Neighbour's registered his Barclaycard to my house and not paid his bill...

MrVogon

Hello all,

I'd welcome a bit of advice on a situation that I've found myself in.

About 18 months ago, I received a Barclaycard statement with my Neighbour's son's name on it sent to my address. The son doesn't live at home with his parents so I handed it to them asking them to pass it on and also requested that he ensured he changed the address.

I was a little suspicious at the time because my partner and I had recently bought our house and I wondered if he was using our good credit scores to get the card. I know that credit scores aren't hold against addresses but maybe he doesn't know that or maybe there's more to credit scores that I don't know!

Anyway, I received further Barclaycard statements and returned them to sender with a note requesting they changed the address to 12 R---- Close rather than 14 R---- Close.

They kept coming so I opened one and gave Barclaycard a call, explained the situation and asked them to change the address.

All was OK (for about 12 months) until last week, when I received a letter, addressed to my neighbour's son, with a Barclaycard letter head but actually from Apex Credit Management who were acting on behalf of Barclaycard to collect a debt of £350.

I called Apex and explained the situation, I also then called Barclaycard who eventually listened to what I had to say but couldn't/wouldn't do anything about it. The conclusion to my conversation with Apex was that they would not be sending me any more letters and would send a demand to next door instead.

Annoyingly, I've received another letter from Apex today, demanding the debt be paid. I'm slightly concerned that I'm going to end up with Bailiffs knocking on my door, all because my Neighbour's son is using my address and the two organisations involved either don't believe me that the address is wrong or don't care enough to change the address and investigate who owes them money.

I've just called Apex again and returned their letters to sender with a note suggesting they try number 12.

I was hoping someone else might have been in this situation and could possibly give me some advice on what to do next if the letters keep coming!

Many thanks :-)

John.

marleyboy

Bailiffs cannot do anything as you are clearly not this neighbours Son and can easily prove it. I would not start opening letters addressed to someone not at my address, I would mark envelopes NOT AT THIS ADDRESS, there is no point working yourself up even more by reading them if they are not yours.

solentsusie

Send the letters back marked "return to sender not at this address". It is clearly not your debt and although the letters annoyingly are addressed incorrectly you really should not be opening them.

Or, perhaps hand the letters to his parents directly and tell them you would appreciate their son dealing with the matter as he has clearly given the wrong address. Might embarrass him into doing something, but then again he may not care.

Or put one of the unopened letters in with a written complaint to Barclays and see if anything is done about it.

Good luck.

stockton_2

MrVogon wrote: »

Hello all,

I'd welcome a bit of advice on a situation that I've found myself in.

About 18 months ago, I received a Barclaycard statement with my Neighbour's son's name on it sent to my address. The son doesn't live at home with his parents so I handed it to them asking them to pass it on and also requested that he ensured he changed the address.

I was a little suspicious at the time because my partner and I had recently bought our house and I wondered if he was using our good credit scores to get the card. I know that credit scores aren't hold against addresses but maybe he doesn't know that or maybe there's more to credit scores that I don't know!

Anyway, I received further Barclaycard statements and returned them to sender with a note requesting they changed the address to 12 R---- Close rather than 14 R---- Close.

They kept coming so I opened one and gave Barclaycard a call, explained the situation and asked them to change the address.

All was OK (for about 12 months) until last week, when I received a letter, addressed to my neighbour's son, with a Barclaycard letter head but actually from Apex Credit Management who were acting on behalf of Barclaycard to collect a debt of £350.

I called Apex and explained the situation, I also then called Barclaycard who eventually listened to what I had to say but couldn't/wouldn't do anything about it. The conclusion to my conversation with Apex was that they would not be sending me any more letters and would send a demand to next door instead.

Annoyingly, I've received another letter from Apex today, demanding the debt be paid. I'm slightly concerned that I'm going to end up with Bailiffs knocking on my door, all because my Neighbour's son is using my address and the two organisations involved either don't believe me that the address is wrong or don't care enough to change the address and investigate who owes them money.

I've just called Apex again and returned their letters to sender with a note suggesting they try number 12.

I was hoping someone else might have been in this situation and could possibly give me some advice on what to do next if the letters keep coming!

Many thanks :-)

John.

I had a problem where a major company supplying my gas/electricity started to put a different name on my dual fuel account. It took me a long time to get the matter resolved and then only by escalating the issue with higher management. It was not the fault of the person named on the account.

