Letters sent to home address with unknown names

JanetAS

First of all I do not know if this is in the correct place. Secondly, I know it's not legal opening mail addressed to someone else.

But...a couple of days ago there was a letter addressed to an African sounding name, to my address. I opened it (was curious) and was alarmed to see it was from a debt recovery agency, stating they have received confirmation that the addressee lived at my address. I Googled the agency and used their online 'contact us' form, giving the reference number, the name and address, saying I had no knowledge of or business with this person. I wouldn't give my name or email address, I just want them to deal with it accordingly.

So my query is this: should I check with a credit reference agency that my address is 'clean'? There have been numerous other letters sent here to peoples unknown. I am often answering my phone where the caller asks for somebody whom I also don't know! (And I am ex-Directory.)

Thanks
Janet

maninthestreet

How long have you lived at your current address?

McKneff

You need to do nothing except put the envelope back in the post and mark it not at this address.

Credit reference agencies do not go by addresses so I would stop worrying about it and like i say, dont do a thing.

oldone_2

Once a letter is delivered to your address it is legal for you to open it. What you cannot do is take pecuniary advantage of the contents.

JanetAS

It's a new build and I moved in from the beginning 17 years ago, so absolutely nobody else has ever lived here!
Thanks for all your replies.

shaun_from_Africa

So my query is this: should I check with a credit reference agency that my address is 'clean'?

I would, but firstly you should write a letter stating that the named persons do not, and never have lived at the stated address and return the mail to the senders along with a copy of your letter.
As oldone rightly stated, opening mail addressed to someone else is not illegal. It only becomes illegal if you do so with the intention of causing harm to loss to the addressee.

Even though any bad credit would be against a named person and not the address, for the sake of a £1 or £2 fee it would probably help put your mind at rest.
Another point to bear in mind is that whilst credit reference agencies and court orders don't go by addresses, this doesn't mean that if you simply ignore it, you won't get a balliff or debt collector knocking at your door looking for the person whose name is on their paperwork.

I am often answering my phone where the caller asks for somebody whom I also don't know! (And I am ex-Directory.)

You can get you phone account set up so that number withheld numbers won't be accepted, and by doing this you may well find the unwanted calls either stop or reduce in number.

JanetAS

'I would, but firstly you should write a letter stating that the named persons do not, and never have lived at the stated address and return the mail to the senders along with a copy of your letter.'

Done this.

'Even though any bad credit would be against a named person and not the address, for the sake of a £1 or £2 fee it would probably help put your mind at rest.'

Thought so too.

'Another point to bear in mind is that whilst credit reference agencies and court orders don't go by addresses, this doesn't mean that if you simply ignore it, you won't get a balliff or debt collector knocking at your door looking for the person whose name is on their paperwork.'

This is my worry!

'You can get you phone account set up so that number withheld numbers won't be accepted, and by doing this you may well find the unwanted calls either stop or reduce in number.'

I have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service but still get plenty of calls coming through from businesses unknown.

With the number of fraud incidents on the rise I want to make sure I protected, alongwith my financial status.

Thanks for your replies.:T

shaun_from_Africa

I have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service but still get plenty of calls coming through from businesses unknown.

This will stop some unwanted calls, but not ones from overseas or UK based businesses who simply ignore the TPS requirements.

The number withheld service I was talking about is a service offered by most phone companies.
What it means is that if someone has their number hidden and they try to call you, they won't be able to.
Many of the dodgy companies withhold their number because they don't want you knowing who is calling until you answer.

MothballsWallet

Don't most of the telephone companies charge for the anonymous call reject service?

I know BT does it for free if you make so many qualifying calls via them per month, or they used to.

JanetAS

That's good information, shaun (from Africa). However, I'm not suffering from these calls at the moment. I did have a problem recently but after tracing the company on the internet I sent them a very terse note, telling them to back off. I'm sure I used another method (but this escapes me at the moment), and they have all stopped now.

Thanks for your help.

JanetAS

Got another letter from the debt recovery company this morning! More detailed in that it gives the client (a high street bank), what type of debt, how much is owed and a 'service address'. The content is more threatening, stating they are taking steps to recover the debt and encouraging the debtor to contact them and therefore arrange payment.

In a way I'm glad I opened the original letter so now if a bailiff does come a-knocking on my door it won't come as a complete shock.

Come Monday I WILL go to my local council and look at the electoral register, and check my address and that given on their letter. Once I have done this I can send a response back to them with my ammunition. Mum has even recommended that I visit a branch of the bank concerned and speak to them.

I'd really like to know how these criminals convince organisations of their 'new, unauthorised and completely wrong' address!! One of my ex neighbours would jokingly call these addressees 'my lodgers'. :rotfl:

Seriously, it's not funny, is it?