Left the UK 3 years ago... suddenly a CCJ appears

24

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  • twhitehousescat
    twhitehousescat Posts: 5,368 Forumite
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    edited 24 September 2019 at 2:47PM
    Ben8282 wrote: »
    £500 is an awful lot for a water bill.

    yes, £2.50 will keep a whole village in Africa , with fresh water for a month ,,, so we are told
  • Voltron
    Voltron Posts: 45 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Dear lord, this is still going on.

    Friend disappeared without trace, obviously didn't pay up and I've been trying to deal with them myself since I found out but they're so slow in replying there was zero chance it would be resolved in the first 30 days.

    I'm now at the point where I've provided every bit of evidence I can to show that I was not living in the country during the time this debt was accrued including a letter from my boss saying I've worked for this company for multiple years without any extended leave.

    They're now asking for me to provide a UK address which I have told them I do not have, and to use a friend or family members in lieu of mine. Are they too cheap to pay for an international stamp? Do they not know how to attach documents to an email? Or, as I suspect, is this some way of trying to connect me to an address that isn't mine. The last email, which didn't even get my name right and came in a month after I last contacted them, advises me that providing this would "increase the chance of success" which smells like BS.

    Is it time to contact the ombudsman in this situation?
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 30,993 Forumite
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    Voltron wrote: »
    I'm now at the point where I've provided every bit of evidence I can to show that I was not living in the country during the time this debt was accrued including a letter from my boss saying I've worked for this company for multiple years without any extended leave.
    Not sure I'm following the significance of this - if you (inadvertently) left yourself named on a contract that incurred arrears, being out of the country doesn't absolve you of responsibility for this debt?

    Surely the only way out of it (assuming friend isn't available/cooperative) is to prove to the water company that they accepted or acknowledged your cancellation (or reassignment if applicable) of your contract with them? If you can't do this, then you would appear to be on the hook for the arrears, regardless of where you now live....
  • Voltron
    Voltron Posts: 45 Forumite
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    eskbanker wrote: »
    Not sure I'm following the significance of this - if you (inadvertently) left yourself named on a contract that incurred arrears, being out of the country doesn't absolve you of responsibility for this debt?

    I sent it to them because that's what they asked for. They said to provide documentation showing that I vacated the country in 2016 for further review, and that is what I have done.
  • sourcrates
    sourcrates Posts: 28,876 Ambassador
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    If you are remaining abroad for the next few years, then it makes no difference if you have a CCJ or not, it wont affect you in another country.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free wannabe, Credit file and ratings, and Bankruptcy and living with it boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.For free non-judgemental debt advice, contact either Stepchange, National Debtline, or CitizensAdviceBureaux.Link to SOA Calculator- https://www.stoozing.com/soa.php The "provit letter" is here-https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter
  • Ben8282
    Ben8282 Posts: 4,821 Forumite
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    edited 21 January 2020 at 8:26PM
    If you havn't lived in the UK for 3 years I am curious as to why you just happened to be checking your UK credit file the other day.
    If the ccj was obtained on 30th September the first 30 days, which you say are crucial, are long past.
    Voltron wrote: »
    I sent it to them because that's what they asked for. They said to provide documentation showing that I vacated the country in 2016 for further review, and that is what I have done.

    The fact that you have not been in the UK for 3 years is not relevant. You should have settled all accounts and closed them before you left.
  • Voltron
    Voltron Posts: 45 Forumite
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    sourcrates wrote: »
    If you are remaining abroad for the next few years, then it makes no difference if you have a CCJ or not, it wont affect you in another country.

    Yeah, while I have no plan to come back in the near future I'd rather my record clean in case circumstances change. While an error has been made, and I'll hold my hand up to that even if I still don't know how it happened, it shouldn't be to the degree where I have this looming over my head in case I have to come back and find I can't do anything.
    Ben8282 wrote: »
    If you havn't lived in the UK for 3 years I am curious as to why you just happened to be checking your UK credit file the other day.
    If the ccj was obtained on 30th September the first 30 days, which you say are crucial, are long past.

    The fact that you have not been in the UK for 3 years is not relevant. You should have settled all accounts and closed them before you left.

    I'm not sure why you keep asking the same question, nor why you still think it is an unusual thing for someone to try be on top of their credit regardless of where they live.
  • Ben8282
    Ben8282 Posts: 4,821 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post Newshound!
    Voltron wrote: »

    I'm not sure why you keep asking the same question, nor why you still think it is an unusual thing for someone to try be on top of their credit regardless of where they live.
    Because somebody living outside the UK would not normally have any UK credit to keep on top
    of and would therefore be keeping on top of their credit in the country where they now reside.
  • Voltron
    Voltron Posts: 45 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    As I explained before, I'm still a UK citizen and checking the monthly email I get from a free service to keep an eye on things seems ta fair trivial thing in case something goes awry. Like it has.

    Are you saying you wouldn't do the same? An error was made it seems, as in case you weren't aware when you move from a country to another there are a fair few things you need to do and things can slip by. If I was to decide to return and suddenly find out this was on my plate, I would be in a worse position than I am now.
  • kl2
    kl2 Posts: 40 Forumite
    Voltron wrote: »
    As I explained before, I'm still a UK citizen and checking the monthly email I get from a free service to keep an eye on things seems ta fair trivial thing in case something goes awry. Like it has.

    Are you saying you wouldn't do the same? An error was made it seems, as in case you weren't aware when you move from a country to another there are a fair few things you need to do and things can slip by. If I was to decide to return and suddenly find out this was on my plate, I would be in a worse position than I am now.

    Some people on here love to have a dig or doubt, no clue why... I lived in Canada for 2 years and checked my credit every month as I kept my bank and sim to keep my credit flowing - my brother lives in Australia and also checks his monthly and still pays for his phone etc. I didn't think it was that strange.

    Can't offer much help as I'm unsure how CCJ's work, but hope you get it sorted.
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