Debt from another country

[cate]

I am new to this site and just lost my first attempt at posting a message? so again - Moving here to work (greencard) I let my UK bank know my first address so that I could pay my cc bills. I panicked with the exchange rate into $'s and didn't pay. 1 1/2 years later I got a call from a collection agency and I and hung up because in all honesty I have been avoiding the problem - hoping they wouldn't find me and it would go away - stupid I know! I just don't know what to do first - wait for them to find me, I don't know who they are (yet?) to go looking for them. Could they have taken it to court already and should I be expecting someone at my door! Any sound advice would be appreciated.

 

[ibis]

Hey Cate,

You really do owe them money, so its only fair to figure out how to repay some of their loss. Sticking your head in the sand just aloowed the problem to get worse and worse.

I have no experience in UK law, but I'd assume the UK credit companies have ben trying to collect the debt. I think your best option is to learn about what laws apply in the UK (and what they can do if you are in the US).

This is one UK company's website on comsumer debt.
http://www.express-finance.co.uk/qanda/faq-default.html

You need to see your UK (and probably US) credit reports to see what has been reported on them. Experiean has US and UK divisions.

http://www.uk.experian.com/

there is a UK charity that runs a ntional debt hotline you could try.

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

Try gathering up some more information about your position and then figure out where to go from there.

Ibis

 

[mrsandman]

negotiate with them on payment terms... you can probably get a good deal

 

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