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Arrest warrant for previous tennant...advice please

SorryToStay
SorryToStay Posts: 23 Forumite
edited 16 November 2009 at 8:08PM in Consumer rights
Evening MSE forum members,

I live in a rented property with my girlfriend.

the doorbell rang tonight, I answered it and a man was stood at the door in a suit with a clip board. The piece of paper said "magistrates court" on the top

He asked if it was possible to speak to *insert this ladies name here* - but it's the name of a lady who does not live here, and I dont know who she is. We receive the occasional letter addressed to this lady so I assume it was a previous tenant before we moved in.

But as its illegal to open other peoples mail, we have been giving all letters addressed to previous tenants to our landlord.


I explained to this gentleman at the door that this person doesn't live in the property as my girlfriend has lived here for the last 6 months prior and I moved in this month.

He wrote on the back of the arrest warrant my girlfriends name (but not mine) and he also wrote the landlords name on the back.

He mentioned it was an arrest warrant for the person he originally asked for.

Then he said thank you and went on his way.

This got me worried that he will try and pass the debt on to me or my girlfriend. We have spent so much on furniture to make this flat look nice and I am not willing to let anything of ours to be taken for someone else's mistakes or debts that we dont know.

Is it possible for these bailiffs to pass on debt to us for someone else's wrong doing?


please help!
«1

Comments

  • naijapower
    naijapower Posts: 1,393 Forumite
    No they can't pass on other people's debt or crimes onto you.
    Dont worry yourself
  • plus the age old arguement that its not illegal to open someone else post if it has been delivered to the correct address and you are not using it to the detriment of the person it is addressed to.

    Will
    SShhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
  • naijapower wrote: »
    No they can't pass on other people's debt or crimes onto you.
    Dont worry yourself

    Seconded.......... in fact this featured on a prog on BBC Three last week.
  • Hintza
    Hintza Posts: 19,420 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If it was a baillif then it wouldn't have been an arrest warrant would it?
  • Thank you very much every one,

    reading these replies has really put my mind at ease :)
  • SorryToStay
    SorryToStay Posts: 23 Forumite
    edited 16 November 2009 at 11:04PM
    Hintza wrote: »
    If it was a baillif then it wouldn't have been an arrest warrant would it?

    He might have just been from the magistrates court to inform this previous tenant she has to go to court (because he thought she was still at this address), as he did mention she wasn't replying to his letters.
  • Mankysteve
    Mankysteve Posts: 4,257 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    He may of took her name to ring the landlord just to confer she wasn't said lady lieing to him. You cant pass on some else debt you'll be fine.
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Hintza wrote: »
    If it was a baillif then it wouldn't have been an arrest warrant would it?
    Actually bailiffs can issue certain types of arrest warrant, known as bail warrants, where you wont be detained but your current address and details are verified and passed on to the courts where an appearance date can be set.
  • Just wondering how you knew it had anything to do with debt at all? did he say so or are you just assuming?
  • sarahg1969
    sarahg1969 Posts: 6,694 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    OP - just so you know, it's not illegal to open mail addressed to someone else, if it has been delivered to your address.
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