Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Hi,
Wondering if anyone has any advice, a friend and I moved to Barcelona a few weeks ago after signing up to a scholarship programme to be an English teaching assistant. Long story short, we left the programme within the first week and the programme has told us we have to pay a 400€ fine for leaving early and told us if we don't pay they will register us with the government as "defaulters in the nation" leaving us unable to work in Spain again. To be honest I'm not too bothered about that, I'm just curious if I don't pay, will it affect my credit rating in the uk? Thanks!

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Why did you leave? Presumably you signed a contract? What does it say? If it says there is a penalty you ought to pay up.
However, I very much doubt if you do not this would leave you unable to work in Spain.

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

We had difficulty getting somewhere to live and the rota was difficult for us to manage. We also weren't police checked and that was a concern of ours working in a school. I'm police checked in the UK but not in Spain. The contract says if I leave before the school year there is a penalty fine of 400€.

If I don't pay it, do you think it'll affect my uk credit rating? that's my biggest fear!

Thanks for your help!

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

I've worked in different Italian schools, both middle schools and high schools and nobody has ever asked for anything like a police check.

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Since last year it is the law in Spain.The Childrens' Law of 2015 . Actually it is meant to be a check on the Sexual Offenders Register but when it was first introduced there was no such register and many communities/local authorities were asking for the standard "Antecedentes Penales"as a substitute. Now it can be applied for online !!!

By the way I do not think Credit rating agencies work cross-border.

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

If someone had lived in spain (or anywhere else) for a while it would be normal to get a police check from that country.

If they were newly arrived in that country then it would be normal for a police check to be requested for all previous countries of residence.

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Thanks everyone.

What the scholarship company told me was that if I didn't pay I would be made a "defaulter in the nation" and he "unable to work in Spain again" which I've never heard of or been able to find anywhere.

Is this a real term?

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

You should take your responsibilities more seriously. If you signed a contract then broke it then you should pay the fine. Who knows how this may affect you in the future when you might want to buy something like a property or car.

I think you are using the Police check as an excuse for not paying.

Steve

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

My son has recently moved to teach English in China. He had to provide a British Enhanced Police Check before he went or he would not have been allowed to enter

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

It has to be said, though, that he saw plenty of adverts for teachers in Europe some of them with not so good reviews.
There are also adverts from companies who have high expectations re rotas etc but not reciprocal in trying to help young people settle. So as has been mentioned here a lot, it is very difficult to find somewhere to live and pay bills on the low wages.
My son was met at the airport and taken to his free flat, all bills paid, transport card etc. They want him to have no worries so he is free to concentrate on the job to make sure that he does a good job. He will be observed and assessed for first couple of weeks during his induction, where he will also learn about customs and protocols. He also has paid holidays during February and March. He aslo has a liaison person to show him the city, deal with transport, shopping, utilities and cooking

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Thanks for the help again everyone.


Yeah, I wish mine would have been been a bit more like that one!

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

I would ask your employer about duty of care responsibilities and see if there is any help to allow you to continue with your contract. You should also get advice from Citizen's Advice and a Trade Union

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

Agree. For example, in the finance industry these days police and credit checks are almost routine.

Also, it is easy for a credit checking agency to ask any other credit agency in any other country if a person has had financial judgement given against them. Each country and its courts maintain a register of defaulters.

Re: Help with fine from leaving programme
 

That, for me, is a worry - they should have done.