Previous tenant owes money...

thriftwizard

I've been running a small business from a shop/light industrial unit for 9 months now. All this time, I've been getting post for the previous tenants, which I've just marked "Not known - return to sender" or given to the landlord, who told me that he suspected that they owed quite a lot of money. I don't know these people from Adam & have no idea where they are.
To cut a long story short, there were 2 messages on my home answer phone this week from a debt-collecting firm, asking for the previous tenants & demanding that I ring them before 8 pm that night. I'd deleted the messages, assuming they were a wrong number which we get lots of, before I realised who they were for. I'm horrified; the only way they could have got hold of my home number is if someone from my landlord's business gave it to them - needless to say, he denies this - and who's to say whether they've got my address too, and what they are going to do?
What to do? I don't owe anybody anything, and I'm running the business on a wing & a prayer - can't afford lawyers. I'm scared I'm going to have bailiffs barging into my shop & grabbing my stock, or worse still turning up at my home. I'm also scared that if they have my home address, they'll be trying to get CCJs - this happened before when a friend's marriage broke up & her ex didn't pay his bills - they came after her & her last known address in this country was staying with us for two nights - enough for some debt collectors to assume it was our problem, but her lawyer sorted them out for us in the end. This is NOTHING to do with us at all - how can I find out what's going on & prove that it isn't?

Horace

Ask the debt collectors to prove that the debt is yours - they won't be able to because you don't owe anything and this is to do with the previous tenant.

If you are a member of the FSB then ask their legal helpline, if you are not a member then do you have any legal stuff attached to any insurance that you have so that you can ring a legal helpline?

SailorSam

They've just been talking on Radio 4 Moneybox about getting letters for a previous tenant and bailiffs turning up at your door. Try to see can you listen to the advice on there on playback.

paddyrg

It isn't your debt, you do not have to pay it. Advise the debt collection company accordingly, and maybe give them any contact details you have for the former tenants who have left you in this position? In your letter, also advise them that it is not ok to hassle you at home over somebody else's alleged debt.

DCA's are generally pretty stupid from experience, so spell it out for them.

thriftwizard

Thanks, everyone. My insurance does include legal protection, Horace, so that's a relief. SailorSam, I will try to track that down now. Paddyrg, I do not have any contact details at all to pass on; I suspect my landlord does but simply won't pass them on (I think he was/is quite friendly with them) though it appears that he or one of his staff has happily passed my details onto them instead! Going by our experiences from the time when my friend left, I would expect the DCA, whose details I do not have anyway, just to say something like, "They all say it's nothing to do with them, love..." wearily and just carry on with whatever it is they're doing.

paddyrg

The burden of proof is on the DCA - if they try to take your stuff without your permission, it is theft, call the police to deal with the shoplifters. Only bailiffs (NOT debt collectors - legally very different and bailiffs are appointed by the courts only) can seize your stuff on behalf of the courts, and then only under very particular circumstances.

In short, don't fret!