This is just out of curiosity...

Been living in the USA for 4 years, getting married next year, have a child with US citizen. Basically, I'm not planning on returning to the UK....EVER!

I have a credit card from a UK bank that I've been paying off since being here. I have to go through a painfull process of putting money into a seperate bank acount and then have it DD over every month.

A friend of mine here was curious as to why I hadn't just stopped paying and let them put me in collection since I am never going back and that there is nothing it will do except leave a black mark on my Uk credit history (one that worsens each year I stay out of the country).

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

You could try negotiating a settlement figure with them? If they realise you are not coming back they may be willing to take less than 100%. I had a similiar problem and arranged an Individual Insolvency arrangement (IVA) and wrote off my debts for around 43% of the total. Mind you i had to sell everything and my house to do it but i am debt free once its finishes next year.

I would warn you its tough and they wont agree easy plus your credit will be to shit in the UK.

the other option is pay it all back i suppose. but it would have taken me for ever so i went the bankruptcy insolvency route myself. you know your circumstances best.

regards,

Duncan

Put it bluntly, sod em. They could sue you in a US court, but that would cost them more than you might owe them.

I would send them a letter pointing out that they are screwed legally.

I only owe them 1500 quid, you think they'll try and sue me? What would happen if I just stopped paying and didn't tell them my current address?

**** em.
don't pay another penny.

I completly agree, this way you burn all your bridges and it will be impossible for you to ever return to the UK. Its the best course of action, this way you are forced to stay in the USA as you will be well and truly ****ed if you ever return home. Maybe you should go the whole hog and write a letter to the Queen telling her to shove a corgi up her arse!

Woohoo, lets hear it for people who don't stand up and face their responsibilities and leave the burden to everyone else!

Patrick

I was just about to reply and say the same thing but couldn't do it as eloquently as you lol.

My take on it is that at the time you used the money on your card it was convenient to do so, but now it’s an irritation. Personally I would pay it off and have a clean bill of health, even if you pay it back by standing order over a period of time.

I too believe in meeting ones responsibilities, that might be a strange view to some, but having been in business and having people owe me money in the past I guess it’s the way I am.

Rob

Don't get me wrong, I've been paying it for 4 years and don't even have the card. I even had an outstanding tax bill which I paid and could have easily avoided.

My question was mainly out of curiosity to see what the consequences of doing it were and what the authorities would have done, if anything.

But thanks for all the comments so far, it's interesting to see other people's views.

Sorry, couldn't do it. Getting something for nothing would eat away at me, just not worth it.

Integrity is the only one thing not up for sale in my book. Each to his own I guess, sleep well.

Now that's funny!


If it is financially strapping you then let them know that you want to put the account on hold, that way you wont build up interest. Then send them a smaller amount of money monthly. It isn't fair if you don't pay it back... (I know nobody said life was) but, you're just jinxing yourself for trouble if you leave this up to sods law!

well said

Money for nothng Like the queen mum who owed £ 4-5 million when she died ? She could have taken back all them empty gin bttles & paid it off.

But if you owe money at least you know you will always get someone writing to you.

Best bet is to write to them just before you go offering a % to settle. But if the person you owe money to has a nickname like the knife, the butcher etc, would suggest paying the debt as a priority. They tend to track you down no matter how far you move.

Jovially Yours

Well you know how those racehorses can eat into the family budget. It just makes it hard to keep up on the mortgage payments on the palace, especially since horses are so unreliable (hard to get good help these days) and just don't win the way they should. And then those taxpayers are always whining and complaining.

Patrick, an excellent post.
I apologise though, the temptation to shaft a credit card company got the better of me.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mrloofer
This is just out of curiosity...

Been living in the USA for 4 years, getting married next year, have a child with US citizen. Basically, I'm not planning on returning to the UK....EVER!

I have a credit card from a UK bank that I've been paying off since being here. I have to go through a painfull process of putting money into a seperate bank acount and then have it DD over every month.

A friend of mine here was curious as to why I hadn't just stopped paying and let them put me in collection since I am never going back and that there is nothing it will do except leave a black mark on my Uk credit history (one that worsens each year I stay out of the country).

Any thoughts on this?


What would happen if the marriage goes tits up and you are forced to go back to Blighty???? you would be then, well and truly up shit creek without a paddle!