Coming back to Scotland with debts after 2 years

EduEdi15

Hi

I was working in Scotland more than two years ago, and everything was smoothly until I finish my contract, and I try to stay there searching for a job.
I already had a small overdraft, but in this situation it will raising until 1600 pounds more or less, and also I asked for a payday loan, that after 3 time extensions, i was not able to repay. So, 1600 in overdraft, 700 in a payday loan and a phone contract not payed...more or less 400 I think.
After two months trying to get a job I finally desist and I came back to my country.
Now, I had a good opportunity to come back to Scotland with a good job, I like UK and I really like Edinburgh and I want to come back but I am scared about the consequences I could have.

First, Will I be arrested when I landed in UK?
Will I be able to open a account, such a basic account or so, ir order to get pay?
How can I set a payment plan with my debitors?
How much they can get from me monthly?

Thank you so much in advance for your advise.

happy_bunny_2

Arrested, no. Civil matter, not criminal. Council tax is more serious.

As for the bank account. Should be ok. There are alternatives such as Cash plus card. If you can't.

They can get whatever you can afford. They need to go to court to Make you pay. Which is possible.

EduEdi15

Thanks happy_bunny for the info.
For the council tax, I don´t think I let something unpaid, but if that was the case it could be 1-2 months.....I read that I could be summoned to court in order to paid this debt and if you refuse to arrange a payment to these debts then they can sent you to prision up to 3 months. But I will not be arrested inmediately once I put my foot on UK isn´t it?
I want to fix the mess I left behind me, not to get in more troubles.
Regards

National_Debtline

Hi

You can’t go to prison for not paying council tax in Scotland. It’s different to England and Wales where committal to prison is a possibility if the debtor is showing culpable neglect wilful refusal to pay.

Council tax is still a priority debt though, due to the possibility of the council using forms of diligence to recover the money, such as a bank or wage arrestment.

If you move back to Scotland and you can afford to clear the council tax debt within a reasonable time (normally around 3 years) you can apply to the sheriff for a Time To Pay Order (TTPO).

A TTPO is where the sheriff can approve an affordable instalment plan and it will stop the use of any diligence, such as an earnings arrestment, as long as you stick to the payments. This factsheet goes into more detail:

www.nationaldebtline.org/S/factsheets/Pages/03%20SCOT%20Council%20tax%20recovery/Default.aspx

You may also be able to consider a Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) if you can clear your debts in a maximum of around 10 years. A DAS is a payment programme where you make one payment per month to an administrator who shares the money out between your creditors, so you could also include any credit debts you may have. The big advantages of DAS are that it would stop diligence being used against you, and also stop interest on any credit debts. Council tax debt can be included in a DAS.

You can apply for a DAS through an approved money adviser or some other organisations. You can find more information and also search for local approved money advisers on this website:

www.dasscotland.gov.uk

It will be up to a bank or building society as to whether you can open an account with them but opening a basic cash account with no credit facilities should be possible. Just make sure any account you use is not with the same company you have any of your debts with.

James
@natdebtline

theoretica

It would cost far more than you owe to send you to prison - no one is going to try that!

happy_bunny_2

EduEdi15 wrote: »

Thanks happy_bunny for the info.
For the council tax, I don´t think I let something unpaid, but if that was the case it could be 1-2 months.....I read that I could be summoned to court in order to paid this debt and if you refuse to arrange a payment to these debts then they can sent you to prision up to 3 months. But I will not be arrested inmediately once I put my foot on UK isn´t it?
I want to fix the mess I left behind me, not to get in more troubles.
Regards

You assume also that the UK is organised with things like this.

Not a chance...