British Expatriate Network

A friend on an H1-B tried to renegotiate with his landlord after he was laid off and had already decided to return Europe. Technically the friend was terminating the lease contract 3 months early. The landlord-agent did not agree to negotiate, so the friend got stuck with 2 months of additional rents after vacating the appartment. Eventually he decided to just left the US (and the extra rental fees).

Will this have an impact if he eventually tries to get a new Visa for US - or is here on a business trip? What about medical bills which insurance has not paid yet, or speeding tickets? I've heard US taxes must be paid regardless, as they cooperate with the UK IRS. Does the size of the debits matter?

Interested, as I'm kind of in the same boat.

Cheers,
DS

If the landlord goes to court to recoup the monies then it would be a civil matter and couldn't be reflected on anything other than a credit report.
It wouldn't pop up on criminal records or anything like that.

I say fack em.

Thanks for the insight! roll

Anyway, I am kind of in the same boat as this chubby of mine (which left 2 months ago) and need to try to find out what the consequences could be, beside a really, really lousy credit rating in US...

As beside the funny rental/leasing agreements, there are the cell phone agreements that have to be terminated early etc etc. And a speed ticket. Are people really expected to pay 6 months of monthly cell phone bills after they left the country? evil

Yes if that is the contract you signed!

I was just wondering - whats to stop someone 'in theory' of wracking up huge credit card bills, buying loads of stuff, moving it out of the country then declaring bankrupcy in the US, just before moving home to the UK. Bankruptcy won't show on your UK credit report will it? Surely your UK credit report won't even be effected?

Knowing my luck, bad credit would probably show up, but trying to get good credit transferred, no hope roll

Actually, after living as expat in several countries I have some experience of this. The credit history is/(can) never (be) moved from one country to another - even within Europe - so you always start from scratch. It is really a lousy system (or a blessing - depending on how you see it.) roll

Anyway, if anybody has experience in moving back (to the US) after problems with the credit etc, appreciate I you can share your experiences. ???

I have to say I am quite disgusted at this topic. This is the reason that so many people get a bum rap when they first arrive in country - people like this force companies to take it out on the rest of us! ???

I've always paid all my bills up in full and would never dream of leaving the country with no intention of paying. It's not that it is even hard to settle up with internet banking etc.

However, I have lived twice in the US - from 1986 to 88 and from 1999 onwards, and I did order my credit report a couple of years ago. On the credit report were details of my finances from the time I spent here in the 80s. It had the addresses of the two apartments I lived in, as well as all the credit and store cards I had, along with their status.

I'd say, if you want to return to the US in the future and live a normal life, pay off your bills.

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ameriscot on 2003-05-03 07:22 ]</font>

Right on< I hate these people who come here, bleed us and the country dry and then skip.
Thats why everything is so expensive, there should be a law, that no one no one can leave here withougt paying ALL their Bills. I hate you people, you should be ashamed, ex brit now american
On 2003-05-03 07:20, Ameriscot wrote:

I've always paid all my bills up in full and would never dream of leaving the country with no intention of paying. It's not that it is even hard to settle up with internet banking etc.

However, I have lived twice in the US - from 1986 to 88 and from 1999 onwards, and I did order my credit report a couple of years ago. On the credit report were details of my finances from the time I spent here in the 80s. It had the addresses of the two apartments I lived in, as well as all the credit and store cards I had, along with their status.

I'd say, if you want to return to the US in the future and live a normal life, pay off your bills.

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ameriscot on 2003-05-03 07:22 ]</font>
[/quote]

works both ways, Margoa.
Here is a little episode that happened to us recently.
Our furnace runs on fuel oil. The minimum delivery is 150 gal.
costs around $220, and in the winter will last approx 2 1/2 months.
Obviously we don't use the furnace at all from mid April through October.
In March we ran out so I called the delivery company and ordered the fuel. It duly arrived and we pretty much figured that would see us through all the way until next winter, if we were still living there.
We are still going to close on the other house. So we might not even use what was delivered, but you got to keep the kids warm somehow.
Every time I got paid I was sending them $40, (80 bucks per month) And thought it would be paid off pretty quick. Shock horror when I got the bill. The buggers delivered twice!
300 gallons and over $400.
I said "hang on a minute. I only order one delivery."
Guy at company "Well I think we forgot to take down the job ticket and the other driver delivered it to you also. But at least you'll have a full tank for awhile."