What I am suggesting is that Barclay-card may have incorrect information on their computer system.

If you do not have any proof that someone is deliberately using your name I would urge caution until you have taken up the matter with higher management. These huge corporations do make mistakes.

atolaas

You've done all you can and have made the relevant people aware of the issue. Do as marleyboy suggests and keep sending any mail back to the sender.

MrVogon

Thanks everyone for the advice - very handy. I shall heed it and simply send back the letters, unopened.

It's made a little more complicated by the fact that I don't want to fall out with my neighbours who are very decent people so I'd rather not embarrass them in any way.

You're right in saying that if the bailiffs do end up knocking on my door I'll be able to prove who I am.

All the best!

mozzy10

Twice I have had my correctly named and addressed credit card statement delivered to the wrong address - the householder put "not at this address" on the envelope and put them back in the post. Obviously they were returned to my bank.

My credit card was disabled and when I next used it I found it was blocked.
When I called customer services to find out why it was blocked they explained they had received my last bill "not at this address" and they were waiting for me to contact them with my new address. I obviously hadn't moved.
This was a VISA card from Lloyds TSB.

What I would suggest is you ring Barclycard and ask them what their policy is for "not at this address" mail.
Then I suggest you start writing "not at this address" on the mail.
Hopefully they will block the credit card.

I would also go ask this lad and his parents why you keep getting his mail.
How are you embarrassing them just for asking them to correctly address their mail?

solentsusie

mozzy10 wrote: »

Twice I have had my correctly named and addressed credit card statement delivered to the wrong address - the householder put "not at this address" on the envelope and put them back in the post. Obviously they were returned to my bank.

My credit card was disabled and when I next used it I found it was blocked.
When I called customer services to find out why it was blocked they explained they had received my last bill "not at this address" and they were waiting for me to contact them with my new address. I obviously hadn't moved.
This was a VISA card from Lloyds TSB.

What I would suggest is you ring Barclycard and ask them what their policy is for "not at this address" mail.
Then I suggest you start writing "not at this address" on the mail.
Hopefully they will block the credit card.

I would also go ask this lad and his parents why you keep getting his mail.
How are you embarrassing them just for asking them to correctly address their mail?

From the sounds of things it looks like his card has already been disabled as according to the original post a debt collection department is chasing the debt:

"All was OK (for about 12 months) until last week, when I received a letter, addressed to my neighbour's son, with a Barclaycard letter head but actually from Apex Credit Management who were acting on behalf of Barclaycard to collect a debt of £350."

At some point the son must have changed his address as he would have had to have his card delivered to an address he has access to so that he could have used it in the first place. Sounds like he is trying to avoid the debt. Perhaps he intended to have it sent to his parents address but accidentally put your house number. Or of course it could have been deliberate.

Keep returning the post unopened. You can also have a friendly word if you see him to make him aware of the situation.

DCFC79

No on else can use your credit score, they don't exist from a lenders pov as lenders use in house systems to determine if your accepted and what Apr they offer.

Agree with everyone else no need to feel embarrassed about pointing out the post has the wrong address on it.

pvt

mozzy10 wrote: »

Twice I have had my correctly named and addressed credit card statement delivered to the wrong address - the householder put "not at this address" on the envelope and put them back in the post. Obviously they were returned to my bank.

What you describe is a completely different situation to the OP's.

The householder who received your incorrectly delivered (not incorrectly addressed) letters should just have put them back into a pillar box without writing anything on them, or perhaps been a good citizen and delivered them to you. They were wrong writing "not at this address", and that is what caused Lloyds to understandably take the action they did.

solentsusie

MrVogon wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the advice - very handy. I shall heed it and simply send back the letters, unopened.

It's made a little more complicated by the fact that I don't want to fall out with my neighbours who are very decent people so I'd rather not embarrass them in any way.

You're right in saying that if the bailiffs do end up knocking on my door I'll be able to prove who I am.

All the best!

You don't have to embarrass them. Pointing out that you are receiving mail with the incorrect house number on that obviously belongs to their son is hardly embarrassing. They should actually thank you for it as you are making them aware there is a problem and being a good neighbour. If it wasn't someone chasing a debt then you would probably feel entirely differently about matter, and you only know that it is someone chasing for an unpaid bill as you have previously opened the post. You don't have to even indicate that you know what it is about, just tell them that you are receiving their son's post in error.