Demand for payment but for previous occupant

Jo_R_2

Hi all, another one from me, I'm very prolific this week - but fortunately this isn't my debt!

We were delivered a letter yesterday to a previous occupant who we have received mail for before and returned, stating 'not known at this address' on the envelope.

Anyway, being rather curious as to if it were important, I tried to have a gleg to see if I could see anything inside. And it turns out to be a final demand for payment from this lady from what looks like a debt collection agency-type place.

Of course I have freaked - I can see it says she has seven days to repay what looks like £2000+, and I am panicking now because what if they turn up at our door demanding payment? Boyfy says to show ID saying we live here, but like I said, it only proves that we live here, not that she doesn't! We've been here since October 2003, it's all through a letting agent, so that's no problem if she lived here under them, but of course we don't know - maybe worth phoning up...

Anyway what can I do? Should I return the letter marking it again? Boyfy suggested we open it and phone up who it's from explaining the situation, but I don't know where we stand on this legally - I know it's illegal to read another person's mail...

What can I do?

Toto

Just call the number on the letter and explain she has moved out and no longer lives there. Say you have no forwarding address etc. This happened to me and the DCA were fine, I never heard another thing.

Shame my debts aren't so easy to deal with lol

duncans-mum_2

I'm not sure how you stand legally on opening anothers mail(you could say you opened it by accident) and get in touch with them by phone to explain.I mean if you have made previous efforts on returning the mail to sender it's only fair I gues (I have done this for someone who used to live here and it got sorted, although was not chasing debt. Failing that, just wait until they turn up and explain. At the end of the day if the debt is not yours, then they can't enforce it on you or take your stuff. Although I appreciate it is an unwanted hassle for you.

MrsTinks

If it isn't your debt and the collection agency turns up then all you have to do is show them your tenancy agreement and a form of ID and they will never blacken your doorstep again No it doesn't per say prove she doesn't live there, but what will happen is they will carry on looking for her elsewhere and her credit report will have a thingy put against ot for failure to notify of move type thingy.
Keep an eye on your own just to make sure that none of her debt is being linked with yours and if it is then get it removed snappishly

GreyPilgrim

duncans-mum wrote:

I'm not sure how you stand legally on opening anothers mailQUOTE]

would be interested to know the legal standpoint on opening someone elses mail actually.

The previous tenant in our house left a stream of debt behind...utilitys, catalogues. We always returned her mail, but then started to suspect it was debt. Then a collector turned up at the door, and we realised she was an 'absconder'

Now we always open anything than arrives for her and phone the respective collection agency immediately. (they are always final demands). The agencies have been fine so far - moorcroft was the last one for a delinquent ntl balance.

I have absolutely no moral qualms about opening this womans mail. She left a whole load of crap behind that could potentially have resulted in problems for me, my family and my home - so as far as respecting her privacy, she can go screw herself.

Politely, of course.

lixi

Just to let you know... the strict legal position is summarised by the CPS website as follows:


"Interference with Mail
The Postal Services Act 2000 Sections 83 and 84 create offences of interfering with mail. Section 83 is aimed at persons engaged in the business of a postal operator and creates an either way offence. Section 84 covers anybody and creates a summary only imprisonable offence. Both sections cover intentional delaying or opening of a postal packet and intentional opening of a mail bag."

That said, if I was in your position I would probably do the same :-)

Jo_R_2

Just to let you guys know, we decided to open the mail and OH phoned up the place on the letter, who listened and replied with a weary "ah so she's not there then? Righto..." and that was that - we got the impression she was a well-known name to them which is puzzling as like I said, we've been here 2.5 years and have always returned any mail to sender of previous occupants.

Ah well, the only thing is how do I find out if her debt has been linked to us?