I want to repay a debt BUT....

bobtail288

Basically, I had a student account with a bank when I was at university. I opened the account using the address I was renting at the time. I then used the account and ended up going £50 over my overdraft limit (of £1800). I had a long wait for my student loan and the bank charged me £39 every third day that I remained over my limit so by the time the student loan was due in it had become hundreds of pounds over my limit. So because I needed access to my loan to pay rent and fees, I put the cheque in a new account that I opened (no overdraft, just a basic one) and lived off that. I then ended up moving.
The problem is, I moved seven years ago and haven't heard from them. Admittedly, I didn't really want to. But now I've got a decent job which I started two months ago and I'm earning enough to try and pay back the money. My issue is, I don't want to pay back all the charges and interest. I have no problem with paying the £1850 back, but I'm scared to contact them and find out how much it is now because I know that charges will have made it an astronomical amount and it's too late to reclaim them.
Morally and ethically I want to pay back my debts. But I don't want to pay back the extra charges. Should I contact the bank and explain this? Or wait for them to catch up with me? Or bite the bullet, find out how much it is, and then cry?
Any advice would be welcome!

trying-very-trying

I would think that after 7 years with no contact, the debt has probably been scrubbed.

In_Search_Of_Me

Have you seen your credit file? I think a debt must be collected within 6 years but not 100%...anyone help?