andrewrb143

Hi,

I just wondered whether any had (or considered) moved from the UK and left their debts behind? You know, have a credit card, don't tell the credit card company your going and swiftly move 6000 miles around the Globe?

I know a few people who have moved to Australia and done such a thing without any consequences or anyone ever contacting them. But I believe that the UK and Canada has an agreement wherby debts can be sold between the two countries. Any ever experienced that?

Please note that i'd never dream of trying to 'steal' from those lovely credit card companies, its just for informations sake!

pinkpanther

I think you would be silly to do this, if you ever wanted to go back to the UK it would work against you. What goes around comes around.

BC Hopefuls

Here Here, bad karma and all that. I wouldn't even think it. You'll spend the next 10 years expecting every knock at the door to be a bailiff

MrGreen

It was actually a pretty good feeling paying my cards off before leaving for Canada. Have heard of people 'forgetting' to pay student loans and not being contacted about it though. I wouldn't want to risk it and surely it's better to start fresh without worrying about what's going to catch up with you! Or maybe not. Depends how much you owe the buggers.

cov-canuck

My brother did this...although he took it a step further. He left the UK, brought his credit cards with him, continued to use them thinking they'd never track him down, so it was free money (with the billing address of his old rental place in the UK)...about 4 months later they caught up with him...not only had he been using it, but he hadn't paid off ANYTHING, so he had some serious debt! He's a bit of an idiot, and this kind of thing is not exactly unusual for him.

Judy in Calgary

This has been discussed before.

hot wasabi peas

You and I must be sisters.

neill

I left my debts behind, (i did not transfer them to Canada), but never dreamt of not paying them off. Because i'm not a thief. Also because I might want to live/borrow there again one day. Having a usable second credit source has also turned out to be quite handy.

Miss Naughty

yes stealing from them is bad however if you did come back the norm now is making yourself bankrupt 2 years for under i think 20,000 quid which is less than having CCJ's you dont get chased and they offer you new credit cards.
I dont know of hand but i think that is how it is run

nikoletta

Also debt after 8 years is automaticaly written off. It is in a legislation. You need to make sure you do like canada and not to come back for 8 years. Ring debt agency to ask how it work. But if you come back it might affect your credit.

AnnetteM

Yes, I do know someone who did this, and we were quite disgusted with them. They got away with it, too. They had a small business (couple of shops) and left the UK owing the government VAT, and also some debts with regard to leased equipment and wages. They did not go back to the UK for quite a few years, so I guess there is a statute of limitations on bad debts. Now they go back and forth freely. I wouldn't advise or condone doing this, I still believe what goes around comes around, and still hoping they get their just desserts!

nikoletta

Dont get me wrong,I dont agree with this at all. I think this goverment is too soft on people who fleece the state ( thats one of the reasons why we want to get out). Some people can run a bussiness and get bankrupt 6 times over 10 years and everything is o.k. some people miss 1 payment of £16 and they are threathen to be blacklisted. I just stated what is in legislation.

Gray C

If you were made bankrupt on or after 1 April 2004 you will be automatically freed from bankruptcy (known as “discharged”) after a maximum of 12 months. This period may be shorter if the Official Receiver concludes his enquiries into your affairs and files a notice in court.

Whether you think that this is right or wrong, you decide!

dingbat

It actually depends on what type of debt you are talking about. There is one time limit on a simple contract, for example and another for a specialty. There are some (like mortgage debts, which fall under specialty) upon which there can be either twelve years statute of limitations subject to certain conditions being met, or no statute of limitations if the lender gets a court judgement within a specified period from the point of default, as legally defined by the contract. Any advice like this should be qualified to highlight exceptions, when such advice is given out on an internet forum. I am not a lawyer, but with all due respect I know that the above information given by nikoletta is not exactly correct

Tidge

When we closed our business a few years ago we cleared everything up with the VAT, filled out a million forms, informed Companies House etc etc. How people can just walk away and get away with it really pi$$es me off.