a clear conscience- it must be awful to live with something like that over your head.