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Baliffs for someone else coming to my house - help!
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annie2006_2
Posts: 11 Forumite
Hello. hoping someone can advise me on what i can do.
we bought a repossession last august, and apart from 2 people knocking on the door when we first moved in inquiring where the previous person was (quite nicely and then never been seen since) we've had no problems with his debts until now. i believe he was made bankrupt and hence the repossession.
i have been receiving letters in his company's name (which was something he must have run from his home address) more and more frequently which i have always returned saying 'no longer at this address please amend your records' until i am now receiving one every day. when todays came through, i could see it said baliffs through the window of the envelope and opened it so i could ring said baliffs and stop the hassle for them and us of sending someone out.
it took 20 mins to get through to someone who in short was very abrasive with a disgusting attitude (and cut me off in the end) who basically said unless i prove to the debt company the house is no longer in his name by providing original documents to their company address they will continue to send letters and baliffs to my house. i asked if i could show the baliffs themselves while they are here said documents but he said it wouldnt do any good.
where do i go from here? if the debt company could be bothered to check the land registry they would see for themselves the house is no longer in his name. i dont want to send them my original documents (i dont really know who they are or what they might do with them!) but i dont want the harrassment of baliffs keep turning up at my house, especially after some of the horror stories you see on the tv about them forcing their way in or threatening people.
we bought a repossession last august, and apart from 2 people knocking on the door when we first moved in inquiring where the previous person was (quite nicely and then never been seen since) we've had no problems with his debts until now. i believe he was made bankrupt and hence the repossession.
i have been receiving letters in his company's name (which was something he must have run from his home address) more and more frequently which i have always returned saying 'no longer at this address please amend your records' until i am now receiving one every day. when todays came through, i could see it said baliffs through the window of the envelope and opened it so i could ring said baliffs and stop the hassle for them and us of sending someone out.
it took 20 mins to get through to someone who in short was very abrasive with a disgusting attitude (and cut me off in the end) who basically said unless i prove to the debt company the house is no longer in his name by providing original documents to their company address they will continue to send letters and baliffs to my house. i asked if i could show the baliffs themselves while they are here said documents but he said it wouldnt do any good.
where do i go from here? if the debt company could be bothered to check the land registry they would see for themselves the house is no longer in his name. i dont want to send them my original documents (i dont really know who they are or what they might do with them!) but i dont want the harrassment of baliffs keep turning up at my house, especially after some of the horror stories you see on the tv about them forcing their way in or threatening people.
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Comments
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Report them to the Police for harrassment.
Personally I would just ignore them. You have no obligation to prove anything.
Next time they send anyone, or if they phone up, advise them that any further contact will result in them being reported to the Police for harrassment.
Write to them informing them the same.
If they try and force their way in or threaten you, 999 is the number you require.British Ex-pat in British Columbia!0 -
try and find out who the debt is owed to and try and contact them. this info should be on the letter.
its morally wrong that you should have to do this but be careful who you answer the door to. if any one you dont recognise knocks communicate through a window til you have established who they are. if bailiffs do turn up explain the situation to them, be prepared to call the police.0 -
i know the persons name as it was on the land registry etc but he has disappeared.0
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DO NOT try and help the debt chasers, as they are scum anyway.
They are comitting an offence.
Report them to the Police.British Ex-pat in British Columbia!0 -
I wouldn't worry about it, you have informed them and if they want to continue wasting their time and money let them do so, just laugh at them for being silly0
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Do not open the door to the bailiff. They cannot used forced entry.
If they force entry, call the police. The police often have to go to this sort of situation just to keep the peace (not to assist in the removal of goods). They also cannot take anything not belonging to the person who owes the money.
This happened to me when I was a student in a rented house, and after the bailiff came round, we just opened an upstairs window and told them that we didn't know the person who they were chasing the money from, and that none of his belongings were in the house. They started to bang on the door forcefully and my housemate got really frightened so we called the police. They came and had a quiet word in the ear of the bailiff who realised it was a lost cause and left.0 -
i know the persons name as it was on the land registry etc but he has disappeared
i meant the company, not the person who spent the money.
W is probably right about the debt collectors committing offences and not helping them but i know when i was in a similar situation rowing with the dc acheived nothing but when i emailed the original creditor i never heard anything again.0 -
I wouldn't worry about it, you have informed them and if they want to continue wasting their time and money let them do so, just laugh at them for being silly
I agree, if they try to gain entry or hound you in your own house then just call the police, they are wasting their time and while it is horrid for you they can do NOTHING to you or your property.
If they persist in being complete pillocks then it may be worth a PM to Herbie21 (who is an expert in all things bayliff) to check the procedure for complaining about then to their regulating or monitoring body (Herbie21 also has a website that you can get to through their profile and that may have the info you need to make these muppets think twice)£34,547 (Dec 07); Current debt: £zilch (Debt free December 2010)
Sealed Pot #389 (2010=£133)0 -
I Don't see why you should waste your time and money phoning companies that is not your debt or worry. I would just ignore them, or if they insist on staying then its polite to offer them tea and biscuits (from an upstairs window though!)0
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Quote "i have been receiving letters in his company's name"
Are the letters addressed to "The OCCUPIER" or the previous owner by name?
If its the later, then the letters are not addressed to YOU! and should simply reply to the letter with "Not at this address" and no further action should be taken on your part
If the letters are addressed to "The OCCUPIER" then and only then does it become your concern
You’ve already stated that "we bought a repossession last august", if this is the case then you have PROOF that the property is YOURS and you need take NO FURTHER ACTION
If/when the bailiffs arrive, you then show the proof that the property is yours (Mortgage deeds), if they then continue (which I doubt), and as stated here already, You call the Police (But I don’t see that happening)
One thing people should always do when buying a 'repo' is to immediately get themselves on the ELECTORAL REGISTER, this is how bailiffs confirm ownership/residency
Bailiffs are used to letters being returned (legitimate or not) from defaulters with "Not at this address" and will assume that the defaulter is still in residence, phoning them will assume that you’ve opened and read the correspondence, so if your not Mr/Mrs Defaulter, why did you open the letter!
You’re worrying much too much, its not your problem!
Life’s too short0
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