Gabriel

It is indeed very tempting, but like every temptation, there is something behind it.

I am in a very similar situation, having a credit card debt and a loan to pay. I could easily get the money and flee the country, but I won't do it. I prefer to wait a few more years to settle my finances and then go to Oz with a clean heart and conscience.
I know that there's nothing for free and sooner or later you will have to pay back... maybe tenfold and I don't necessarily mean money.

Don't you have a 5 year period to return after validating your visa? So what keeps you?

Gabriel

emulate

First of all to anyone thinking about running out on a debt think really hard about how you will deal with it if the debt collectors catch up with you. If you run out on a debt you will be bombarded by debt collection agencies that wil pass your debts from pillar to post in order to threaten you to repay. This will take it's psychological toll after awhile. When they can't find you at your previous address your credit record will be flagged by GAIN (Gone Away Information Network) and if one of the creditors gets a sniff of your whereabouts all hell will break loose and they will all be after you for their money or sell the debts on to local companies who, depending on the country,may be able to add huge collection fees ON TOP OF what you already know. GAIN information is shared by all credit collection agencies, creditors and credit reporting agencies. If you have intentionally left the UK without paying your debts - that is fraud. If any of your creditors even sniffs intention you will be reported to CIFAS (www.cifas.org.uk) and may even be reported to the police for criminal investigation. DOn't think the cops get you abroad, think again. In most civilzed country you can be prosecuted by the local authorities for what you did on foreign soil. Or you may be extradited back to the UK to face trial. With millions being lost to fraud the home office and the police are keen to prosecute even petty fraud with serious custodial sentences for those who are convicted. It is frightening how much of your information is held on databases such as experion, equifax, GAIN, CIFAS, HUNTER, HUNTER II etc... look into it...scary. Bottom line is you can hide for awhile but you will always be looking over your shoulder, afraid to answer the phone, go to the door etc. If you are going to do this you need to go away and stay gone. Do not tell anyone where you are moving and resist contacting anyone back in the UK. Sever all links completley, do not forward your mail, do not give forwarding address details to anyone. When you arrive in your new country - rent, don't buy. Do not enter any contests, do not open a bank account, do not apply for a credit card, do not get a job. Stay underground for 6 years and pay cash for everything. If you do all that maybe, just maybe you'll get away with it..

Seriously though, I think anything under £750.00 would be safe like your last utility bills, catalogue orders stuff like that. I wouldn't mess with the banks or credit card agencies. They all employ detectives who will eventually find you if the stakes are high enough. Equifax owns Wescot Debt Collectors by the way so never assume your data is protected. Cifas claims to be a non-profit but they are funded by equifax, experian call credit and others.

Hope this helps

paddythepilot

Ah this has come back again eh?

Finally, someone (above) has made sensible comments.

Credit Cards are the work of the Devil (Sometimes).

emulate

Yup...didn't realize how old it was when I started my rant - I'm kind of in the middle of putting right a serious debt problem that I left in the UK when I returned to Canada. I think people just need to really think before they skip out as the more you dig into what is really going on with your information held by third parties, the fact that the CRA's operate clandestine and outside the realm of the DPA means that sooner or later theys gonna getcha or screw you over big time while looking!

Siren & Brian

Bugger off and dont come to my country....

emulate

Well, that's almost a sentence....

Jacko1

I know someone who owed similiar to credit card companies and also a major loan company. Diid exactly what you are thinking about. Was eventually tracked down after 18 months, ordered to pay debt plus recovery/investigation costs etc.

Went on for along time and he was ultimately deported and VISA cancelled. Now back in UK and has still had to pay up!!

He cannot get credit anyway etc.

On the other hand I have heard of people getting away with it

Be Careful

Good Luck

PJ

treefrog

You MUST do something about this debt. Not only because not to pay it would be immoral, but also because the repercussions could be severe. A mate of mine left a high-paying job to marry an Ozzie and went to live there. he property had a negative equity, so on the advice of the mortgage holder she simply gave them back the key. When the marriage failed after a year (her new hubbie turned out to be a nutcase) she came back to the UK with nix. Just as she was starting to get back on her feet the building society in question sent her a letter demanding £12,000 or else. She managed to get the amount reduced but even so it was a huge blow on top of everything else.

