Tenant not forwarding mail leading to Debt Collection letters

silvercar

fairy_lights wrote: »

This doesn't make any sense - surely you knew you owed money? If the property is a newbuild and you've never lived there why would your post be sent there at all?

Only instances of this occurring I can recall is when the (inefficient) freeholders and/ or managing agents/ service charge admin people just assume that correspondence should go to the property.

If they aren't told otherwise, they assume. If you don't have contact details for them you can't notify them. So a vicious circle ensues.

Marvel1

Hayley_J_M wrote: »

Today my tenant gave me a handful of mail in which there were 2 letters from debt collection companies addressed to me for amounts I knew nothing about. Either the tenant has not been forwarding mail and bills in my name (from before the start of the tenancy) or the invoices never arrived. As this was a new build property I had not previously dealt with either of the companies that I owed money to. I'm sure this unfortunate sequence of events would have had a detrimental effect on my credit status despite it being out of my control and therefore I was wondering whether I have any rights to appeal any negative reports on my credit status? I also wonder what protection, if any, a landlord has if tenants fail to pass on mail? Indeed are tenants legally obliged to forward mail?

You are ucky the mail was given to you, myself would have wrote return to sender and back in post box.

mrginge

Hayley_J_M wrote: »

I also wonder what protection, if any, a landlord has if tenants fail to pass on mail? Indeed are tenants legally obliged to forward mail?

The tenants have broken the law and you can boot them out immediately.

Get round there, kick the door in and throw the scumbags out on the street.

I have done exactly this before and it is absolutely ok. I even kept their deposit to have the door fixed and when they complained I just went round to the guys work and slashed his tyres.

FBaby

I'm sure this unfortunate sequence of events would have had a detrimental effect on my credit status despite it being out of my control

What do you mean 'being out of your control'? Have you never heard of mail redirection? Or were you trying to save a few £££ and assumed your tenants owed you to forward your email.

Not only was it in your control but it is completely your own fault. Leave your tenant out of it.

csgohan4

is this a joke thread?

G_M

To be fair, OP may well have put Redirection in place. It is by no means 100% reliable. Or even 90%.

Perhaps he'll let us know.

unforeseen

G_M wrote: »

To be fair, OP may well have put Redirection in place. It is by no means 100% reliable. Or even 90%.

Perhaps he'll let us know.

My thoughts are that

Either the tenant has not been forwarding mail and bills in my name (from before the start of the tenancy) or the invoices never arrived.

implies that redirection was probably not used and OP was relying on the tenant.

kinger101

G_M wrote: »

To be fair, OP may well have put Redirection in place. It is by no means 100% reliable. Or even 90%.

Perhaps he'll let us know.

Indeed. I've been forward mail addressed to the current owners.

LittleMax

G_M wrote: »

To be fair, OP may well have put Redirection in place. It is by no means 100% reliable. Or even 90%.

Perhaps he'll let us know.

It is also time limited.

unforeseen

LittleMax wrote: »

It is also time limited.

Yes a maximum of two years. He hasn't worked things out in that time?

It seems strange to say that the tenant failed to forward mail from BEFORE the start of the tenancy.

Regardless, the tenant is under no obligation whatsoever to take any action when the letters arrive.