SRJ Debt Collection

Drea

This isn't my debt but hope someone can help. I have had letters in here for someone else ever since I moved in, today I finally opened one. It was from SRJ Debt Collection threatening that someone was coming to the door because this person hadn't paid their debt.

So I phoned them up to let them know that that person no longer lives here, and all I got was some jumped up idiot saying I had broken the law by opening someone else's mail and that I had broken the data protection act, etc. I asked a couple of times to speak to his manager because I was getting no where with him, he just kept saying the manager was busy then eventually hung up on me.

I didn't even realise it was illegal to open mail in someone else's name and maybe I should have just returned it to sender but it's done now.

Is there any way I can stop this company from sending someone out to this address? I have my own debt to deal with, nevermind worrying about someone else's.

Any help appreciated

RAS

drea

It is not illegal to open another person's mail, although it is an urban myth that is even peddled on here sometimes

It is illegal to interfere with the post for neferious purposes.

In future send all this mail back to the company unopened and put gone away on the letter. If you keep getting stuff then report them to the nformation Commisioner.

scaredy_cat

i was getting mail for a former tennant and i opened it and called the company, said they were not living here and they said ok, and the post stopped arrving for them.

GeorgeUK

Unfortunately other than informing them that the person has moved, there isn't much else you can do. The post office are required to deliver to the address on the envelope so they won't be able to help either.

Just have a copy of your council tax bill or something similar showing that you are the tenant to hand so that if someone comes calling you can show them that you are not the person they are seeking and they should update their records.

elkay115

Drea, I found this.

The Postal Services Act 2000 is clear that an offence is created if anyone intentionally delays the post or intentionally opens a mail bag. The Act goes on to say: "A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him."

So it is only illegal to open mail if you were doing so to cause detriment to the person who is named on the envelope (eg, fraud, etc). So if you do get to speak to a manager and they spout off the data protection act, then tell them this

Drea

Thanks everyone. I will send all letters I get back now and hopefully won't get someone appearing at the door.

I have a copy of my tenancy agreement handy if anyone does happen to appear which should show them it's just me here