I’m Going Back to London for a Job Interview. Will I Get Arrested at the Border? – Maya

“Dear Jon,

I have lived in London for few years,studied also.During that time i took a loan for 20,000 pounds and was paying it off for a year untill i got refused the work permit and also because all of that stress i got ill and had to go back home in one of the non EU countries…

So after i got better in a few months i have been going back to London for job interview and so on but the problem was work permit so i had to go back again.During that time i had few calls from someone but i didnt speak to them,I was on my way back home,i just called my bank few month after so they said my debt is in the agency and could i pay a small amount.As i have been without a work and later my wage is so small in my country that i cant pay any money back, my debt stayed unpayed.I am not happy at all and iam so sorry i didnt get visa and i could work and pay slowly my debts..it was 6 years since than,i didnt get any information on my dept and now my best friend is getting married and i should go and visit her,she even paid for my ticket…

My question is will they stop me or arrest me at the airport,how can i sorth this if i dont have enough money to pay back and we still didnt join the EU so i can return and pay my debt???? If tehy arrest me what i should do??? will i go to prison???
Should i travel or not??? Did they sue me because i wasnt in Uk and there wasnt any communication? will i get warrent in UK or EU too???

Thnx a lot

Maya”

Maya,

There are no warrants issued or people arrested in the UK just for owing a debt or leaving the UK owing money, so you should not have any problems coming back to the UK or the EU just for leaving debt(s).

The creditor may have tried to take you to court for a judgment or CCJ and then tried to enforce the judgment, but you would need to inquire with the courts, or review your UK credit history to see if this has occurred.

If it has occurred or has not occurred, the debt could still be looming out there, and if you cannot afford to pay it, then you can’t pay it.

If it has been over six (6) years and you have had no contact from any creditor, the debt may be statute barred or no longer owed. But you would have to have had no contact by the creditor.

Bankruptcy in the UK may be an option, but since you have been outside the UK for over five (5) years, you would need to return to the UK to handle this yourself, and the reality is due to the travel and cost, it may not be worth it for you to do this. Sometimes it may be best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Now if you are or have had recent communication with a collection agency or the creditor, that is different, but there still may be little they can do. If they were to sell the debt onto a collection agency in the country where you now reside, that changes things drastically, as the debt can then be collected in accord with the laws and rules in that country.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Jon

Jon Emge is an experienced UK debt advisor who has helped thousands and thousands of people in the UK to deal with problem debt. Jon specialises in finding good solutions for problem debt using a variety of UK specific techniques.

If you have a question you’d like to ask about how to get out of UK debt, just use the online form. I’m happy to help you for free.