Unpaid Bills. Not my problem?

Tarquin_Tarantino

A relatives daughter with a *history of poor financial management left home to work abroad about 6 months ago. * she'd get into bother but sort things out on way or another when her in the UK.
Now she's the other side of the world she's left behind her a string of card debts. She is aware of the torrent of red letters and threats of action made as her parents have opened letters on her behalf but is making no attempt to make payment claiming that she cannot do so from her overseas bank account.

Her parents are at their wits end as the card companies flood their address with letters and phone calls and refuse (for obvious reasons) to heed any comments made regarding the fact she no longer lives there. It would be simple to say, 'ignore the letters' but they are straight down the line, pay their bills on time, every time etc., and it is making them lose sleep.

What's the best course of action to remove this pressure?

redpete

First tell them to clearly tell their daughter that she is talking nonsense about not paying because of the overseas account. There are many ways to transfer money to the UK.


Second, return everything unopened marked "not at this address".

Paul_1977

Ignore them.

Tarquin_Tarantino

redpete wrote: »

First tell them to clearly tell their daughter that she is talking nonsense about not paying because of the overseas account. There are many ways to transfer money to the UK.


Second, return everything unopened marked "not at this address".

Transfer money yes, but pay a card bill direct?

They are under no illusions that the will to pay doesn't match the need...

Tarquin_Tarantino

Paul_1977 wrote: »

Ignore them.

The problem doing that is it's not the way they conduct their business and they don't want to assist their daughter in shirking her responsibilities. Or have their address blacklisted should they require credit at a future date.

But it's an option I think they will have to consider as the cc companies are like rabid dogs it seems.

[Deleted User]

Addresses don't get blacklisted.

mwarby

They won't have the address blacklisted, as credit records go by name address and dob

Most credit cards can be paid by bank transfer, but from abroad paying each one would be expensive. Could she get a basic account in UK transfer to that then pay cards from that ? If shes still on electoral role she might be able to open online from abroad

agrinnall

Tarquin_Tarantino wrote: »

The problem doing that is it's not the way they conduct their business...

But it's not their business, it is their daughter's. Presumably she is over 18, so is responsible for her own actions. I'd agree entirely with redpete's post.

Enterprise_1701C

Did she close her UK bank account? If not she could just transfer money into that and pay the bills as normal.

Of course, her parents could always give the card companies her new address.

vikingaero

redpete wrote: »

Second, return everything unopened marked "not at this address".

Most creditors know this is the oldest trick in the book. It won't stop phone calls if the landline is still live.

Open the letters for a while. Write one letter to each creditor by recorded delivery. Explain the details, remove their implied right to visit, tell them to cease contact by phone etc.

MEM62

vikingaero wrote: »

Most creditors know this is the oldest trick in the book. It won't stop phone calls if the landline is still live.
At which point the parents respond to calls with 'I am sorry, xxx no longer lives here'. Should they wish to do so they can also provide her overseas address.
Open the letters for a while. Write one letter to each creditor by recorded delivery. Explain the details, remove their implied right to visit, tell them to cease contact by phone etc.

The parents should write to each creditor explaining that their daughter no longer lives there and request that they stop sending mail to their address.