Cabot chasing me for debt that isn't mine

Loopslou

Hope this is the right place to post this. I live in rented accommodation and since I moved in have been receiving letters for I guess a previous Tennant. Anyway, after always returning to sender as marked "gone away" i started taking a note of what was coming in via any envelope markings. I noticed a few were repeats so decided to open a few letters that were continuing to come and start contacting the companies direct to advise that the person didn't live here anymore. Anyway the majority replied apologising and taking my address off their database but Cabot are refusing to, are adamant that the person in question is still living here and have now actually told me that I need to disprove their claims via the financial ombudsman that the person has moved out. Surely it shouldn't be up to me to disprove and what do they accept as proof? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Kitty777

Hello

I am no expert in this, so hopefully anyone will correct me if I am wrong.

As it isn't your debt - you do not need to prove anything. We have had debt collectors turn up at our house, and we have just said to them that we are not that person, and we do not wish to be contacted by them again. They have asked us if we know where they are, and we have just said no (how could we know lol?).

Could you maybe contact your landlord/landlady to let them know, and see if they know anything that has gone on? That is what we did, just to keep them in the picture.

I wouldn't worry too much - and don't speak to anymore creditors as it isn't your debt. Send old letters back with 'doesn't live here' or give to your landlord/lady.

Hope you get it sorted, best wishes.

Loopslou

Thanks for your reply. I'm my landlords first tenant so he doesn't have any details of previous tenants as he bought this house in December last year and it had been empty for a year. I'll continue to return the letters as not known at this address and hope that eventually they will stop. Was just concerned to receive the response from Cabot and be told that I had to prove that the person doesn't live here

FireWyrm

Write to Cabot reminding them that it is required that they prove the debtor is the correct person and that they live at your address. It is their responsibility to do so not yours to prove otherwise. Tell Cabot that you have informed them that the person they are chasing no longer lives at your address and that this should be the end of the matter. Any intrusive behaviour on their part such as door step visits will be treated as criminal harassment and will not be tolerated. Simply bin the letters for the other party and continue with your life. Nothing can be attributed to you but keep a weather eye on the situation just in case Cabot decide to get cute.