Debts Collected Overseas On UK Credit Cards

ian360

Thank you for responding guys...

When filing for bankruptcy, will it make a difference if I was living overseas when I got into some of the debt problems? For example: quite a lot of my debts have accumulated because I got sick here in Costa Rica due to the various surgeries and healthcare that I needed, so whilst I was living here a lot of the hospital bills etc are since being in Costa Rica. However, the credit card companies were aware that I was living overseas and that I was borrowing money to pay for the various surgeries as I did inform them beforehand (the credit card companies involved are both UK-based, and I was issued the credit cards while living in the UK).

I became concerned when I read this on one of the websites, although I can not find any other website that also states this to back this up...

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If you are living in the UK you can declare yourself bankrupt under UK law if you meet the following criteria:

A. You are domicile in the UK. I.e. You have a UK passport and a UK correspondence address (this could be a family member).

B. The majority of your debt was taken while living in the UK.

C. You are able to afford to paid the associated Court Fees which are c£475 (payable in cash to the Court Clerk on the day you present your Petition). Note, if you are receiving certain benefits, you may be eligible for a reduction in these fees.

URL: http://www.bankruptcyhelp.org.uk/how_to_declare_bankruptcy.asp

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Any further advice would be much appreciated...

Thank you.

Ian

ian360

Anybody? Please... I promise to be good!

squirrel_pigeon

Hi Ian,

I'm not quite sure about this one but I'm bumping it up to the top in the hope that Fermi or someone else is around.

Have you taken any advice from one of the free charities? If you are thinking of going BR you would need to do this anyway so giving CCCS, NDL or CAB a call may clear up your worries...

xxx

fermi

I'm not quite sure, which is why I haven't replied yet. The situation seems to be neither "one thing or another".

CCCS, NDL etc may be able to help, but in addition:

For starters, read this (if you haven't already) http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/freedomofinformation/technical/foreignissues.htm

May be worth emailing the Insolvency Service with your question.

See: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/contactus/general.htm or call them on 0845 602 9848 Mon-Fri UK working hours.

If you can't be in the UK to petition for the BR and you have no-one who could represent you then you would have to use one of the "foreign BR services", so they may be worth asking as well.

See: http://myvesta.org.uk/programmes/foreign_bankruptcy_service.html

But I would check other sources of info first as I believe they charge.

That's about as much help as I can be.

Good luck.

ian360

Hey guys,

I had this response on another forum:

"Although you may have used your credit cards abroad, these are credit cards issued under agreements entered into in the UK, so they are UK debts. You don't need to worry about this bit. "

So I am hoping that this is true...

In addition, I tried calling the insolvency service about this the other day. I must say that the representative was most unhelpful. She just kept repeating to me that because I don't live in the UK anymore that I must file for bankruptcy in the country that I am residing. I said to her that I am not living in the EU and so from reading on the website that rule does not apply. She was not prepared to accept this. Very frustrating!

Thanks guys... Any more advice?

Ian

fermi

That's a bit disappointing about the IS, but you can get bad advice (if that was) from any organisation when you are dealing with a single advisor.

I've always seemed to get better advice from the IS if I email the question. Perhaps it puts an individual less on the spot and gives them a chance to ask colleagues?

The advice you had on the MyVesta forum sounds right to me, but I would have liked some definite confirmation.

fermi

The Global Debt Questions board on the Debt Questions forum might also be a good place to ask.

It's down for "maintenance" at the moment, but should be back sometime tomorrow with a bit of luck (i.e. if they can fix it).