Advice concerning anyone's credit history is always easy when it's, well, someone else.
I will agree with one point however. In fact there are no "Debtors Prisons", at least in the truest definition of the term. Of course many find the lack of purchasing ability to be a form of "Debtors Prison".
Truth be told, there is not one person with the foresight to predict what will happen when someone defaults on a loan. With many possibilities and the various credit reporting agencies, that simply can't be done. Will you're score drop 10 points? Will you're score drop 20 points? Will you're score drop 50 points? it simply can't be predicted with any accuracy whatsoever. It is very easy to tell someone else, hey don't worry, you'll be fine. Need you worry about some sort of legal action? Perhaps yes or perhaps no. I'm not willing to risk that however, being that it's someone else, hey, give it shot and see what happens. After all, that's why we have lawyers.
I for one, would never want any type of "lien" on my home. I suppose many of us simply don't need that or want that discreditation.
Perhaps financial advice is best left to those who understand the field and have taken time to get to know the individual and their situation.