Help with Rossendales?

coldgravy

Hi All,

Yesterday morning I was contacted by Rossendales asking for an ex-housemate of mine. Obviously they did the whole "we can't confirm who we are until we know who you are" spiel that I have read is common practice for them.

I told them i didnt have time for this as I was about to leave for work so hung up. Later on I called back asking what it was about, that I had read about their company and could be 100% certain I didn't owe any money..

I foolishly told them my name which I confirmed on the phone. They continued to press me for more details i.e. address etc at which point i said I didn't want to give any more details as I couldn't trust them and they hung up.

I have continued to get a couple of calls and texts from them since that happened.

I have been in contact via the contact us form with my local council about whether or not there was any unpaid council tax in the dates I lived with the housemate Rossendales were asking for.. am waiting for a reply...

I know we paid council tax correctly on time every month so am sure I don't owe a thing.. although my housemates continued to live on in that house after I had moved out (though I will have been taken off the tenancy)

I will continue to ignore all contact from Rossendales, and see this going one of two ways:

Either the council gets back to me and says there is outstanding debt - which I am happy to pay if that is the case, but would rather pay the council themselves

Or they say that nothing is owed - in which case how do I deal with Rossendales?

I know I'm jumping on this a bit early (maybe?) but want to nip it in the bud before it gets to be a bigger issue.

Any help/advice would be amazing, thanks.

coldgravy

just to add some info:

When I gave my name I only gave my first name, which then they asked if my surname was ____ - which I answered "yes" to . So seems they already had both mine and the the housemates full name on their records..

MrsTinks

Check your credit files for any entries - all 3 of them.

If you're certain that the debt is not yours then send them the prove it letter and make clear they are not to contact you by phone again. You need to keep a written trail of evidence.

coldgravy

Thanks MrsTinks,

Do you think it's smart to wait to hear back from the council about whether we actually do owe anything or not? going to give them a call when I get chance.

How would I go about checking my credit files? all 3? (sorry not very experienced at all this!)

CIS

Council Tax won't show on a credit record so checking it would be of limited effect.

Only the council can confirm (and instruct the enforcement agent as required) exactly as to what has happened. Most cases like this tend to be because records were not updated correctly when a person moved out.

Craig

coldgravy

Thank you both very much.

I will wait for the council to reply to my enquiry, then ring up to double check ! fingers crossed all this is a misunderstanding as you have suggested CIS - otherwise I'll be back for advice on how to proceed.

Any more advice would be very welcome but I understand there's not much to be said at this stage.

sourcrates

coldgravy wrote: »

How would I go about checking my credit files? all 3? (sorry not very experienced at all this!)

Noddle - sign up via there website (free).

Experian - £2 statutory copy, again via there website.

Equifax - £2 statutory copy, or free via clearscore.

Rossendales also act as plain old debt collectors too, so it may not be about council tax.

coldgravy

sourcrates wrote: »

Rossendales also act as plain old debt collectors too, so it may not be about council tax.

Thank you Sourcrates, I'd be very surprised if this was anything besides council tax as it seems to be tied to the group of us living in the house. (I certainly don't have any credit cards / loans / outstanding bills from that house - if the housemate they were originally asking for had debts in these areas surely my name wouldn't be associated with this?)

The only thing I can think of which ties us all together is the council tax or the rent? (assuming it's all of us - they only named one other housemate, who happened to be the head tenant)

MrsTinks

CIS wrote: »

Council Tax won't show on a credit record so checking it would be of limited effect.

Yes but as the OP isn't sure what the debt is about it may not be Council Tax hence the credit files will be something that should be checked...

coldgravy

MrsTinks wrote: »

Yes but as the OP isn't sure what the debt is about it may not be Council Tax hence the credit files will be something that should be checked...

very good point - is there any way I can check what the supposed debt is without further communication with Rossendales? (seems like a stupid question now i've typed it out..)

CIS

Did any of the calls or texts mention if the debt was for a liability order or a ccj ?

Craig