Debt collector letters for (presumably) previous residents

oncehadhair

We moved house a little over year ago. Since then we have had a constant stream of post for a variety of different names connected to the previous owners.  

I dutifully marked these as "not at this address" for months, but was getting suspicious about some of the more official looking ones and started opening them.  I have since spoken to 14 debt collection agencies keen to speak to the addressee. I suspect there are more. 

Most of the agencies have been very polite and helpful and promised to update their records. Some keep mailing though.

Do I need to be concerned about this?  My biggest worry is that someone ends up coming to the door looking for them when it is just my kids home. 

[Deleted User]

No. Just keep returning the post. The chance of a personal visit is very low and in that event, you would just evidence that you're not the person they're looking for.

oncehadhair

Thanks.  Great username btw. Loved the zx81.  I was drunkenly bidding on one on ebay not all that long ago. Had the idea of mounting it in a frame in my study! 

sourcrates

Just rinse and repeat, debts are associated with people, not addresses.

This issue crops up on here occasionally, you do not want to be opening other peoples post and speaking to the collectors, even though your intentions are good, most collectors will back off, but some less than reputable agencies are not bothered who actually pays, as long as someone does, if you start talking to them, they will know they have a "hit" and keep pestering you, whether you are the debtor or not.

One such poster did this a couple of years ago, i forget the specific details, but they had all kinds of trouble with collectors, coming to the house etc, all because they became involved with an issue that was non of their business.

Keep marking those letters "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS" eventually they will get the message.

oncehadhair

Good point. I hadn't really considered that.  I only started opening them when I realised it was the same people over and over. Seems like a daft way to do business

sourcrates

oncehadhair said:

Good point. I hadn't really considered that.  I only started opening them when I realised it was the same people over and over. Seems like a daft way to do business

The person the letters were meant for didn`t update his address, for obvious reasons, so as the only point of contact, they will keep bombarding it with letters until they get the message they no longer live there.

That poster managed to sort things out eventually, but had a heck of a job convincing them he was not the debtor, add the time it took, and the aggravation, its all best avoided, but he got himself involved, just by opening post meant for someone else.

So if it ain`t yours, don`t open it.