Informing Debt Collectors of Change of address... does it delay your debt going to statute barred? 20 April 2022 at 4:06AM in Debt-free wannabe 11 replies 491 views

kevoxshockwave

Hi all

I am currently in the process of running all of my debts (2x Loan, 4xCredit Cards and 2xOverdrafts) into default, with the intention of then letting the debts run for 6 years so they become statute barred. 

My debts are with 4 creditors - Barclays, Barclaycard, MBNA and Halifax. 

I have moved overseas so have changed my correspondence address to a UK 'scan and email' Street Address so I can keep an eye on my bank mail and see when things go to default, or have been sold to debt collection agencies etc. However I must have changed my address AFTER some of the debts had already been sold by the bank to debt collectors, because I am getting mail from debt collectors to my OLD address, but all my bank mail is going to my NEW address. 

So i guess i need to contact the debt collector companies to inform them of my NEW address, so that their mail goes to that address , not my old address. I do not intend to respond to their mail or set up any payment plans, but my question is this:

If I contact a debt collection agency to inform them of a change of address, does this count as me 'acknowledging' the debt, therefore it 'resets the clock' in terms of the six year countdown to the debt becoming statute barred? Or does this not count? 

Any advice or answers welcome! Many thanks.

sammyjammy

What is the letter going to say if its not going to acknowledge you have a debt with them?

sourcrates

It could be construed as acknowledgement yes, as you will have to provide account/reference numbers etc.

If you ring up and tell them verbally, then it doesn't count as acknowledgement, debts have to be acknowledged in writing for it to have any effect on there status.

fatbelly

Good point above. A phone call cannot count as acknowledgement; an email probably would; a letter definitely would unless worded extremely carefully and even then a judge might not be very sympathetic.

I'm not sure what a scan and email street address is. But if it is a normal UK address and your bank correspondence is going there then they will report that to the credit reference agencies and eventually the debt collection agencies will spot that.

DjangoUnchained

could you not simply write back stating that you dont acknowledge this debt, but for further correspondence my current address is.....  ?

kevoxshockwave

fatbelly said:

Good point above. A phone call cannot count as acknowledgement; an email probably would; a letter definitely would unless worded extremely carefully and even then a judge might not be very sympathetic.

I'm not sure what a scan and email street address is. But if it is a normal UK address and your bank correspondence is going there then they will report that to the credit reference agencies and eventually the debt collection agencies will spot that.

@fatbelly it is a normal UK Street address yes. It is a paid for service for expats like myself who have no UK address. 

Who will report what to the credit reference agencies? I'm not doing anything illegal am I? Debt collection agencies will spot what exactly?

fatbelly

You're not doing anything illegal.

Banks report data each month to CRAs - so they will record your present address.

When a DCA is looking for where to write to they should see the new address and use it.

kevoxshockwave

fatbelly said:

You're not doing anything illegal.

Banks report data each month to CRAs - so they will record your present address.

When a DCA is looking for where to write to they should see the new address and use it.

Ah gotcha. Yes, i understand. Thank you for clarifying. 

MovingForwards

You've moved abroad, any plans to return to the UK or have you made the new country home?

kevoxshockwave

MovingForwards said:

You've moved abroad, any plans to return to the UK or have you made the new country home?

I have no plans to return to the UK, I have a fiancee in my current home country and I am settled here. I intend to stay here.

MovingForwards

You're in debt, no plans to return to the UK, use a service to get your post and want things to default with the long-term aim of them being statute barred so you don't have to pay them.

If your previous address(es), when you took the finance out, are not friends / family addresses, the next thing to do is weigh up the risk:
- of any court action,
- research to see if any of the providers / debt agencies have a history of issuing court proceedings and enforcing them in your new country,
- whether returning to the UK to live would happen due to splitting up or change of family members health etc,
- if there's any impact on new life / job due to having a CCJ / creditor bankruptcy in a 'foreign' country;
- anything else to think of / research while undertaking the above risk assessment.

It's not as if border control stop / arrest people for having a CCJ etc when entering the UK.

It's not the answer to your question, or thought process, but why even give it a second thought? Move on with your new life, if everything stacks up.