Manc says "I am moving house within 2 or so months, I didn't order this, why should I pay?"

Man on phone says "Well, can you not ask your landlord to reimburse you for the fuel you haven't used?"

I say "He didn't order it either! Why should he or I be out of pocket for YOUR mistake?"

I still owe $210
sad

it works both ways, some people are crap when it comes to money, some companies are crap when it comes to customer service and deserve to be ripped off IMHO.

Sorry I disagree, No One deserves to be ripped off, so your saying because you let someone rip you off, then its OK for you to rip someone else off, Not.
On 2003-05-03 1141, manc1976 wrote
works both ways, Margoa.
Here is a little episode that happened to us recently.
Our furnace runs on fuel oil. The minimum delivery is 150 gal.
costs around $220, and in the winter will last approx 2 1/2 months.
Obviously we don't use the furnace at all from mid April through October.
In March we ran out so I called the delivery company and ordered the fuel. It duly arrived and we pretty much figured that would see us through all the way until next winter, if we were still living there.
We are still going to close on the other house. So we might not even use what was delivered, but you got to keep the kids warm somehow.
Every time I got paid I was sending them $40, (80 bucks per month) And thought it would be paid off pretty quick. Shock horror when I got the bill. The buggers delivered twice!
300 gallons and over $400.
I said "hang on a minute. I only order one delivery."
Guy at company "Well I think we forgot to take down the job ticket and the other driver delivered it to you also. But at least you'll have a full tank for awhile."

Manc says "I am moving house within 2 or so months, I didn't order this, why should I pay?"

Man on phone says "Well, can you not ask your landlord to reimburse you for the fuel you haven't used?"

I say "He didn't order it either! Why should he or I be out of pocket for YOUR mistake?"

I still owe $210
sad

it works both ways, some people are crap when it comes to money, some companies are crap when it comes to customer service and deserve to be ripped off IMHO.

[/quote]

You know they have cross-border debt collection now. I was reading about this when pondering abandoning my UK debts when i moved to Canada last month. I wondered what would happen if i just moved and ignored the bank and credit cards etc and whether they would just write me off and basicaly make it impossible for me to ever get credit again in the UK but who cares cos thats not reflected on my Canadian record.

Turns out what they now do is they first try and contact you, if they can't find you to pay back the debt they issue the old civil court thing and if you don't show up to that they then, if the debt is worth it, hure a cross border debt collection agnecy to locate you. Once they find what country you are in, which isn't too tricky, they can then *sell* your debt to a local debt collection agency in that country. That agency can then use the full extent of local law to reclaim the debt.

So basicaly they now treat debts as an asset to teh creditor and can sell them under certain conditions. So it's all very well abandoning your debt in the UK or US or whatever and absconding thinking it won't affect your local record, but it's highly likely in the near future you'd get a knock at the door and issued some collection papers saying you owe so &so company all the money and they are demanding immediate payment or they will reposses and they *can* write to yoru local credit report.

so i decided it was probably a good idea to keep paying off the UK credit card and overdraft thing etc.

Margoa.

Welcome to Britnet.

Please make sure you use the "quote" function properly.

Simply put, you can choose the quote reply option, and simply answer below (or above) the portion you're replying to, and you can also preview your post before replying to make sure you have quoted correctly.

Simply make sure that what you're quoting has

Note opening

tag.

This will ensure that people can understand what it is you're trying to say. When your post is intertwined with someones else quote and it's not clear, they'll either simply not bother to read it(in which case you've lost your point) or it'll cause confusion.

Also, I would suggest that your statement "hating"anyone on this forum is not conducive to constructive discussion.

So tone it down a bit please... :wink:

Hope this helps.

Andrew :smile: