Previous House-owner Debts

vickitoria100

I hope someone can help me!

My partner and I bought our first house in March this year and since then we have constantly been getting threatening letters/bailiffs at our door seeking collection for debts of the previous owners!! We have followed up all letters and 'visits' by phoning the collection agency and telling them what has happened but this really is getting rediculous now and we are concerned that one day they will just break in and take our stuff - in one letter from one agency for one debt they told us that next time they would do this!

Luckily, it seems that those agencies we have contacted have believed us and we haven't heard anything from those in particular since. But there seems to be so much debt here I am worried that something pre-emptive needs to be done, rather than just waiting to contact the agencies after the bailiffs have been! Also, I am concerned that these debts will be registered to the property. I have done a credit check recently and there doesn't appear to be anything against me but the house is in my partner's name and he hasn't checked....

What can we do? The previous owners didn't leave a forwarding address and their solicitors won't give it to us either. Please help!

hollydays

Am finding it hard to understand that an agency would put in writing they would break into your house when out.

stugib

We had the same - our previous owner left a string of unpaid bills both for the house (utility bills, council tax) and against his business which was registered against the property. It took time, and it was a pain ringing up the debt collectors each time because there is no one place you can inform, and we had one bailiff visit, but it does die down eventually when they believe you and go away - telling them when your purchase went through should be enough for them to validate the house was sold. Also, you could give them his solicitors address - that's what we did without his forwading address.

That said, now I've seen what happens as an observer, I'm quite tempted not to pay any of my bills myself - the discounts he was offered as long as he paid something were huge (e.g. water board offered to settle for about 30% of what he owed).

But seriously, don't worry about it - bad debts are NOT listed against the property, only an individual, and bailiffs have no power to break into your house or take your stuff. It'll just be a bit of a hassle for the next few months when you clear up his mess, if you choose to (otherwise just send back letters saying not known at this address, but prob less likely to be believed/acknowledged).

Astaroth

Firstly, you should send all letters not addressed to you as "return to sender, addressee gone away" and send them unopened (you are not legally allowed to open mail addressed to someone else even if it is delivered to your home)

Credit checking is done against the individual and not the property. The idea of a property being "blacklisted" is a bit of an urban myth. The only thing you can really do is to continue monitoring the credit reference agencies to make sure that your name doesnt get mixed up in it as you appear to have been opening letters/ phoning people etc. If it does occur you would simply need to file a notice of disassociation with the credit reference agencies and this should keep you clean from it all.

Baliffs cannot "break in" to your home. The one key point is never to let them get a foot over the doorstep. As soon as they manage that they are then legally allowed to enter the property without your consent (but cannot cause damage in the course of doing this - so typically looking for open/ unlocked windows etc). If they havent been into your dwelling then they can only enter with your consent (even if that is you only opening the door a crack and them forcing their foot through the gap)

oops_a_daisy

I have had the same problem and would like to give a word of warning that it will go on for years ( but does quieten down ) - I bought this house 5 years ago and still get letters for the previous occupant because debts get sold off to debt collecting agencies and passed around untill they finally get the message. As one person on here has said, all you can do is return all letters back to sender. Make sure that your ( and your OH ) names are the only ones now registered at your address and disassociate yourselves with the previous occupant at credit reference agencies.

vickitoria100

hollydays wrote:

Am finding it hard to understand that an agency would put in writing they would break into your house when out.

Well not in that exact wording! But they did say that next time they came to the property they would force entry if we weren't in!! TBH though, this particular 'agency' didn't seem legit at all - when I called them a woman just answered with 'hello' and I had to ask if that was xxxx agency?!

Thank you all for your advice - it's comforting to know that we're not the only ones and that they can't really do anything to us! I agree with you stugbib - it is almost an incentive to not pay anything myself as it is so easy for people to get away with it!

Poppycat

I dont think they can legally break in, it would be a criminal offence

As said properties arent blacklissted or they shouldnt be, I remember this very topic being rasied on BBC radio4, You and yours some months back.

Perhaps it just some debt agency using scare tactics, the real culprits often dont care and these agencys rely on peoples fears of being blacklisted.

I remember a program on tv the other week how some of these agencys actually break the alw by not informing you of your rights or pretending they have called when they didnt and raise there chrages and pocket the difference.