MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Would you give debt collectors someone's address?

geddi

Debt Collectors act like they have the law behind them, as though they are bailiffs and yet are not. They are private companies. They have no more rights to pursue debts than you or I. They flaunt the fact that people know too little about the law and trick people into giving personal details which enters them into a contract with the debt collector.

If they are after you personally,
Best thing is to say nothing. Or to tell the debt collector that you do not enter into contracts with third party interlopers, and give them no proper name or admit any item of your personal details.

For someone else, who but a nasty snitch would do that? Even if you have a business renting out property, there's no need to do that. You should have had the nous to cover yourself initially against being ripped off. Also, it should not be a problem for anyone, more than an inconvenience. Someone else's debts should not be borne by anyone against their will. Tell the debt collectors they are gone. Tell them the date YOU MOVED IN, and leave it at that. It could be you next time. I was chased for someone else's debt as well as for an erroneous debt against me.

Opening someone's mail is illegal, even if it is delivered through your door years after you have moved in.

giving someone's forwarding address is a legal grey area now since the data protection act came into force.

Saetana

I would never shop anyone to the bailiffs for any reason - I totally disagree with using bailiffs in any way for debt collection.

We used to move fairly frequently when we were younger (we have family in various parts of the country) and so have frequently encountered mail for previous tenants. They are always put in the nearest post box marked "no longer at this address". We have had bailiffs on our doorstep in the past from our own financial difficulties and I would not wish this on anyone, no matter how careless they are with their finances (fraud is another matter altogether and a job for the police).

I do not agree with bailiffs in any shape or form, they are frequently large hulking men (they sometimes use women when you have refused a couple of times to open the door - don't!) and it can be seriously intimidating to have one or two of them hammering on the door when one is in alone (women particularly). I have never opened a door to a bailiff in my life, they have no right to break in but I understand that they can enter if a door is unlocked or maybe a window open (I'm not absolutely positive on that point, does anyone know for sure?). I will not negotiate with bailiffs under any circumstances, I merely tell them (through the door) that I will speak to the company to whom I owe the debt. The reason for this is that bailiffs generally only get paid the extra money they can collect on top of your original debt for their services (so no risk to your creditor if they can't) and these amounts can be staggering and often more than the original debt if it is a few hundred pounds or less. Companies would be less keen to hand debts to bailiffs if they had to pay regardless of whether collection is attained.

I cannot see why bailiffs are used at all - for many people in debt the idea of someone coming and and taking your goods to sell at ridiculously low prices (and I do mean ridiculous) is horrifying, its not so much a money raising exercise as a punishment (a cruel one in my opinion). The sensible solution would be to get a court judgement and then apply for attachment of earnings/benefit for a sensible and affordable amount. I cannot believe in this day and age we can still have large men coming around using threatening behaviour (and believe me that is what it is!) on people's doorsteps.

Sorry for the rant but this is a subject I feel very strongly about, and do bear in mind if you let a bailiff in once you then have to let them in again to take your goods or this time they can force entry.

Saetana

mysterious_girl wrote: »

You are obviously a complete moron and one of those human rights do gooders who make this society what it is today. So if you found out the guy over the road from you was a peadophile molesting children, you wouldn't tell the police huh!? I hope you get mugged and that there are loads of witnesses and no one comes forward to identify the mugger. We wouldn't want to shop anyone into the police now would we?!

Although these discussions sometimes get acrimonious they are there for people to express their opinion and there is no need to indulge in childish name-calling and, gods, "hope you get mugged" just because you do not agree with someone else's opinion.

I have reported your post for abuse.

triticale

Supercharge_Me wrote: »

Given that you are dealing with your debt as suggested in your signature, how do you feel about those that do not?

As I know nothing of the circumstances of the old occupant, I make no judgement as to whether they are deliberately avoiding the debt or not, or whether the debt collectors are even chasing the correct person.

To answer your question, people who smugly announce that they are deliberately avoiding debt with no intention of paying it off make me angry.

Unless the previous occupant left a note saying 'Ha ha the debt collectors will never get me, I got free money', then I couldn't assume that this was the case.

moneysavingscholar

I had a friend stay with me for a while. I went away for a weekend, came back, and she was gone, without a trace. In the months following, letters from debt collectors and solicitors mounted up. All of them were returned to sender. Having held them up to the light (yes, I know I can't open them but was rightly concerned) the debts totalled around £7000 (and that's just the ones I know about), not to mention the £1100 debt she ran up with me. I know where she lives and, given the loyalty shown to me, would rather have debt collectors knocking on her door than mine. However, so far, all I have done is kept returning the letters.

A.Jones

I've had this happen to me. The first few I sent back "return to sender", but they kept coming. So I forwarded the next few to the previous owners new address, with a note saying sort it or I give them your address. They didn't sort it, so I sent the next one back "return to sender" with a note giving the debt collectors their new address. Didn't receive any more after that.

In the future, I think I'd always just give the debt collector the address straight away.

pineapple

So long as it isn't unlawful to pass on the address, absolutely yes.
It may not happen now, but I once had a bank account refused because of the previous tenant. Plus I would want to act in every way possible to stop all the demands. It's stressful whether or not you can prove your identity. Simply returning the mail with a note on the envelope doesn't always work - as I have found in previous house moves.
It sounds like the debt the previous occupiers incurred was not an isolated case. Did they think about the person moving in after them?
Oh and a bailiff can call at any time of day or night. They can also gain 'peaceful entry' if you are not there and they don't have to be accompanied by police.
http://www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk/debt_basics/bailiff-guide.php#bg4

haselgre

farang wrote: »

Yes, absolutely.
Why should people use services and buy goods and then not have to pay for them.
If you can not afford it don't buy it.
In the end it is those that pay their bills that end up paying for those that don't.

I agree. I've always been very diligent at paying bills and trying to keep my credit report clean. Why should anyone think they have the right to spend money they don't have then just leave it all behind?? I've had this happen to me twice before - both times I've passed on their address and phone number to the debt collection agencies - no hesitation. Otherwise, they knock on your door and that's not a pleasant experience. The first time it happened, I had a note through my door saying that the bailiffs had come round when I wasn't there, and that they were coming back the next week and would break down the door and take goods without me being there. I was living alone at the time (single female), so I wouldn't have been able to stop them, legal or not. And what if I'd been on holiday at the time?? I was told by one of the debt collectors that their systems keep the last known address on file and just automatically send out reminders / letters / threats to that address. So, if the last address that they have is yours......

clrobb

I would be concerned about the increased rights of entry some debt collectors have to your home, so I would probably give them the landlord's address and leave the decision about whether to pass on the current address to them. They might be owed money as well!

1175julie

I woud give their new address - we moved into a house a few years ago where the previous owner had debts. We had bailiffs and police time and time again. We had to prove our innocence constantly and this is unfair. You cannot run from your responsibilities.