RagnarVagmorna
New Member
I moved to Germany permanently eight years ago, from Bathgate in Scotland.
I have a letter from DWP (Department of works and pensions (U.K). I owe 400 pound (Not disputed in principal. However it has taken them eight years to find out.).
It is for these "loans" they give when you need a washing machine, and that kind of thing. They never took the money out, but as it was so up and down, with jobs in between, and moving to a different DSS area (England/Scotland, which does not help), then moving here, it was not realised from either side.
I have contacted them to see how I am supposed to pay it in instalments from Germany, as I am on unemployment/disability here, and bank charges would be more than the instalment.
They constantly refuse to give a reply. Even to tell me how much it is in Euro. They just keep saying they will take it to court.
So I have no U.K "local". My ex M.P, Tam Dyell, said back eight years ago, he could not help on a similar but related matter, as I was no longer a U.K resident.
(WONDERFULL Bathgate DHSS insisted until they were purple in the face, in a screaming hissy foot stamping hysterical fit, that I needed no paper work from them when I moved here. To put it politely, that was slightly untrue).
German equivalent of the Citizen's Advice Bureau. Yes. But they can not deal with Britain, as they have no English speakers.
Please note, I am NOT trying to get out of this. But I want to get it sorted out before they get stroppy, and take it to court before I have been able to do any thing about it.
I do not know how the cross border court system works for "debts" in another country.
Ie whether they can be enforced here. So, what power do they have in Germany? (No money can be taken from German benefit, or so I have heard? So how can CCVJs be enforced?).
Also, the wonderfull land of DHSS, Every time I get a letter, it is from a different address. From Swansea, to Llandudno, to Lancashire, to three different ones in London. So WHICH is the relevant department is also a mystery.
Given that;
a) They have taken eight years to discover this. Even though they have known where I am all that time. I have been recieving my N.I payment update letters every 12 months.
b) I specificaly asked if there was anything I should have, paper work, or any other details, before I left Scotland.
I am rapidly getting to the stage of mentaly telling them to stuff it. Then let the courts sort the whole thing out.
Trouble is I do not want them to turn up with a court bill for a couple of thousand Euro whilst they find that out themselves.
So, any help will be gratefully recieved.
It is also to be noted that even after having being asked, they have not provided any proof as to whether the make up of the amount is correct.
I have telephoned them four times, on the second of which I was told that the case had been "frozen" until/if I returned to the U.K. (Of course they know damn well that a telephone call is not evidence)
I have also sent two letter which have been ignored.
I have a letter from DWP (Department of works and pensions (U.K). I owe 400 pound (Not disputed in principal. However it has taken them eight years to find out.).
It is for these "loans" they give when you need a washing machine, and that kind of thing. They never took the money out, but as it was so up and down, with jobs in between, and moving to a different DSS area (England/Scotland, which does not help), then moving here, it was not realised from either side.
I have contacted them to see how I am supposed to pay it in instalments from Germany, as I am on unemployment/disability here, and bank charges would be more than the instalment.
They constantly refuse to give a reply. Even to tell me how much it is in Euro. They just keep saying they will take it to court.
So I have no U.K "local". My ex M.P, Tam Dyell, said back eight years ago, he could not help on a similar but related matter, as I was no longer a U.K resident.
(WONDERFULL Bathgate DHSS insisted until they were purple in the face, in a screaming hissy foot stamping hysterical fit, that I needed no paper work from them when I moved here. To put it politely, that was slightly untrue).
German equivalent of the Citizen's Advice Bureau. Yes. But they can not deal with Britain, as they have no English speakers.
Please note, I am NOT trying to get out of this. But I want to get it sorted out before they get stroppy, and take it to court before I have been able to do any thing about it.
I do not know how the cross border court system works for "debts" in another country.
Ie whether they can be enforced here. So, what power do they have in Germany? (No money can be taken from German benefit, or so I have heard? So how can CCVJs be enforced?).
Also, the wonderfull land of DHSS, Every time I get a letter, it is from a different address. From Swansea, to Llandudno, to Lancashire, to three different ones in London. So WHICH is the relevant department is also a mystery.
Given that;
a) They have taken eight years to discover this. Even though they have known where I am all that time. I have been recieving my N.I payment update letters every 12 months.
b) I specificaly asked if there was anything I should have, paper work, or any other details, before I left Scotland.
I am rapidly getting to the stage of mentaly telling them to stuff it. Then let the courts sort the whole thing out.
Trouble is I do not want them to turn up with a court bill for a couple of thousand Euro whilst they find that out themselves.
So, any help will be gratefully recieved.
It is also to be noted that even after having being asked, they have not provided any proof as to whether the make up of the amount is correct.
I have telephoned them four times, on the second of which I was told that the case had been "frozen" until/if I returned to the U.K. (Of course they know damn well that a telephone call is not evidence)
I have also sent two letter which have been ignored.
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