New to debt, please help

kevoxshockwave

sourcrates said:

kevoxshockwave said:

Bump.

Hi guys, thank you for all of your help and advice so far. I think I intend to change my bank address details to my friends house and then simply let everything run to default and then, eventually, to statute barred.

So lets say I just let all my debts run to default, and never respond to a single letter ever again, what are the consequences? Apart from trashing my credit file of course, but as I said, I live overseas and have no intention of moving back to the UK, so i am not bothered.

I have a few questions, if anyone can help:

1) If no CCJs are issued, my debts will become statute barred after 6 years, and unenforceable, is that correct? 
2) Let's say a CCJ IS issued. Do i get taken to court? Or do I just ignore that too? What are the consequences of ignoring a CCJ?
3) Is there any possibility of people physically going to my address to chase up the debts, or no?
4) Many of you have said 'they won't chase up debt from someone living abroad' but how will they know I live abroad? Should I tell them? (Obviously not tell them where specifically I am... but should I tell them I live overseas?)
5) Will my credit file ever recover? I mean many many years later... will these debts slide off the record and I can start 'from scratch' so to speak?

My UK driving license for example is registered to my parents address. So even if i change my bank address, I guess they could still recognise that I am 'registered' at my parents address, because of my UK driving licence being there. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, your advice is much appreciated.

(1) That is correct yes.
(2) All a court does is pronounce judgement, its the creditor who decides how far the legal process goes, if they can`t find you, they can`t do anything can they.
(3) Vague possibility if a CCJ goes to bailiff action.
(4) All they will know is you are not responding to there attempts to contact you, doesn't matter where you live, they won`t be able to trace you if you are not resident in the UK.
(5) Yes, after 6 years all negative information is deleted.

Many thanks @sourcrates, your advice is much appreciated. 

Further to your answer to number 4, as I said, my driving license is regiatered to my parents address... so even if I change my bank account address details to my friends address (as I intend to) , they could still trace me to my parents address via my Driving License, could they not? Or is that highly unlikely? 

Also, is it true that if I was given a CCJ, that adds a further 6 years to my credit file being clear? I read some where that if a CCJ is issued, it then takes THAT 6 years to fall off your credit file... so lets say I default on my debts but then in 2028 one of them decides to issue a CCJ, that'll take a further 6 years to fall off the file...is that correct?

sourcrates

Yes, CCJ`s stay on file for six years from date of judgement.

They may trace you to your last known address, and attempt to contact you there.

If no response, then the trail goes cold, and that.......is that.

kevoxshockwave

sourcrates said:

Yes, CCJ`s stay on file for six years from date of judgement.

They may trace you to your last known address, and attempt to contact you there.

If no response, then the trail goes cold, and that.......is that.

Thanks @sourcrates, and thank you very much for your advice. 
I think this is the course of action I am going to take. I will set up a PO Box service (one of them that opens and scans mail for you) so my mail goes to there and I can monitor it, and run the debts to default and eventually statute barred. 

Andyjflet

Sorry If I haven't captured the elements in this post, but how about thinking of saving your parents the hassle and make arrangements to pay your debts? 

enthusiasticsaver

Personally to protect your friends and your parents from hassle I would be instructing them to return mail addressed to you saying return to sender, no longer at this address.  I don't know if your creditors would instigate court action (some may but without an address that may deter them).  Having the threat of bailiffs calling for you could be worrying for both your friends and your parents so if you intend dropping off the face of the earth and not repaying the debt (not judging as that is entirely up to you) then they should protect themselves by not receiving mail intended for you. It also confirms to your creditors that you no longer live there. 

Sncjw

I doubt they can trace you via your driving licences they will attend to the last known address on their file. 

Also if it did escalate to baliffs the baliffs might pressure your parents to tell them of your whereabouts. Also they will look for evidence you don't live there anympre too. If you still get mail there they might use that as evidence. 

Why not do the moral thing in paying your debt saves your parents hassle and you worry that it will impact your parents. 

Also to get a ccj the creditor will need to go to coirt and they will send summons to the last known address. Then if they wanted to they go to the high court to obtain a writ to instruct baliffs.

kevoxshockwave

Thanks all. 

Having considered advice here and elsewhere, I have decided that I am prepared to trash my credit file rather than paying 35k back. If the only damage is a trashed credit file in a country I do not intend to return to, then I am perfectly fine with that. 

The other concern as I expressed herein is the mail to my parents and any possible hassle they may receive from bailiffs down the line. I intend to mitigate this by changing the address my bank mail goes to to a PO Box Street Address service and using a scan and send service ti have the mail sent to me so I can monitor it. Thus the last known address by my bank will not be my parents house.

The only other risk is CCJs somewhere down the line, but the advice I have received suggests this is unlikely, and if it is, then they can't trace me, it seems. 

kevoxshockwave

Hi guys 
Just had an SMS from "Arvato" on behalf of Barclays Bank. Seems they're a debt collector ya? 
I clicked the link... Is this an admission of guilt? I read that one should not "acknowledge" debts if they're to fall into default. Have I messed up?

Also I have several debts with Barclays, how do I find out which one this relates to?

To my knowledge I have not yet defaulted on any of my debts so I'm wondering why one has gone to a debt collector also? 

Any suggestions as to a course of action ? Bearing in mind I have decided to ignore all my debts since I live overseas and have no intent to return.

@sourcrates and others, any advice is appreciated.

Many thanks

fatbelly

An acknowledgement can only be by payment or in writing so clicking on a link is not one.

Did clicking not tell you what they were chasing?

Generally we say to wait till they write, then send a prove-it letter.

kevoxshockwave

fatbelly said:

An acknowledgement can only be by payment or in writing so clicking on a link is not one.

Did clicking not tell you what they were chasing?

Generally we say to wait till they write, then send a prove-it letter.

Ah ok great. I clicked the link and it said "are you so-and-so" (my name) and I shat myself so didn't click any further! I backed out and ran away 🤣🙈

Ok thank you for the advice. 
Wait till they write about what, specifically?