Loan default by previous owner !!!! Help

embleton_2

Hi all

Not sure if this is the right place to start my thread so Mods please feel free to move.

I received a letter from a certain bank a few weeks ago. I opened the letter but realised then it wasn't for me but the previous owner (I bank with the same bank). Basically, we've lived here for almost 3 years now and the letter was regarding a loan the previous owners had taken out and had missed a payment on. They've obviously not changed the address so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and took the letter to their new address.

What I'm trying to find out is if my credit rating will have been affected because of this. Things like this really upset me when I've worked so hard to turn my life around and have a good number of clean years behind me just for someone else to mess it up.

Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

Pink_butterfly_3

I'm not sure what the exact rules on this are, but if its any help the previous owner of our house (it was a repossesion), has CCJ's and all sorts registered against our house in their names.

We've never had any problems getting credit.

Astaroth

It will not be logged against you as it is not your debt.

You firstly have to remember that opening mail not addressed to you is a criminal offence even if it is delivered to your address "in error" and companies get a bit shirty if you open someone elses mail.

All you need to do with any mail not for you delivered to your address is simply write "Return to sender, Addressee gone away" on the front, cross out the address through the plastic as best you can and drop it back into a post box (no need to pay postage) - if you know their new address you can always write it under the return to sender message

karry1412

Astaroth wrote:

All you need to do with any mail not for you delivered to your address is simply write "Return to sender, Addressee gone away" on the front, cross out the address through the plastic as best you can and drop it back into a post box (no need to pay postage) - if you know their new address you can always write it under the return to sender message

I used to work in Customer Services for a big home shopping company & that's exactly what our customers did. We used to get boxes of returned mail & we'd flag their account meaning no more mail got sent out to them.

embleton_2

Thanks all for your prompt responses. If any further mail comes I will do exactly as advised.
Thanks for putting my mind at ease.

asandwhen

Astaroth wrote:

It will not be logged against you as it is not your debt.

You firstly have to remember that opening mail not addressed to you is a criminal offence even if it is delivered to your address "in error" and companies get a bit shirty if you open someone elses mail.

All you need to do with any mail not for you delivered to your address is simply write "Return to sender, Addressee gone away" on the front, cross out the address through the plastic as best you can and drop it back into a post box (no need to pay postage) - if you know their new address you can always write it under the return to sender message

It is not a criminal offence to open the mail if it has been delivered to your address - it is only a criminal offence if you tamper with the mail prior to reaching its destination.

mrmajika

The credit reference agencies use Surname and address, so unless the previous occupier has the same surname as you then you should be fine.