Here's what I think you should do. Your credit card and bank debts must be costing you at least £300 a month in interest on that amount, so get onto the internet and take a look at some loans. You can get one with a far lower interest rate than most banks can offer; as low as 5 or 6%. A number of search engines can offer a comparison table; try Yahoo Finance at yahoo.co.uk. You should be able to get a loan through in 7-14 days if you have a clear credit history.

Look for a loan where you can vary the amount of repayment without penalty (it may be worth a slightly higher interest rate to get this). If you get a low monthly repayment over a long term, say 5 years, then if you find when you have settled in Australia that you are better off, you can repay at a higher rate. This will reduce the capital and thus the mount of interest that you have to pay. DO check with the loan company that you will be able to repay from Australia and that you won't be liable for higher charges if you do.

We got our loan from Cahoot and I can recommend them, but there may be other companies that offer lower rates. Mint are supposed to be good. Shop around and make sure you read the small print.

DON'T leave it in the hope that you'll get away with it. I can assure you that relocating to another country is challenging enough without having that sort of worry to deal with, and if you want or need to come back it would make your life extremely difficult. Do something about it NOW before things get any worse!

treefrog

NB: I should add that it can be quite difficult to open a bank account in Australia and they wil almost certainly want a letter of credit from a bank in this country.

GillettFamily

Mike, You've definately got a tricky decision to make.

I hope this helps you and maybe finishes this thread off.

Overall not paying up is wrong. Morally and legally but it is NOT a criminal matter.

It is not straight forward theft as the dishonesty needs to be proved (ie reasons for getting the debt and/or intention of not paying it back at the time you applied for it). As you stacked this debt up due to personal reasons, your wifes illness, then this seems honest debt.

Neither is it fraud as again you did not mislead or deceive anyone whilst in the process of obtaining or creating the debt. The purpose was clear and honest/legal. Plus the theft part must also apply.

The matter is quite simply a civil one of defaulting on your payments. The debt may well be chased up by those who you owe it to or the debt may be sold on to credit recovery agencies who make a profit out of these things.

They may go to the lengths already suggested and track you down in Aus. But most likely, they may apply for a CCJ here and it is also possible that they could even get a power of arrest with it which means that should you ever set foot back in the UK again then you could find your collar being felt most embarassingly at the airport by the local Police when you arrive!

Or you could get away with it.

I too was a Policeman for 10 years and I've done some private investigation work, so I know a little bit more than I've said here.

It's a worry, I know. So don't be stupid, be sensible and pay the debt. As someone else said...
What goes around, comes around.

Good luck Mike.

Dave

Pollyana

Do like I am doing - maintain a UK bank account and pay the debt monthly from here. Most companies will accept a reduced payment rather than nothing at all. My circumstances meant I couldn't clear my debts before I left, so I am doing it from here.

Not necessarily so; many people on here have just walked into branhces - its easier if you do it during the first 6 weeks as they can say your passport has been checked recently so you get more points for it.
I wasn't even asked if I had an account anywhere else, they weren't interested, nor did they want any refernces, statements etc.

hevs

We had no problems, no letter required.

owieb

Australian banks and credit card companies do not do any credit checks outside of Australia. When you first arrive you have to build up a credit history from scratch.

Initially it's a point based system, with certain types of ID gaining you points i.e. Australian drivers license, medicare card, passport etc If you have enough points then they will open a bank account for you.

I've opened a few different bank accounts here over the last couple of years; not one has asked for a letter from the UK, infact they weren't even interested to know if I have ever had a UK bank account, and all have said that they do not do credit checks to the UK.

joh117

Found out over the weekend. A friend of ours brother came to Oz for a year on a working holiday visa and had not heard from the Student Loan company before he left so he did nothing.

3 weeks after he had left the UK a letter arrived at his sisters in Oz. It took them 3 weeks to track him down and none of his family members in the UK told them.

He is deferring his loan and is also not running away from the debt but was suprised they managed to track him down over here so quickly

Therefore they will find you

Jo

Jacko1

We (My Company) were owed a sum of money by someone who disappeared!! Contacted a debt recovery agent (they do not charge unless they get a result) They traced the culprit within two weeks, in Spain. Served a local injunction etc and recovered the debt + costs

The world is a ssmall place these days and you will be found!!

PJ