gwolst77 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) Anybody here keep there Oz credit cards etc when they moved back and kept them running (paying off and using them for purchases) with the bank knowing they had returned to the UK (even if you implied it was only temporary) Edited September 4, 2013 by gwolst77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thistle13 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) I'm guessing that would be one of the reasons for the high fees/interest the rest of us pay in Oz, when people take off leaving credit card debt. At the end of the day, no matter what advice a person is given, they'll choose to do what they want. It comes down to morals and ethics. so why ask others the question, the answers will only be based on their ethics. When I go back to UK, I will finalize everything here, including lodging my last tax return etc, i will leave with a clear conscience.:smile: Edited September 4, 2013 by Thistle13 Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 I still have one, I have no outstanding balance though and I haven't (yet) given them my new address - I don't intend keeping it but needed it for the journey as stopover hotels were secured on it. I did have a WestPac one too and they were more than happy for me to keep it on my return - they do have my new address and tried to persuade me not to close the account so i reckon you'll be okay. I kept two UK ones (on Australian addresses) whilst I was away without a problem. I personally wouldn't advise it unless you have an outstanding balance you really can't afford to pay off straight away. The problem is once you are out of the country you cannot apply for new cards with better rates etc. and you can be stuck with a debt that is difficult to reduce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 I'm guessing that would be one of the reasons for the high fees/interest the rest of us pay in Oz, when people take off leaving credit card debt. At the end of the day, no matter what advice a person is given, they'll choose to do what they want. It comes down to morals and ethics. so why ask others the question, the answers will only be based on their ethics.When I go back to UK, I will finalist everything here, including lodging my last tax return etc, i will leave with a clear conscience. Why would having a credit card NOT be a clear conscience? I have had two for the past five years whilst in Oz - I never intended returning to the UK but never intended to not pay them off and indeed wanted the convenience of shopping in sterling on-line and when I was visiting. You seem to have jumped the conclusion the OP wants to avoid paying - I see nothing that suggests that - indeed why would they provide a UK address if that was their intent?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Just to be clear - I continued to pay my UK credit cards in Australia and have now returned to the UK and still do. My Australian credit cards did not have outstanding balances (I learnt from my mistakes!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 I'm guessing that would be one of the reasons for the high fees/interest the rest of us pay in Oz, when people take off leaving credit card debt. At the end of the day, no matter what advice a person is given, they'll choose to do what they want. It comes down to morals and ethics. so why ask others the question, the answers will only be based on their ethics.When I go back to UK, I will finalize everything here, including lodging my last tax return etc, i will leave with a clear conscience.:smile: Just so we are clear I was not asking about running away, I want to keep my card running as it will be handy IF I go back and need a credit card to cover my business expenses etc (working away from home in foreign countries). Just wanted to know if when informing the bank about going back to the UK they have insisted about closing the account or are they happy to take your UK address and carry on as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thistle13 Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Calm down people, I'm not accusing anyone of doing anything. I'm simply speaking from 15yrs working in a bank and 10yrs with the Australian Tax office.....maybe I am sceptical, but I have years of seeing debts written off because people run up credit cards before they leave, or lodge fraudulent tax returns getting large refunds. Someone on another thread asked that very question... 'would they be pursued they left Oz and couldn't pay their credit card debt'. Of course they won't...their credit rating here would be ****, but they wouldn't be chased...wouldn't that be a great job if you could get it. im simply saying, that if there's no plans to come back, why would you not use the credit card for travel convenience but get a new one when you settle. Incidentally, I was told that if you need to claim anything in UK, you will have to fill out a habitual residency form, which asks if you have ceased ties with Australia. Ie closed bank accounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yup we have ours and use them all the time - basically because pretty much all our finances are still in Aus as we have no idea when we will return. Pay them off in full each month with bpay. Bills still go to our home address and we get e-statements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) I was overseas for five years and lived in a couple of different countries and kept my credit cards etc., Just told bank I was living overseas at that point and gave them my address whenever I moved so got statements sent to new address. Edited September 5, 2013 by dxboz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 If I were to do it, it would only make sense if the card had no foreign currency conversion fees on international transactions or other atm debit fees etc. so a card like 28 degrees mastercard would be ok, but most cards you will get slugged international fees so I don't see the benefit of using an Australian card in the UK, unless you aren't able to get one from a UK bank for some reason. I don't suppose the Australia bank would care, as long as you keep up the repayments. But why do you want to do this. Wouldn't it make sense just to apply for a UK card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yup we have ours and use them all the time - basically because pretty much all our finances are still in Aus as we have no idea when we will return. Pay them off in full each month with bpay. Bills still go to our home address and we get e-statements. But don't you get charged foreign currency fees. These can be 1% of every transaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 But don't you get charged foreign currency fees. These can be 1% of every transaction. Yup, stupid aren't we?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 We have one and use it for buying things in Australia, either for us or presents for friends. We still have a bank account there too. All correspondence comes to our UK address (mostly internet though) It's never been a problem. I've never had to fill out an habitual residence form, but the only benefit I've ever had is child benefit, so maybe not necessary for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 I know people go abroad all the time for long periods of time and it's not any issue. I just wanted to know if people carry on using the account as normal with no problems 1 -2 years down the line, with the bank knowing full well you are 'living' abroad as opposed to being on a long trip. At some point cards have to be replaced or you may want a credit limit increase / decrease etc. I quite like my aussie credit cards they will be quite handy if I do go back and start working in a similar role I had in the UK, which involved a lot of travel and staying in hotels during the week racking up business expenses and then claiming them back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Calm down people, I'm not accusing anyone of doing anything. Well, in response to a reasonable question about using Aus credit cards in the UK your entire answer was about fraudulent use of cards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 As I said I was out of Australia for five years and used mine no problems and kept the banks informed about overseas addresses etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 We've been back for almost four years this time and kept them. We were here five years last time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzybangs Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Anybody here keep there Oz credit cards etc when they moved back and kept them running (paying off and using them for purchases) with the bank knowing they had returned to the UK (even if you implied it was only temporary) Yes - of course and why not! Doesn't cost us anything and they have our new UK address. Can't see the point in giving it up if you think you might go back for a holiday or for other reasons. We regret closing down our UK one when returning to Oz once and now so wished we hadn't as aren't working now. Not sure if we can get one but might apply soon to find out. We get on line statements and do all our communication with the bank that way and it's so easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzybangs Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I know people go abroad all the time for long periods of time and it's not any issue. I just wanted to know if people carry on using the account as normal with no problems 1 -2 years down the line, with the bank knowing full well you are 'living' abroad as opposed to being on a long trip. At some point cards have to be replaced or you may want a credit limit increase / decrease etc. I quite like my aussie credit cards they will be quite handy if I do go back and start working in a similar role I had in the UK, which involved a lot of travel and staying in hotels during the week racking up business expenses and then claiming them back. Yep -still use ours with no problems at all and pay it off at end of month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZ1 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Kept Aussie cards while in the UK for 15 years with no problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 If we go to the UK (currently researching), we'll be keeping our Australian credit cards, for emergency use. Both of us have good credit limits on our cards - we won't be able to get the same on a UK card because our income is too low now. We're also reluctant to move all our funds to the UK because I'd rather have my money in an Australian, govt-guaranteed bank than a European/British one. We're going to get Citibank Plus Visa debit cards and use that to bring the money over as we need it. It has NO fees for foreign transactions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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