Can someone claim housing benefit with my address?

Esoog

RAS wrote: »

Post codes usually only cover 15-20 properties so I struggle to understand what you mean.

You could return to sender or ring the HMRC?

have you checked the electoral roll for your address and have you looked at your credit reference checks recently?

Post code as in partial, the first part. So in the right area so to speak (large area, nowhere near where I live)

I shall return this one to HMRC yes, I'm not ringing them, a 10 minute wait on the phone to speak to someone that is massively overworked and uninterested? No thanks!

MissMoneypenny

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

I hope your neighbours, if they get delivered your mail will open it up and read it.

Really?:(

If the mail is addressed to your property, then you should always open it. I've had a person try to get student finanace from the local council using my address. My neighbours have had warning letters for recent loans and now bad debts, for a person they have never heard of and they have lived at that address for 10 years.

It ceases to be mail, once it is posted through your door.

Of course ( I don't even know why I am bothering to say this but the above comment I have quoted makes me feel I ought to state the obvoius) if the postman has messed up and put something through your door that isn't for your property, then don't open it.

fluffymovie

This page from CAB says you aren't entitled to open someone else's post even if delivered to your own address

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/consumer_w/consumer_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_delivery_e/youre_receiving_someone_elses_mail.htm

NYM

Under the Postal Services Act 2000:

“A person commits an offence if he, without reasonable excuse, intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or intentionally opens a mail bag.”

“A person commits an offence if intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.”

This, in essence, means that if you deliberately intercept, throw away or open somebody else’s post you are likely to be breaking the law.

-and-

An individual who is intercepting or opening somebody else’s post will have to then act on it to show that they did indeed “intend to act to a person’s detriment”. This will often include the individual subsequently using the information they obtained from opening your mail e.g. opening somebody else’s mail, finding a credit card and then using it for themselves running up a debt on the credit card.


Firstly, I think you had a reasonable excuse and I'm quite sure you didn't intend to act to a person's detriment, did you ?

MissMoneypenny

fluffymovie wrote: »

This page from CAB says you aren't entitled to open someone else's post even if delivered to your own address

I always do it accidently.

Esoog

fluffymovie wrote: »

This page from CAB says you aren't entitled to open someone else's post even if delivered to your own address

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/consumer_w/consumer_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_delivery_e/youre_receiving_someone_elses_mail.htm

Please don't take this as a personal attack, however I did quite clearly paste the law several posts ago and stated how I had acted in the best intentions etc etc.

NYM

I've had post with my name and address, but the contents (Bank Statements) were certainly not for me. ( Not that the bank has been helpful about it...but that's a long winded saga !)

I've always opened mail that has been delivered to my address. Why should I have to check the name on the envelope before opening it ?

justlooking2012

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

They should say 'Do not redirect' - not 'do not return to sender'.

The DNR is an anti-fraud measure.

I hope your neighbours, if they get delivered your mail will open it up and read it.

You sound like a typical person who works for the council, high handed and rude. No wonder you are all so well respected

justlooking2012

nannytone wrote: »

i had something similar at my old address but it concerned car insurance ( i opened the letter by accident, as i assume the post that came through my doo was mine)
i telephoned the company and they told me not to worry and that it would be corrected.

but this happened several times with different insurance companies.

i havent managed to grasp where the scam is, but everyone knows where they live so giving an incorrect address cant be a mistake

Could be many things, They start a years insurance but only pay once so all subsequent letters asking for remainder of payment are sent to you.
The car is registered and insured at your address, so all parking fines etc are sent to your address.
There are so many advantages to registering a car at another address nowadays that it is hard to tell

enabledebra

If someone is claiming HB for an address they don't live at then they, or more likely someone else using their name, are committing fraud (with a few exceptions eg errors or failing to notify an address change) and you should contact the council asap. Don't worry about opening post - no one will be interested. And I usually open post that comes through my door without even reading the addressee.