FORGET Student Loan if plan to stay abroad

imagings

Hi..
I have a 10,000 Pound student loan from the years 1996-2000. I am living abroad (in the EU) and have been abroad for 4 years.. I know the SLC have measures for really getting their money back off you when you return to the UK. But I KNOW I won't be living in the UK again.. Can I Ignore them.

Within the past month they have tracked me down through a website. They call all the time, but it's a prepaid phone, so I just ignore them. Can I just continue ignoring them, if I never plan to live in the UK again??

Anyone know anything concrete about those that never return?

Thanks

olly300

I don't know anyone who has run away from their student loans by staying aboard for along time because most of them use a relation as a UK contact so they risk having no where to stay when they visit the UK.

However just to warn you that Student Loans have their own act of parliament. This means if enough people do this then in theory the government can amend the Act to chase people aboard. Oh yeah I found this old link about Pan European Debt Collection: http://www.out-law.com/page-64

The_One_Who

Why don't you just pay back what you owe?

HannaB

The_One_Who wrote: »

Why don't you just pay back what you owe?

If you could rob a bank and know you would never ever get caught, would you do it?

Hehehehe

dmg24

HannaB wrote: »

If you could rob a bank and know you would never ever get caught, would you do it?

Hehehehe

In theory, yes. In practice, no, I don't think I would. I'd still know that I had done it ... x

The_One_Who

HannaB wrote: »

If you could rob a bank and know you would never ever get caught, would you do it?

Hehehehe

Probably not, to be honest.

Big_Bird_4

HannaB wrote: »

If you could rob a bank and know you would never ever get caught, would you do it?

Hehehehe

Er, no. It's not about getting caught. It's about doing the right thing and having self-respect.

OP if you owe the money and can afford the payments you should pay off the loan. Also if they add the costs of chasing you to your overall bill the amount you have to hand over when they finally do catch up with you could be huge.

brownbabygirl

do they track repayments via NI? cos i went abroad after graduation for 4 years. i am back now and working since last november but they still dont deduct. i have had no letters or calls about paying back. anyone know why?

dearbarbie

to be honest, it IS money you spent living off. of course you should pay it back.

Oompa_Loompa_2

Just contact them and try to arrange a payment plan that you can afford. This will stop you having to worry about them taking any action against you.

redpete

imagings wrote: »

Within the past month they have tracked me down through a website. They call all the time, but it's a prepaid phone, so I just ignore them. Can I just continue ignoring them, if I never plan to live in the UK again??

I'd rather you paid back the money that my taxes have funded.