Fraudulent Use of Address

Dingledell

My elderly parents, (88 and 90 and not in the best of health), have owned the same house for over 50 years. Over the winter they had to temporarily move out for major building works to be carried out. During this time two men have registered their cars at the address and run up thousands of £'s of Debt, (London charges, Tunnel/Bridge Tolls. My parents have received numerous letters, and I've phoned numerous Debt Collection Agencies. We've contacted Action Fraud, and the DVLA, (both cars are now no longer registered) and I'm fairly certain that one of these men worked for a Sub Contractor, because it's an unusual name, although he denies it). They have even had a Debt Collector visit their address. I think these Debt Lists keep getting sold on. Has anyone any idea how to get this stopped?

DE_612183

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

CliveOfIndia

DE_612183 said:

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

^^^ This.

Dingledell said:

 and run up thousands of £'s of Debt

If you're at all worried about the debt aspect of this, then don't be.  Debt is associated with a person, not an address - and there's no such thing as an "address blacklist".

I can understand that it must be worrying for your parents, but there's really nothing for them to worry about, nothing bad is going to happen to them.  Just pop any letters straight back into the postbox with "Not known at this address" written on the front, and forget about it.  The creditors will (if they can be bothered) then do some further investigation to find out where the debtors are really living, and go after them.  Or they might not bother.  Either way, it's of no concern to your parents.

Dingledell said:

They have even had a Debt Collector visit their address.

Depends what you mean by "debt collector", but the only people who have any sort of power whatsoever are genuine bailiffs appointed by a court.  Even then, they have strict codes of conduct to follow, and they wouldn't be instructed to attend a property unless the court was totally satisfied that the debtor really lived there.

If they're some sort of private debt collectors trying to intimidate your parents, you have no requirement to let them enter the property, they're not allowed to force entry, and you just tell them to go away.  If they refuse, you call the police.

lincroft1710

DE_612183 said:

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

This will not always convince debt collectors as dishonest addressees often use this trick.


From previous threads on this subject, it can take months for debt collection letters to stop

DE_612183

lincroft1710 said:

DE_612183 said:

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

This will not always convince debt collectors as dishonest addressees often use this trick.


From previous threads on this subject, it can take months for debt collection letters to stop

The problem is that Royal Mail deliver to addresses not people - so there is not really any other option apart from contacting the debt collectors directly...

Dingledell

Tried sending the letters back for months, they just keep coming. This has been going on since December 2024. Debt Collector was a 'big bloke with a Hand Delivered Letter/Summons'.  I want to stop anyone knocking on their door about these Debts, as they are frail and elderly and it worries them

DE_612183

The debt collector is paid on commission so doesn't care who pays if he can some some money then fine.

He would not have had a summons - only a court can deliver that ( and then they can only deliver it to the named individual )

You could stick a note on your front door saying "Bloke X and Bloke Y - do not have never lived at this address - any callers for these individuals will result in a report of harassment to the police" ( not sure if it's true but it may put some of them off ).

Grumpy_chap

DE_612183 said:

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

^^^This^^^

DE_612183 said:

contacting the debt collectors directly...

^^^Don't do this^^^

lincroft1710

Write to the debt collectors explain the debtors do not live at that address and if they check the Electoral Register they will see who does actually live there. Although not everyone is on the Electoral Register so it is not 100% foolproof.


It is very difficult to stop people knocking on your parents' door without perhaps taking out an injunction against the debt collectors, which will probably be costly.

powerful_Rogue

Grumpy_chap said:

DE_612183 said:

just return any letters as "not known at this address"

^^^This^^^

DE_612183 said:

contacting the debt collectors directly...

^^^Don't do this^^^

Why not? Easiest solution to try and solve the issue.

tealady

If they own their property you can set up free alerts with land registry. Follow the links via gov.uk
They can open letters sent to their address, it's only an offence to do this if people try to benefit from this.