Relatives who get credit using your address without letting you know

Bonga

My brother-in-law lives a few doors down from our address, occasionally in the past we have received mail for him arriving at our address (its our address on the letter but his name at the top) mostly we have just passed this onto him without question, on this occasion though one of these letters was opened by mistake and after scanning the letter without noticing the name at the top I was quite taken a back by the content...


In this case it was a demand from a debt collection agency for £1200 for something bought on credit from a major electronics retailer, threatening court action etc. On reflection we have had quite a lot of these anonymous brown envelope style letters recently.


Don’t these business do credit checks?


I don’t think he’s using our identities to apply for credit (we’ve looked at our credit files) so my partner would to prefer to pretend its his problem – not ours, but it bothers me he’s using out address to mask his own, if he doesn’t pay is that fraud on his part? And now we know about it, does this make us accessories?

I would appreciate any thoughts on this.

Bonga

katerinasol

Hi,

Does he know you've opened his letter? Can you talk to your sister about it?

Bonga

Hi,

No, he doesn't know. My wife is his sister and she doesn't think its a big problem.

Bonga

pigpen

I would ring the company and explain there is noone of that name at your address and never has been.. though it is your BIL's name and give them his address.

His debt he can own it..

I'd also check your credit files because they will have him linked at your address and should you want a loan or martgage or extended payment terms it is possible you wold be refused based in his association with your home.

Your wife may just not be wanting to cause a family row.. I can understand her reluctance to say nothing.

scooby088

Well what your brother has done is commit fraud and any default in credit will be shown at your address, i would also inform the loan/credit company the real address of your brother.

onlyroz

We are fairly sure that the previous owner of our house is still using our address when taking out dodgy loans - we've had several "final demand" letters from debt collection agencies. When the bailiffs turn up we just show them our ID and they go away - but if I ever find out where the bar-steward currently lives then I'd shop him like a shot.

You need to have a serious word with your brother, telling him in no uncertain terms that you will report him for fraud unless he takes immediate steps to inform his creditors of his true location.

ViolaLass

pigpen wrote: »

I'd also check your credit files because they will have him linked at your address and should you want a loan or martgage or extended payment terms it is possible you wold be refused based in his association with your home.

They may well have linked him to your address but this will /not/ affect your credit unless you are financially linked to him e.g. you have a joint account or joint loan. Defaults, late payments etc are linked to a person, not an address.

I would still return the post to sender marked 'no one of that name here' or call the sender and tell them.

Bonga

Thanks for you comments,

I think im going to have a quiet word and give him a chance to sort it out himself, he is family after all and there might be an innocent explanation.

Sadly i'm not optimistic though, knowing him as i do he has history of living beyond his means and hiding things from those closest to him, he's more likely to storm off in a huff claiming it's nothing to do with him or claim i shouldn't be looking at his letters, than actually try and sort it out.

It genuinely was an accident seeing this stuff, this is quite a difficult position to be in now i know about it i can't just let it slide.

We'll see, thanks again,

Bonga

katerinasol

Glad to know you've decided to confront him, always better than trying to guess. Let us know how you get on.

Nottoobadyet

Good luck. My guess is that hes hiding his debt from his wife, rather than hiding from creditors.

RAS

Personally, I would mention that he is receiving mail at your house in front his wife and suggest he set up Royal mail redirection or informs the companies of the correct address.

You have checked that he is not on the electorla roll at your address?