Keep getting landlords mail (several different names)

MaryNB

Countrysider said:

After 3 years living in my current place I am still getting debt collection letters for previous tenants. I diligently return all mail to sender and yet letters with the same return address keep coming. I've told the housing association and they just say keep returning the mail.

Bailiff's turned up once and demanded to see my ID to prove i wasn't the tenant. It's annoying to have to prove my innocence when someone comes knocking at the door. I highly suspect the previous tenant didn't bother to change their credit card / car finance address as we seem to get new letters every now and then (Ford finance, Aqua CC, etc). Bad system but can't see it changing. It's in the finance/debt company's interest to ignore returned mail. 

When I was living in a house share we got loads of debit collection letters for a previous tenant. There were so many I contacted some of the companies she owed the debt to (not the debt collectors themselves) to let them know she didn't live there anymore. I was worried about bailiffs turning up. The companies were sympathetic but said they were legally obliged to send the letters to her last known address. Also sending a letter back to sender is not evidence that someone has moved out, the debtor could easily be doing it. 

SpiderLegs

Just read it and then shred it.

Marvel1

I would simply write "Return to sender, not known at this address" and post in the post box.