PRA group chasing for a debt I had back in UK

panictime

Hello,

So I wanted to share my situation with people of knowledge here and see what options do I have. I read quite few posts about PRA group chasing over some money, but didn't find situation similar to mine.

Long story short, I went to UK in my 18's to make some money, spent few years there, got a stable job and my bank account gave me this overdraft option that I used from time to time. Several months before leaving for home country in EU, I made a stupid decision to buy a laptop with a shared cost, it was an expensive laptop, but before leaving I had a naive hope that one guy who owed me money will send that money to my bank account (not the first time he paid me back) and I will have my overdraft even. But the guy dumped me and ignored my calls, so I ignored the overdraft, again, being naive that it will never catch back up to me.

So here I am, after 5 years received email that my bank account's debt was sold to PRA group and they will contact me soon. I am worried because those days with decent income are long gone, and I can't really afford paying this debt (having bank interest rates for overdraft in mind, wouldn't be surprised if I now owe like 2-3k gbp).

I didn't answer this email yet, but I read that they can open CCJ and the judgement could take place even with my absence in the country. I don't really care about my credit score in UK, but I am scared that this debt could be resold to a local agency here in my country with extra interest charges. Should I be worried? Or this will only affect credit score back in UK (having in mind Brexit that's is 1 week away). What are the other possible outcomes?

Sorry for a long post and unethical approach                               

fatbelly

Technically it's possible to get a ccj at your last known address and transfer it for enforcement. It doesn't often happen across countries and the fact that it's just threatening emails that you are getting means it is less likely. 

See what others say. I would say to do nothing at this point but post again if you get a physical letter to where you now live.

How long since this account was terminated? 5 years? When will it get to the 6-year point? Was the address they know in England or Scotland?

panictime

fatbelly said:

Technically it's possible to get a ccj at your last known address and transfer it for enforcement. It doesn't often happen across countries and the fact that it's just threatening emails that you are getting means it is less likely. 

See what others say. I would say to do nothing at this point but post again if you get a physical letter to where you now live.

How long since this account was terminated? 5 years? When will it get to the 6-year point? Was the address they know in England or Scotland?

Thank you for reply. Not sure how long lloyds takes to terminate your account, but I now read that at some point of uncovered overdraft they start to charge you daily and checking your status closely, then they should suspend your account and make it unusable, I don't know the time frame for that, but I think it should be at least few months. I left 2015 Summer, lived in England.

sourcrates

Firstly, they probebley don`t know where you live now, secondly, you don`t have to respond to an email, only to a letter, should you wish too.

Its possible they may do a trace on you, but its hardly worth there while chasing this up for what will most likely just amount to a few hundred quid.

If in the course of time they do find you, then the debt may be statute barred by then, or if not, you can make an affordable offer of repayment to them, no big deal either way.

I`d leave it for now.

panictime

sourcrates said:

Firstly, they probebley don`t know where you live now, secondly, you don`t have to respond to an email, only to a letter, should you wish too.

Its possible they may do a trace on you, but its hardly worth there while chasing this up for what will most likely just amount to a few hundred quid.

If in the course of time they do find you, then the debt may be statute barred by then, or if not, you can make an affordable offer of repayment to them, no big deal either way.

I`d leave it for now.

Cheers! I think it's around 1-2k with all overdraft rates by the way. Because I still had like 1k gbp due for laptop payments, and if you dont pay out your overdraft in some time, they start to charge you daily, not sure how far did they went.