Stop Debt collector's letters keep coming after debtor moved out

lenka

I bought my house three years ago and since then I am receiving weekly more than 20 letters from various debt collectors and courts for a person who allegedly lived here. Needless to say that even the Police was looking for him at my address and didn't believe me when I said that the person does not live here.

I tried everything but - "does not live here" or "not on this address" does not have any effect. At last, I seem to find a way how to eliminate the amount of correspondence send. It is through Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA 1998), particularly Principle 5 - the data collector must update, archive or securely delete info if it goes out of date.

Contact the data collector (the debt collecting company - if you do know who it is), explain the situation (if possible calmly) and request updating their records otherwise they will be breaching the DPA 1998.

I usually phone first and confirm my request by letter, which I take a pic on my phone before I throw it into post box. The letter should also ask for written confirmation that the records have been updated within 40 days.

If you don't know who the debt collector is, write on the front of the envelope "not in this address" and on the back write your DPA letter, date and sign it; take a picture and post it. Same rule as above apply.

If you don't receive any confirmation within the time or you receive another letter for the debtor you can report the debt collector to Information Commissioner's Office for breach of DPA 1998 and send them the evidence of your request.

(I am prohibited post urls as new user. type in address bar: ico dot org dot uk forward slashfordash organisations forward slash report dashadash breach forward slash) report a s55


I know it is a long shot but worth a try. It worked in my case and out of 33 companies only 5 is still sending letters. Mission continues...


Some details:

SC RETURNS, PO BOX 561, BRISTOL, BS34 9EU (return address)
= Fidelite credit management, 0141 212 8500
fidelitecm dot com forward slash contactdashus

PO BOX 189, Huddersfield, HD8 1DY (return address)
=Lowell financial Ltd, 0333 556 5711,
making complaint: 0800 542 00 58
lowelldotco dotuk
postal address: PO BOX 1411, Northampton, NN2 1BQ

PO BOX 8743, BELLSHILL, ML4 3WU (return address)
=MMF Debt purchase & Recovery specialists, 0113 887 6876
mmiledotcom
postal address: Protection House, 83 Bradford Road, Leeds, LS28 6AT


Hope that helps and good luck !



P.S.: if you happen to know any more contacts on any of other agencies, please post it in the comment so it is nicely in one place. Thank you.

GingerBob_3

Or better, shove the whole in the bin and do nothing. Anyone turns up on your doorstep, tell them to get the hell off your property.

boo_star

GingerBob wrote: »

Or better, shove the whole in the bin and do nothing. Anyone turns up on your doorstep, tell them to get the hell off your property.

Pretty much.

The problem with collecting debts is that if the debt collector just accepts "doesn't live here" as an answer then everyone would do it.

And then people like the OP aren't believed because "that's what a debtor would say."

It's really rather silly.

sourcrates

Ideally it's best not to get involved at all.

If it's not your name on the letters, then it ain't your problem.

If you once start conversing with these people, you get drawn into something that essentially, is nothing to do with you.

boo_star

sourcrates wrote: »

Ideally it's best not to get involved at all.

If it's not your name on the letters, then it ain't your problem.

If you once start conversing with these people, you get drawn into something that essentially, is nothing to do with you.

And then the letters continue.

It's really rather crazy but you are correct, bin them.

And if they use cellophane windows, bin that and recycle the rest.

Mary_Faerie

Thanks for this. Interesting and informative. I'm getting them every day at my new house. I don't want to be binning other people's mail... I just want to stop getting it!

Anthorn

It's relative to how much of an intrusion the debt letters are. Personally, I don't like receiving them anyway and if I ignore them I might have a debt collector on my doorstep which would be even more of an intrusion.

But I don't see why the rather extreme measure noted in the OP should be used. You just put in writing that you don't want them to send any more letters and you don't want them to phone you, or email you or text you. If the letters continue then the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is violated. However, personally I would complain to the debt collector's trade organisation which will most likely be quicker and largely free. You will most likely find the debt collecto'rs trade organisation on the collector's website or otherwise on correspondence they send to you. For example Fredrickson a division of Lowell is a member of the Credit Services Association.

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/1405/how-can-i-stop-debt-collectors-contacting-me.html

PixelPound

Good post. Surely contacting them is better as its more likely to get the letters to stop. If the debtors don't update addresses and you don't then letters will continue to come. Yes the debt is linked to person not property, so letters from court etc, shouldn't worry, but its peace of mind if its sorted.

Marktheshark

If they are franked with a barcode, put them back in the postbox with nothing written on them.
They soon get fed up of paying for them to be delivered again and again again.

fatbelly

Anthorn wrote: »

It's relative to how much of an intrusion the debt letters are. Personally, I don't like receiving them anyway and if I ignore them I might have a debt collector on my doorstep which would be even more of an intrusion.

But I don't see why the rather extreme measure noted in the OP should be used. You just put in writing that you don't want them to send any more letters and you don't want them to phone you, or email you or text you. If the letters continue then the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is violated. However, personally I would complain to the debt collector's trade organisation which will most likely be quicker and largely free. You will most likely find the debt collecto'rs trade organisation on the collector's website or otherwise on correspondence they send to you. For example Fredrickson a division of Lowell is a member of the Credit Services Association.

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/1405/how-can-i-stop-debt-collectors-contacting-me.html

US law and US websites are of no help in the UK.

Try FCA CONC guidelines

Anthorn

fatbelly wrote: »

US law and US websites are of no help in the UK.

Try FCA CONC guidelines

Oh yeah. Well spotted.