Struggling with repayment from overseas

Steve56

25years ago when I was living in the UK, I got 2 credit cards from Barclays(Mastercard & Visa). Shortly after,I moved overseas to work and since then, have paid the bills each month via mybrother’s bank account in the UK.

However,I’ve now run into financial problems and am struggling to meet the minimum monthlypayments which are around 500 pounds in total. I have 10,000 pounds on one card and 7,000 on the other.

Myown fault for reaching the max on both of them but also, was given these creditlimits by Barclaycard despite the fact I have not worked or lived in the UK formore than 20 years now. They’ve neverasked me for any employment info or proof of salary and seem to be quitecontent with the fact that all I could ever provide was a UK address (mybrother’s).

Whenever(in the past), I paid the cards off in full, they just upped my credit limits.

Needadvice on the best way forward – I now have a mortgage overseas since 2007 andneed to ensure that nothing affects my credit rating here in France.

Voyager2002

By the sound of things, a poor credit rating, to stop you borrowing any more, would be a very good result for you. Just ensure that you keep up payments on your mortgage and any other priority debts.

Personally, I would contact Barclaycard and ask them to freeze the interest and offer what I could afford each month by way of capital repayment. That would immediately make further borrowing impossible, but you have already got your mortgage.

grumbler

They’ve neverasked me for any employment info or proof of salary

Surely they asked you when you applied. Does this mean that you lied to them?

and seem to be quitecontent with the fact that all I could ever provide was a UK address (mybrother’s).

Again, they checked your address when you applied. Then you informed them about the address change and have not informed them about moving abroad. What are you blaming them for now?

Regardless, all these facts/excuses are irrelevant. You owe and have to pay.

I don't know whether a default in UK can affect your credit rating in France, but it would be right if it would.

Steve56

I was asked for salary info and an address when I applied for the cards. More than 20 years ago.

Since then, no other requests for any information from them.

I've kept them informed of any change of address in the UK and have never missed a payment.

I'm not blaming them. I'm blaming me!

But still, they hiked up my limit over and over again (not by my request) without any proof of my current income. Which makes them just as irresponsible as me!

Foxy-Stoat_3

Steve56 wrote: »

But still, they hiked up my limit over and over again (not by my request) without any proof of my current income. Which makes them just as irresponsible as me!

Responsible lending as well as responsible spending, you have mechanisms to reduce the credit limits if they increased then and you don't have to spend their money.

Gizmo247

Steve56 wrote: »

I'm not blaming them. I'm blaming me!

Steve56 wrote: »

Which makes them just as irresponsible as me!

These two statements appear to be in conflict. By the sounds of it Barclays were unaware that you were living abroad because they were not supplied with your true home address. It is possible that this deception lead them to treat your account in a way that was inappropriate to your status.

I don't think your European Credit Rating can be affected by what happens in the UK. Freeze the interest and eventually pay off.

redpete

Twice you've said it's your fault but it's their fault.. You will not be able to use their 'irresponsibility' to avoid any negative effect on your credit record if you miss payments.

CLAPTON

it would seem that 25 years has taught you little about managing money