livinginreality

Absolutely!No excuses in my eyes,and thats not just aimed at the OP either.If you lend money,no matter how small of an amount,its only right to re pay it.

Deancm

Under The Limitations Act 1980, if the council tax was due more than 6 years ago then they are unable to ask the court for a liabilities order.

This means that you can leave the UK owing council tax, but if you return within 6 years the council can still chase you for the money. After 6 years they can no longer chase you.

livinginreality

Yep I get that bit,What I don't get is the OP is implying that her debts are maybe caused by her not paying council tax,utility bills or whatever and I am just wondering as she claimed she did'nt have any credit card debts ect,and has her house paid off,then why have the council tax debts ect?That does'nt make sense to me.

Bermudashorts

Doesn't the six year rule only apply if there has been no contact whatsoever? However a debt collection agency is likely to track down and contact the family.

Of course the family can say that they have nothing more to do with them and could beat them off for six years. However I think it is a bit low to put one's relatives through that for the sake of dodging a poxy council tax bill, especially when said bill is easily afforded.

I would not wish to be a fugitive, unable to return to my home country for six years for the sake of avoiding a poxy council tax bill that I could easily afford either.

Deancm

They can get a liability order but it's a bit difficult to enforce if the person is in Australia and liability orders don't last forever. They have a statute of limitations.

Council tax debts are handled by court appointed bailiffs and not passed to private debt collection agencies. Bailiffs have no jurisdiction outside of the UK and can't/won't chase in Aus.

Bermudashorts

I realise they cannot enforce it in Australia. What I was wondering, not stating as I do not know the legalities, is that if the defaulter returns to UK after 6 years, it may not necessarily be the end of it. Not if there has been contact during those six years.

Australia_bound?

Yes they were called Americans .
See this thread has gone the usual way lol
High moral ground being well and truly owned by some

samjones1999

I think the question is not could they walk away from the debt, it's SHOULD they walk away from it????

Bermudashorts

I don't think believing that one should pay back what one owes demonstrates particularly high morals. For most people this is just "normal" behaviour.

samjones1999

What a coincidence, council tax bill has just arrived £2,500, should I pay it or send it to Jeanette??? Could buy myself a first class ticket to OZ!!!!

Australia_bound?

As we're all individuals and have own morals etc, I'm no longer sure who can hold the high moral ground and blame others for the worlds issues.
I can see why some people would evade debts. Think you'll find a lot more people declare themselves bankrupt, rather than run away and they do it over and over again.
Yet those moving to Aus are the guilty ones on here, shame they didn't pop down to the court and hand over their £700 prior to leaving then they would have been good eggs eh lol

livinginreality

What I don't understand is what makes people want their lives so damn complicated?????I could'nt live constantly in fear of the postie or that knock on the door.You'd just as well be a drug dealer!Nah I'd rather just live a simple life,being responsible.Much easier to live with I think!

itxrd

You need to take a chill pill man. I am worried about you're health. Don't you have a job or something else to spend so much energy on? ;-)

So many people here seem even jealous that someone is running away from their debts. We all know its not good and its not right and very, very irresponsible but if their conscience lets them do it then thats their call. You are not being affected by it (spare me the rubbish about your banking bills going up as a result). Banks have been conning people for years and will put them up anyway - I have worked for many of them. Even now they are conning the govt and still making massive profits.

Dean Cm is the only one who knows what he is talking about. Spare us the tales of the police coming round. Once you're in Oz all they can do is send letters. For 6 years your credit in the Uk is mush but even if you came back after that all debts would be wiped. End of story. Can we close this thread now please ;-)

jd6969uk

Spot on!!

Bermudashorts

If the council cannot collect a portion of the required amounts in order to provide services what do you think they will do? I am not convinced that this will not effect me one way or another. I think either I will need to pay more the next year or services will be cut.

Likewise I am sure I would be impacted by other people defaulting on bank debts because this would reduce bank profits which would reduce tax receipts to the government. Then the government has to find new ways of collecting tax or cutting services to save money. The government does not grow money on trees every year, it really has to come from somewhere.

Also you should remember who owns the banks (excluding the recent partially privatised ones). They are not owned by the nasty bankers that work there, they have shareholders. And a significant percentage of those shares will be held by ordinary folks in their pension funds and ISA investments and another significant amount will be owned by other institutions both public and private which may very well be affecting ordinary folk in some other way.