Aviator

They can use last known address and file a notice in the local paper. If he fails to respond, they can apply for a default judgement, which would be served on the last known address.

Becki567

And if he is not there to receive it?

magnumpi

Then I suspect it would be useless to the new owners of the address they decide to use.

Calling the debt collection guys will make them think you are panicking and just keep trying for full payment. Plus you risk them saying you did not call?

Maybe an email letter stating you want the account freezing, and will pay 50% of the monies owed is the way to get rid of it? At least that leaves an electronic trail and an offer of payment you can use in defence.

R I C H

Similar thing happened to me, but with Barclays. Went into branch, withdrew remaining funds, closed the account, handed cards over. A year later, living in Canada, a debt collector in the UK called me saying the account was overdrawn and was accumulating fees and penalties that I owed.

Long story short, I appointed power of attorney to my mother in law in the UK, who'd been present when I closed the account, and she went to the same branch to resolve it. Barclays admitted a mistake when they saw the paperwork they'd issued when the account was closed.

If you've kept nothing in writing to confirm what you were told or thought you'd agreed to, I think you're going to have to come to an agreement about repayment.

Becki567

He filed on online complaint form but in all out searching I haven't come across an email address that would help

magnumpi

https://www.natwest.com/global/conta...tact-form.ashx

https://m.facebook.com/NatWest?id=15....com%2FNatWest

Becki567

Yes that is similar to what he filled out. But it had a section for your complaint but he gets no record in his email that he sent it.

But an actual email address that would show up in his sent folder we haven't found. We did fill that out, but if they claim they don't get it we have no proof they do. Unless we fill one out everyone day over and over lol

magnumpi

Copy and paste would be perfect for that :@)

jandro

How much were the bank fees? They must have been high since you left £100 in there.

magnumpi

Bankers !!!!

R I C H

They add up fast. I had a zero balance, account closed. A 25 quid monthly fee was applied, which took the account overdrawn. 50 quid fee for unauthorized overdraft. So, month 1 the account already owed 75 quid. After 12+ months it was over 500.

Becki567

£15 per month. But once in went into an unarranged overdraft (which to a candian is silly) it was £6 per DAY fee to a max of £90 per month.

It seems to be that if you left a significant money in an account for an extended period of time they would say it was inactive or dormant. I even read on their website that they can collect the money after a certain amount of time. (Didn't read too indepth). But an account with no action for 22 months seems reasonable to them to charge now £90 in fees per month.

And they won't even stop charging the £90 until he gets out of the unarrangws overdraft.

This all just seems so insane to me. He withdrew no money, he didn't pale any purchases and it's like he is being treated like a horrible debtor with thousands of debt after a shopping spree

Becki567

Sorry for the typos I am on my phone

Shirtback

I think it would be better if your husband signed up here directly for advice on the question, there are some answers that you have given to questions from people trying to help that don't add up/make sense (I am NOT IN ANYWAY suggesting you are not telling the truth, just that "stuff" sometimes gets lost/misunderstood in the translation/transferral.)

Some thoughts/suggestions:

Go check out and read the information on the Citizen's advice Bureau site.

Then: (I'm not asking for answers here on the board, rather trying to give you/your husband some pointers)
1. The bank would have sent / would still be sending any correspondence (statements etc) to the last known address it had on file, the parents, if I understand correctly? UNLESS any such correspondence has been returned to them as "undeliverable". Even if it was a "paperless" account, once it went into the red, there should have been either/or both email/snail mail letter to last known address. The account holder needs to find out if any correspondence was received, & if not, chase it up with bank.

2. The account holder needs to obtain a copy of the lost paperwork signed concerning the change he made to the account. This shouldn't be hard to do via an email on the lines of "on such-&-a-date, I made xyz changes to my account at abc branch, in a meeting with Mr Miles. I am awaiting written confirmation of xyz ..."

3. At the *Very Least* the bank should have sent written confirmation that it was transferring the debt to a collection agency. See above regArding checking mail.

4. If the debt collection agency turns up at parental address, the parents should state (if true, obviously) "this person does not live at this address. Please leave & don't come back". Ideally, I'd try & hand over a written statement to this effect, but doubt any debt collector worth his/her salt would accept.

5. Do not talk to either the debt collectors, or the bank. No, I don't mean ignore them, I mean use only email or snail mail for all and any contact.

6. If by any chance the debt collection agency attempts to contact the account holder in Canada by telephone, get a fax number or snail mail address & send 2 letters : 1 stating that you require written correspondence only, 1 requesting all paperwork pertaining to the file. It won't get you out of paying a debt, it will buy you time to sort out what exactly is going on.

It is, however, highly unlikely that any possible debt will be pursued overseas through the courts, (too expensive), it may cause problems if not settled if the putative debtor ever wants/needs to return to live in the UK.

HTH

Becki567

That helps tremendously!!

As for the missing mail it makes no sense to us either. The bank claimed they had no address on file to send any mail to but the debt collector went to his parents house. Which is where he lived before moving.

I have to say I am fairly certain in Canada a collector could not just show up at your house. I don't know for sure because I have never been to collections but it seems so bizarre.