Forced to leave country, repercussions schooling?

[PeachQuoter]

A very dear friend is in a predicament. Her young family is forced to leave the UK (they are non British, no ILR, just work visa holders). The company the husband works at has forced them to leave the country. They don’t have property here, living in rental accommodation which the letting agency allowed them to terminate the lease early.

Their child attends an independent school here and because of this change, they need will be unable to join the school in September. They will be heading back to their home country where the child will go to a state school.

Upon informing the school as they couldn’t give timely notice, they have been told sorry but you have to pay the full term fees. Can the school pursue them internationally? My friend is unemployed, but the school is asking her to pay up as she is jointly liable for the fee.

They can. It will be harder for them to enforce the judgment though so whether they will bother if your “friend” is genuinely no longer in the country and is never coming back is a different matter.

There is already a long active thread on this in education section. The school can sell the debt to a debt collecting agency who can pursue it. Your friend should arrange a payment plan with the school to pay the terms fees in lieu of notice over 12 months etc.

Is she separating from her husband? If he is still working, but just being transferred back to his home country why doesn't he pay the fees? Could he claim the fees as part of the expenses of his job being suddenly moved?

@twomanyfrogsinabox , the U.K. company has gone bankrupt so they have lost their right to remain in the uk via the work visa. On the other thread in the secondary education section it wasn't clear how a debt collecting agency can chase a debt abroad. If they return to the U.K. in the future the CCJ would impact any visa application. As the amount owing is @ £5k most people would pay via a payment plan to reduce the risk of the debt accumulating interest etc and catching up with them in the future.