How can I get through to the Post Office when I'm not their customer?

shellsuit

ETA : Just found a freephone number for PO home phone which is 0800 0920 511

I took over the tenancy for this property in Feb 2010.

The tenant before was an old lady who went into a home.

Not long after I had the keys, I received a Post Office home phone bill for the previous tenant so I opened it so I could telephone them to explain the situation.

I was told off and told I should not have opened the letter (whatever!) and was told they would generate another bill which I was to send back to them marked 'not at this address' which I did.

Further bills came so I sent them back too.

Before Christmas I received debt collectors letters regarding this, so I telephoned the company and told them she didn't live here and hadn't done since Jan 10. They told me they needed my name which I refused to give as it has nothing to do with them.

Then I received letters from a different Debt Co, this time threatening to be at the door in 72 hours, so I ignored them.

This morning I've just received another bill from the Post Office, so armed with the account details again, I telephoned to explain the situ.

Someone answered (after 6 minutes!) and said they were transferring me to a different department ~ then the line went dead.

I'm not phoning again as it will cost me money, and I'm not going to write a letter and waste my money on a stamp so does anyone know how to get through to these idots which won't cost me anything?

Tried the online form, but it's asking for details, name, address etc, which I'm not going to enter as it's not my account and I don't want to enter the previous tenants details as the Post Office will probably think I am her and just getting out of paying.
:cool:

Stuart_W

Do not open any post not in your name.

Do not attempt to initiate conversations about accounts that are not yours.

Simply continue to return all post "gone away - not known at this address". This won't cost you money.

A pain I know, can go on for months, but this is all you should do. Don't let it bother you. It is nothing to do with you.

I previously worked in a debt recovery department of a water company - and people "getting involved" like this can, unintentiionally, actually end up causing more problems (precisely because of the reason you mention - people pretending to be someone new and trying to pass off their debts).

Mail not being returned is an indicator of something suspicious as far as the creditors are concerned..

If you've already made contact with a debt collection agency as a result of a letter that was in the previous tennant's name, you may find it harder to shake them off now (ie more letters will continue to follow, no matter what you've said in a conversation).

Leave it all well alone and just return mail. State gone away date on front on envelope if you know it. Make no more phone calls.

shellsuit

Stuart_W wrote: »

Do not open any post not in your name. Why? It's not illegal, like some think it is, so long as I'm not going to gain anything/the person is going to lose anything, by using the information in it.

Do not attempt to initiate conversations about accounts that are not yours.

Simply continue to return all post "gone away - not known at this address". This won't cost you money.

A pain I know, can go on for months, but this is all you should do. Don't let it bother you. It is nothing to do with you.

I previously worked in a debt recovery department of a water company - and people "getting involved" like this can, unintentiionally, actually end up causing more problems (precisely because of the reason you mention - people pretending to be someone new and trying to pass off their debts).

Leave it all well alone and just return mail. State gone away date on front on envelope if you know it.

This has gone on for over a year ~ how many months is months?

I don't want debt collection agency letters threatening to turn up on the bounce. What if they did turn up when I'm out and only my teenage children are home? That actually is something to do with me as it's my home now.

There must be a way of getting through to them that she doesn't live here anymore.

If they had any sense they would be able to see that no phone calls have been made since January last year when she moved out.

shellsuit

Stuart_W wrote: »

Mail not being returned is an indicator of something suspicious as far as the creditors are concerned..

.

That means nothing. I'm guessing a lot of people would just toss it in the bin.

And I had been sending the bills back, so it obviously doesn't work.

Stuart_W

Unfortunately, it will actually now go on longer, precisely because you have tried to "sort it out" by making contact with post office / debt collection agency.

It will eventually stop.

shellsuit

Stuart_W wrote: »

Unfortunately, it will actually now go on longer, precisely because you have tried to "sort it out" by making contact with post office / debt collection agency.

It will eventually stop.

I contacted them the first time in Feb 2010.

After that I sent any bills back to them.

Christmas was the first debt collection letter, so 10 months isn't long enough for them to get their act together?

If it hasn't stopped by now, why would it ever unless they are told?

