Previous owner still using our address for banking

FlyMeSomewhere79

Hi all

This a bit of unusual one but I'm looking for anyone who has had the same experience or knows what the bank may do to stop it.

We moved into our current property on March 4th last year, the people we bought it from couldn't find a house they liked so went in to some temporary rented accommodation somewhere. They've failed to change address on a number of things, hospital and doctors letters regarding their son which I had to sort out as they were registered to the same surgery as me, missed speeding tickets and threats of warrants of arrest because of it and other things.

The thing that bothers me most is that they have active bank accounts still using our address! They have Santander bank accounts and we gave mortgage with Santander and all using the same address! It just doesn't sit right with me as what they default on something, get into financial problems, go on online banking apply for credit cards or loans etc and it's all tied to our address.

I have taken this up with Santander but the problem is because of data protection they won't tell me what they are actually going to do about it. It's over 12 months now, this doesn't feel right and I wouldn't dream of using my old address for banking still at this point!

born_again

Just send letters back as not known at this address. This will prompt them to make them a gone away.

It is no point you talking to the bank, as you could be anyone wanting to cause problems for their customer.

Address is not tied to credit profile.

FlyMeSomewhere79

born_again said:

Just send letters back as not known at this address. This will prompt them to make them a gone away.

It is no point you talking to the bank, as you could be anyone wanting to cause problems for their customer.

Address is not tied to credit profile.

Thankfully I have a mortgage with the same bank so I gave them proof of who I was and that I live here.

But it they got into debt to the bank and the bank had to send bailiffs out, I need to know they ain't turning up here! Hopefully none of that will happen but it's just weird that they haven't changed addresses on quite important things after all this time. 

PRAISETHESUN

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

born_again said:

Just send letters back as not known at this address. This will prompt them to make them a gone away.

It is no point you talking to the bank, as you could be anyone wanting to cause problems for their customer.

Address is not tied to credit profile.

Thankfully I have a mortgage with the same bank so I gave them proof of who I was and that I live here.

But it they got into debt to the bank and the bank had to send bailiffs out, I need to know they ain't turning up here! Hopefully none of that will happen but it's just weird that they haven't changed addresses on quite important things after all this time. 

Debt is tied to people, not addresses. There isn't really anything you can do to stop the bailiffs turning up at your address if they want to. They might try to trace the debtor but if they have no luck, then they can use the last known address as the enforcement address.

All you can do is return the mail to sender. If/when debt collectors get involved then you'll probably get several letters before action addressed to the previous occupant before bailiffs show up, giving you some time to tell the debt collectors to naff off if you so desire. Otherwise, if/when they do show up, just show them some ID to demonstrate you are not the person they are after and they will go away.

born_again

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

born_again said:

Just send letters back as not known at this address. This will prompt them to make them a gone away.

It is no point you talking to the bank, as you could be anyone wanting to cause problems for their customer.

Address is not tied to credit profile.

Thankfully I have a mortgage with the same bank so I gave them proof of who I was and that I live here.

But it they got into debt to the bank and the bank had to send bailiffs out, I need to know they ain't turning up here! Hopefully none of that will happen but it's just weird that they haven't changed addresses on quite important things after all this time. 

Bank can't just send out bailiff's out. It would have to go to court 1st.

You will be surprised just how many people fail to update banks etc with their address & phone details. Then wonder why they do not get messages or new cards sent out to them..

Just keep sending any letters addressed to them back to sender. Should anyone turn up (highly unlikely), just explain the situation & they will go away.

Section62

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

born_again said:

Just send letters back as not known at this address. This will prompt them to make them a gone away.

It is no point you talking to the bank, as you could be anyone wanting to cause problems for their customer.

Address is not tied to credit profile.

Thankfully I have a mortgage with the same bank so I gave them proof of who I was and that I live here.

But it they got into debt to the bank and the bank had to send bailiffs out, I need to know they ain't turning up here! Hopefully none of that will happen but it's just weird that they haven't changed addresses on quite important things after all this time. 

Probably didn't want to change address with Santander and have post going to two different addresses they no longer live at when then move on again.

Another scenario I've had some personal dealings with is if the person moves away from the UK... in most cases they need a UK address otherwise the bank closes the account(s).  So they set everything they can to paperless and risk a few items of mail going to an address they no longer live at.

lr1277

I kept getting letters for a previous owner who had moved out 5 years previously. Based on the address at the back of the envelope I think the letters were from a grant awarding body.

Anyway fed up of this, on one letter that was big enough, I did return to sender. Also on the reverse I wrote something to the effect of:

This addressee moved out in 2011. This property has had new owners since April 2011. The addressee has no connection with this address.

Well something like that. Anywas the letters from this particular organisation stopped after that.

luckbox

Lots of people choose not to update addresses when they move home. No legislation enforces people to keep up to date addresses so little can be done. You aren’t on you own with this problem sadly

DullGreyGuy

Cross out the address, write next to it:

Return to Sender
Addressee gone away

Pop it back into a postbox, no need to add postage. For proper letters like statements etc it will trigger their tracing processes, may take a couple of letters to do so though. For marketing materials it can take much longer though as sometimes these are done many months in advance. 

Hoenir

Encountered this many moons ago. The previous owners went AWOL.  Even had the local paper shop owner knocking on the door to collect an unpaid bill. Spent over a year returning letters etc until eventually they finally did stop. 

Section62

DullGreyGuy said:

Cross out the address, write next to it:

Return to Sender
Addressee gone away

Pop it back into a postbox, no need to add postage. For proper letters like statements etc it will trigger their tracing processes, may take a couple of letters to do so though. For marketing materials it can take much longer though as sometimes these are done many months in advance. 

I found it was about two years with Lloyds, around the same with Barclays.