Still getting letters for previous owners

evoke

2.5 years on, i'm still getting letters for the previous owners. It's not a huge deal, just an annoyance. I know they are being chased by banks and debt collection companies.

The letters are usually marked Private & Confidential so I don't open them. I just write 'Not known at this address - return to sender' in big letters on the front of the envelope and post them back.

The problem is that i've been doing this for 2.5 years now! I don't know if they are getting back to the sender and, if they are, the sender is updating their details.

Would it right for me to start opening these letters and phoning the companies in question to have them update their records and stop sending letters addressed to the previous owners to my home address?

Southend1

Just put them in the bin

fothers365

I still get the odd similar letter to you and we have been here 9 years now!

I generally just mark on them that they have moved and how long ago. I have the odd strop and write that any more received from them will just go in the bin next time.

BitterAndTwisted

Opening the letters and phoning the companies concerned will not have any effect if they are from debt collectors. This is the way a lot of debtors try and put their creditors off the scent, so they will take no notice. If you truly want the mail to stop arriving I would suggest that you WRITE to them giving their conveyancing solicitor's address if you don't know where they have moved to. Or start putting them in the bin and wait for debt collectors to turn up on your doorstep.

benjus

Personally I'd just keep doing what you're already doing. As things stand, the banks/debt collectors don't have contact with anyone, and don't seem to be too bothered about enforcing any debts. If you get in contact you're just risking them pestering you for contact details for the previous owners.

You could try writing a note asking them to update their records, and post it together with the unopened envelope inside a new envelope; this might have marginally more effect than just returning them with "Not at this address", but obviously at a small cost to you.

pinkteapot

Same thing with the previous owners of our house - all sorts of debt issues. We open the letters and phone the companies and it's always worked for us. No more letters from the same company/agency.

We ask if they want the letter returned and they usually say no, just destroy it, which we do.

They do normally ask if we've got a forwarding address for the previous owners and we say no (which is the truth). Just be firm and say that you bought the house on X date.

The one that annoyed me most was the previous owner's accountant. Owner had their own ltd company which I'm guessing went under. Registered address was at the accountant's. Their accountant still forwards debt collection agency letters they've received to our address, even though I've phoned them and written to them several times to say that their client has moved!

DRP

*puts tin-foil hat on*

Not that any of the responsibility will fall onto yourselves... but I don't suppose there's any chance/danger/risk that the ex-residents are still using your address to build up debt?

ps. 9 years in our house and our avalanche of crap has reduced down to an alumni catalogue from leicester uni and a 'save the dolphins' brochure that we receive about once a year...

clark24

We are currently not only getting 'pay up or else' letters for the previous occupants of our new home but also bailiffs and police.......

Post goes back to sender and people are shown paperwork proving a) we are not them and b) they are not here...

We also helpfully give their new address and tell them to spread the word!

Getting tired of it now tho

quidsy

I had similar except I had been in the address for years when all of a sudden wonga & various other credit products letters started dropping through my door to some unknown person. I just opened each one then called the firms & said, "OH, sorry, I opened this by mistake thinking it was for me, but wanted to tell you that this person doesn't & has never lived here I think they are trying to cheat you, please remove my address from your files"

Worked with every single one. The letters stopped & I never heard about it again.

evoke

I might just open them and call the companies as it is getting tiring. Would I be committing an offence if I did so?

thesaint

evoke wrote: »

I might just open them and call the companies as it is getting tiring. Would I be committing an offence if I did so?

No.

If I notice I continually get the same letters despite returning the letters to sender, then this is what I do.
Phone them(get the name of the person you speak to), and ask them to stop sending the letters there.