Receiving debt collectors letters for previous owners

evoke

I moved into my home almost a year ago and i'm still receiving debt collectors letters for the previous owners.

I usually just mark them as "Not know at this address - return to sender" if the letters have a return address on them and then pop them back into a postbox.

However, one I received this morning had no return address on it and it threatened that someone would be calling round to 'arrange for a payment".

Now, I don't really want anyone coming round to my property if it concerns the previous owners. There is a full postal address and a phone number of the debt recovery company on the letter that I opened (as it had no returne address in it).

What's the best course of action to take? It is becoming quite annoying as i'm getting a couple of letters per week for the previous owners.

vax2002

take a small ad in the newspaper
LEGAL NOTICE :
Persons named ........... .......................
Are no longer residents of 43 nowhere street having moved out on 12/12/12
The current residents Herby post notice that any person, company or association shall desist from attempting to recover monies or debts owed by previous residents from the present occupiers.
That such action is causing alarm and distress to the occupiers.
Notice is Herby served to cease harassment of the present occupiers in relation to debts of previous occupiers
Legal action will be instigated against any persons/ company or association failing to obey this legal notice.

Photocopy it many times and place each letter in an envelope with the notice stapled to it .

Yorkie1

If it's a number you can ring without incurring too much cost then I'd ring them up. You could return the letter with a covering note too.

But in my experience, whatever you do, the letters don't easily stop coming. I only once had bailiffs call but was out, so never had to deal with them in person.

I'd keep a copy of something near the door to prove you are not the debtors to any bailiffs who may call (don't hand it over for them to keep though) and don't let them in.

I have a suspicion that the rules may have changed recently to protect householders better but can't remember the details - hopefully someone else will.

billybear1

This must be horrible!

I am sure that if you explain you are the new owners they cannot force entry, which I am sure it is illegal to do anyway, then they won't be able to do anything. Seems a bit annoying there is no way of notifying them without a significant cost to you!

tbs624

Ring the sender of the letter and tell them when you bought the property, and that they can verify this with HMLR.Tell them to remove your address from their database.

Tell them also that if they persist in bothering you over the debts of someone who has nothing to do with you then you will call the Trading Standards Office at the local Council and take legal action under the Admin of Justice Act, s40. If anyone turns up and acts in a threatening way, you also report them to the police. Note that debt collectors powers are different to those of bailiffs.

ognum

I started a thread about this a few months ago as my daughter was being harrassed by baliffs trying to claim from the previous owner.

She ended up downloading her deeds to her home showing she was the owner and keeping a copy by the front door. do not let any one in your home. She also passed the name of the conveyancing solicitor for the previous owners to the debt collectors.

I think though the thing that finally got them off her back was talking to her neighbours who were still friendly with the previous owners, they got in touch with the old owners who were very embarrassed and sorted things out quickly!

Shelldean

had same issue for a flat we lived in. Previous tenant had done a moodlight flit.
I ignored the letters. Until one day when heavily pregnant with twins, I went shopping. I left my 2 yr old DD at home with my sister babysitting. Darling sis almost had a heart attack to open the door to find two men along with a couple of police officers. She thought I'd had an accident or something. Turns out they were baliffs searching for previous tenants. They were perfectly nice, and agreed to come back when I was home so I could prove who I was and show my tenancy agreement.
After that I opened EVERY letter and called and explained. They did stop quite quickly.
However this was all quite a while ago, and i think debt recovery is much more aggressive nowadays. Maybe the baliffs wouldn't be quite understanding these days??

But my advice is call if you have a number.

dawyldthing

open the letters and write the address of what is on it on the front saying return to sender. Bear in mind though that they pass the debt on to many companies until it is paid off

property.advert

I open all post which comes through my door. Always have, always will. If it is for something important, I'll phone or email to say they don't live here. Then recycle.

DominicJ_2

I'd say they get bored eventualy, but they dont, 5 years on, the same letters still arrive, just ignore them.
If anyone is aggressive, use your camera phone and contact the police / papers
Sadly, the police are woefully ignorant about the law, and will frequent join such cowboys in blatant theft.

I've once had someone turn up, and they didnt even ask who I was, just left when I said xyz no longer lives here.

silvercar

You need to respond to the company and tell them the previous occupants have moved on. The prob,em is that people with debts also say they have moved. Once you have convinced one company that they really have moved away, the company should add the details to the GAIN - gone away information network. Once that happens the calls and letters should stop.