Credit card debt

Dafidol

Hello all. Does anyone have any advice please? My friend was offered credit card in the bank even though she told them that she is on maternity without pay and has no job at the moment. She told them that she might have one soon but that is not for sure yet. They still gave it to her with £10000 on it. Her husband lost his job and they had to use it, hoping they will both soon get work to pay it back. Brexit came and now the coronavirus, no jobs in view. She spent almost the whole amount to keep her family going...but no jobs yet. She can't pay it back at the moment...what can she do? They even have to leave their house as they can't afford it anymore...any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you.

DCFC79

Dafidol said:

Hello all. Does anyone have any advice please? My friend was offered credit card in the bank even though she told them that she is on maternity without pay and has no job at the moment. She told them that she might have one soon but that is not for sure yet. They still gave it to her with £10000 on it. Her husband lost his job and they had to use it, hoping they will both soon get work to pay it back. Brexit came and now the coronavirus, no jobs in view. She spent almost the whole amount to keep her family going...but no jobs yet. She can't pay it back at the moment...what can she do? They even have to leave their house as they can't afford it anymore...any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Complain for a start.

If she was on maternity leave and no definite job why did she carry on with the application and use the card.

Could have claimed benefits rather than use the card.

Why does Brexit get a mention ?

[Deleted User]

If she can't repay even the minimum, she needs to arrange a repayment plan with the bank.

Willing2Learn

Dafidol said:

...They even have to leave their house as they can't afford it anymore...

What do you mean by that?  Why did they have to leave their house?

born_again

Willing2Learn said:

Dafidol said:

...They even have to leave their house as they can't afford it anymore...

What do you mean by that?  Why did they have to leave their house?

Can't pay mortgage, maybe.

Bank will have taken the stance as on Maternity pay that will have been going back to work (got to take it that OP said they would) that would be able to pay back.
Other issues have now got in the way. Quite what Brexit and Covid 19 have to do with it though.
So have the bank actually done anything wrong? Without knowing the conversation they had with the customer. Very hard to say.

Tildaplum

If she is in severe hardship she should talk to the card provider and try and get the interest frozen. 

She will be liable for the outstanding balance. Either as above arrange a payment plan or if that looks like a lost cause then she could consider going bankrupt.

Dafidol

Thank you everyone. Just to answer the questions.  Brexit and the virus made it very difficult to get a job... everything is very slow. Her husband is trying since December...they don't have mortgage. They are in private rent and the reason why she went ahead with the credit card is to use it for occasional shopping in the future ..she didn't expect to use it for rent and bills...now they run out of money and in debt so they have to leave their private rent as it's too expensive. With a baby and two dogs not easy to find cheap place. She was thinking about bankruptcy but she has a flat in Europe and her parents are living in it. She is worried that they could be affected if she is asked to sell the flat...

Gerry1

Get rid of the two dogs !

Thrugelmir

Dafidol said:

My friend was offered credit card in the bank even though she told them that she is on maternity without pay and has no job at the moment. She told them that she might have one soon but that is not for sure yet. They still gave it to her with £10000 on it. 

People apply for credit cards they are not given out. 

Dafidol

Actually Thrugelmir, she has been offered one...she never asked. 

Tildaplum

Gerry1 said:

Get rid of the two dogs !

I will be charitable and assume you are trying to make a joke