debt how long can a company chase you for?

[manchester66]

 I have been out of the country for 3 years and i left owing ,a small amount of money to a number of banks.

I sold my property and basically lived i Australia for 3 years,i am now living in England and i am to get Married in 12 months,i really want to start with a clean slate!!!

Has anybody any idea how long a company can chase you for a debt ?

(I am not registered as living in the uk yet )

[Mrs_Pegasus]

For a start 3 years is not a long time for a debt to disappear.

You will have problems getting credit anyway because you have been out of the country and will ask for addresses going back to when you lived here before.  This is when your debts coming back to haunt you.

However, if they were like you say 'small' then they may well have been written off.

A friend recently received a letter from a debt collector who had bought a debt off a bank and it cost her nearly the same amount again and it was over 4 years old.

Be warned!

 

[ianess]

Be advised that running away from, or ignoring, a debt will not cancel it.

 

It may very well have been `sold on` to a collection agency who will pursue you for as long as it takes.

It would be far better to approach the companies involved and try to come to an amicable agreement.

[tim2969]

If a company buys a debt always isssue an access rights request in accordance with section 7 of the 1998 data protection act and initially advise them you HAVE NOT ENTERED A CREDIT AGREEMENT WITH THEIR COMPANY unless of course they are a subsidary of the original loan company

[Peter Pedant]

have you actually thought of settling the debt?

Experian and other companies can do a search for outstanding CCJs, whch really will, if they exist cause trouble for your credit.

[linseli]

I agree with ianess - debt collecters are still chasing the people who lived in my flat 5 years before I moved in - and for fairly small sums of money (less than GBP200 in total)! The people were overseas students so there's little chance of them getting their money back but they keep looking!

[mavrick555]

how long wld they keep looking for isn't 6 yrs the longest time ?

[bobov8088]

Does anyone know that above situation could become a criminal liability in any way?

Andre

[erimus1]

Just to let you know that the limitation period for this is six years from the date of delinquency - some creditors hold back on the date of delinqueny on purpose so that they have a longer time to collect. Basically, after this period, the creditor of their agents have no right in law to pursue a debt. Insofar as criminal liability is concerned - don't really know where you're going here pal?? - this is a civil matter, and should not be confused - iburying your head is not (as far as I am aware) a criminal matter.

[keithramsay]

I received a letter the other day from a collection agency to say they bought a debt from T-Mobile for �102. I called and asked them when this debt was from as I couldn't thing when I'd last been with T-Mobile, they told me 5 years ago. When I said that I doubted it and wanted proof, the guy I was talking to hung up on me. I've been with Vodafone for about 3 years and after phoning Virgin have been told that my previous number was registered in 2000, so I have my doubt re the time scale for the debt. I live in Scotland, can any one give me any help re where I stand?.

[isabella 211]

i had been with a credit card company for under six month i got another card for my partner who ran the bill up to �200 pound witch was the value of the card i did not pay this cause it was his debt i have been chased bye this firm for 7 and a half years so the answer to your question is you are better paying the debt of before you can start of with a clean slate even if you offer them minimum payments they cant refuse