Stuart_W

shellsuit wrote: »

I don't want debt collection agency letters threatening to turn up on the bounce. What if they did turn up when I'm out and only my teenage children are home? That actually is something to do with me as it's my home now.

I understand why that is a frightening thought but this WILL NOT HAPPEN.

For starters, the debt of an old lady's phone bill won't be worth the admin of even issuing a court summons, which would have to happen first. There are plenty of other reasons, too, why your scenario can't happen.

You might want to read about this person who had a situation with letters that went on for 6 years - because they ended up getting "involved" - just return the letters, no one is allowed to turn up at your door other that to say "does mrs X live here?", Your answer is "no" and the conversation ends.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?153889-DCAs-chasing-previous-tenant-s-debt-how-do-I-stop-this

shellsuit

Stuart_W wrote: »

I understand why that is a frightening thought but this WILL NOT HAPPEN.

For starters, the debt of an old lady's phone bill won't be worth the admin of even issuing a court summons, which would have to happen first. There are plenty of other reasons, too, why your scenario can't happen.

You might want to read about this person who had a situation with letters that went on for 6 years - because they ended up getting "involved" - just return the letters, no one is allowed to turn up at your door other that to say "does mrs X live here?", Your answer is "no" and the conversation ends.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?153889-DCAs-chasing-previous-tenant-s-debt-how-do-I-stop-this

Thanks, I'll have a look at that now.

I have actually just found a freephone number for the PO so will update my OP incase anyone else is interested.

shellsuit

They can't do anything without speaking to the account holder or a family member.

So basically they are going to carry on sending the bills out, and even if I return them all marked 'no longer at this address', they still can't do anything without speaking to the previous tenant or family member, so what's the point in me returning them??!

What a joke.

They can do what they like now, anything from them or debt collection agencies will be going straight in the bin where it belongs. Don't see why I should waste my time any longer, even by walking to a post box to return the damn things.

Buzby

What was the status of the line when you moved in? Also, what has happened to the phone line itself? If you've taken over the line and now have a new provider, then this provides PO with confirmation that the previous tenant has moved on. I'm surprised you continued to attempt to resolve the matter by phone. In your situation, on receipt of the bill I would have returned it to the PO with a covering letter (retaining a copy) stating that the account holder had moved out and you were unaware of any forwarding address (or provide them with any information, perhaps the landlord or letting agency shoud they wish to pursue the matter). After that, your duty of care has been discharged. Your copy letter is your defence, but the paper trail is considerably more useful than stories of call centre incompetence.

Do draw a line under this, I'd suggest you can still be disadvantaged, especially if a defaut has been registered at the flat address as this could work against you. It shouldn't, but not unknown.

shellsuit

Buzby wrote: »

What was the status of the line when you moved in? Also, what has happened to the phone line itself? If you've taken over the line and now have a new provider, then this provides PO with confirmation that the previous tenant has moved on. I'm surprised you continued to attempt to resolve the matter by phone. In your situation, on receipt of the bill I would have returned it to the PO with a covering letter (retaining a copy) stating that the account holder had moved out and you were unaware of any forwarding address (or provide them with any information, perhaps the landlord or letting agency shoud they wish to pursue the matter). After that, your duty of care has been discharged. Your copy letter is your defence, but the paper trail is considerably more useful than stories of call centre incompetence.

Do draw a line under this, I'd suggest you can still be disadvantaged, especially if a defaut has been registered at the flat address as this could work against you. It shouldn't, but not unknown.

I haven't a clue about the phone line when we moved in, we just went with Virgin for everything which was installed 2 days after moving.

I didn't continue to try to resolve this by phone, I rang them the first time a bill came, and the 2nd time I have rang them was this morning.

A default can't be registered to this house, a default is with a person, not an address.

When I first contacted them and today, I told them the same thing. That I don't know where she is living apart that she was old and went into a home and could be dead for all I know and also I haven't the foggiest who her family are or where they might be.

I did actually offer the HA's details if they wanted to take it up with them incase they had a forwarding address, but they weren't interested.

It's bad, because if they had looked into it properly last feb, the bill wouldn't be as high as it is now. If they ever do find the old lady, she could be liable to pay the whole bill, even though the PO were informed over a year ago.