No-one to help with credit card debts in UK while resident in Spain

worriedinspain

My husband and I have been in Spain for nearly 5 years. We have fallen foul of the illegal property scams going on in Spain and although we own our house, it it not yet classed as legal, so we can't sell it or take out any equity from it.

(Its a long story but it really wasn't our own fault.)

We ran up debts on our credit cards in the UK while waiting for legal issued to be dealt with. We thought we were going to take out a small mortgage, but found we couldn't do so. We continued making minimum payments for about 9 months until our money ran out. Then we contacted the credit card companies and arranged to make small monthly token payments with the interest frozen. This has gone on now for 2 years.

Although I contacted the National Debt helpline and used some of their letters, they couldn't really advise me as we are living in Spain.

There doesn't seem to be any body I can contact who can help with this situation. If you say you are not a UK resident they can't help.

We are just surviving on a small pension, and in the winter cannot afford to use our gas heating. (In Spain it is cold in the winter, especially on top of a mountain and the houses are built to be cool in summer, not warm in winter) The temperatures in our house drop very low, and we really could do without having to make these payments.

I want to know how far the credit card companies will pursue us if we default on these payments.

danno_4

HI,
l let me start by saying not to worry.The chances of you being persued for your debts to credit card company are virtuly nil,so stop worrying.if you want any more advice then drop me a line.
kindest regards
danno

atypicalblonde

Have you tried CCCS? I have a relative who works for them and seem to recall her saying that she had dealt with people abroad so long as they were UK debts.

Hope this helps - best of luck

worriedinspain

Thank you atypicalblonde. I went to the CCCS website yesterday and tried to do the automatic debt remedy process. It said as you are not a UK Resident we can't help you, but I didn't read any further. Evidently if the debts are UK debts I can speak to an advisor.

I will have to pluck up the courage to phone them.

atypicalblonde

It is worth giving them a ring and checking, I am only saying this from vague memory but I hope it is right.

They are really lovely there so don't worry. Post again and let us know how you get on x

TurnaroundSue

Do you have anybody in the UK whose address you can use? My brother lived in spain and used my mum's address, where his bills/letters went to and then she sent them on - mind you, he didn't have debts and was only his normal monthly bill etc, so not sure whether this would benefit you or not - hope it is of some help to you though. Good luck

worriedinspain

Thank you.

I rang the CCCS yesterday and they were very nice. They couldn't say whether or not Barclaycard would take me to court if I stopped paying the monthly agreed payments, but it was still a possibility even though I was living in Spain.

I have been paying £78 a month now for 18 months and have just come to my senses and realised that I can't afford it. We do not have enough money at the end of the month and the excess is being put on our Spanish credit cards.

Barclaycard would not agree to a lesser figure and I wanted them to stop putting interest on the debt, so I agreed to it.

My husband has two credit cards and they each agreed on a payment of £5 and £10 a month. (Personally I thing one company has forgotten him, as we haven't had any correspondence from them in nearly 2 years, but we are making the £5 monthly payment and no interest is getting added on to the debt, which is the important thing)

When our house can be legalised we intend to put it on the market and then we will have some equity to pay off any debts, but until then we are stuck.

I will try to think of the best way to contact Barclaycard to let them know that I can't make their agreed payments any more.