Former tenants' debts

Yorkie1974

We bought a house in May this year, and have regularly been receiving post for the former tenants. We've reposted dozens with 'return to sender' and 'no forwarding address', but recently, we've had a few that looked 'red' - and if they haven't said 'private and confidential', I have opened a few to find the details of the companies that has sent them to ask them to stop.


Two of the letters that came today were demands for payment, including one default notice.


I don't want someone else's debt linked to my address - we have spent the last decade getting rid of debt!


What can I do to ensure that these debts do not end up linked to my home? I can prove ownership and the date that we bought the house - there's even a publically accessible Rightmove record of the sale price from the Land Registry.


Any advice? I know that I shouldn't open the post, but returning it clearly isn't helping. EE and Littlewoods were the companies who sent letters today, and I've called EE at least twice to advise that the person named on the bill is no longer at this address, and as I also have my own EE account, they can see the date I changed my address to this one!

Annisele

In the UK, debts don't get linked to houses - only to people.

If you have the same name as the former tenants, things might be awkward for you. (And if by some cosmic joke you also share a data of birth with that tenant, you'll likely have to spend some time proving you're not them). Otherwise, just keep putting the envelopes back in the post as you've been doing.

You don't even have to return the letters to the senders - if you binned them all, you still wouldn't be liable for somebody else's debts - but I think I'd prefer to do something.

Marktheshark

We see no end of worry and trouble caused to people that open and interfere with mail not addressed to them.
Here you are, sat worrying about someone else's problem.

Take the letters outside to the bin and put them in, along with any others addressed to people that do not live at your house, do not open them, bin them.

Problem solved, worry solved, issue over.

boo_star

Once mail is delivered it isn't an offence to open it.

It's up to you whether you want to deal with the debt collectors, they probably won't believe you're not the debtor anyway.

I'd just bin them, even if they sent bailiffs around you can just tell them to !!!!!! off.

DCFC79

Debts arent linked to addresses so thats that idea put to bed.

Opening other peoples post is fine, its what you intend to do with it eg you have a debit card and pin for Joe Bloggs and you use it fraudulently, thats what will get you in trouble but opening post to see who its from isn't what wiĺl get you into trouble.

worried_jim

Just put them in the bin and have a nice life.

boo_star

DCFC79 wrote: »

Debts arent linked to addresses so thats that idea put to bed.

Opening other peoples post is fine, its what you intend to do with it eg you have a debit card and pin for Joe Bloggs and you use it fraudulently, thats what will get you in trouble but opening post to see who its from isn't what wiĺl get you into trouble.

Being a bit pedantic here but "what you intend to do with it" is not an offence, it's what you actually do with it.

And you can open mail once it's been delivered, it's the interception of mail (in the mail system) that is an offence.

MEM62

As advised - no action required. Debts are not linked to addresses and this will have no impact on your credit standing.

plasticcheese

We had the same issue for years and no bailiff ever showed up. What was more annoying was that we took over their phone number so got all sorts of calls about it!

Yorkie1974

Thanks everyone - that is reassuring! I've managed to track down their new address, so will stick a redirection sticker on anything from now on (and passed it on to the two that I know about).