Can ex-tenant’s credit problems affect the sale of my property?

VinceWear

Hi,

I hope I’m posting on the correct board here.

I’m currently in the process of preparing my flat for sale, and am getting very concerned about letters being sent to my address for a tenant who moved out in March (nearly seven months ago). So far I’ve seen a couple of letters for the local magistrate’s court (I’ve returned these and called them with his new address), a couple from the DVLA which I assumed to be tax reminders so again wrote to them with his new address. Furthermore I’ve had a card dropped through my letterbox by a calling bailiff, who I also gave ex-tenant’s new address to. I did forward all of his letters to him for three months at my expense, but after the letters kept coming I decided to send them back myself.
Anyway, that hopefully gives an impression of my perceived state of his credit. The letters of particular concern are coming from (or rather, have a return address of) a ‘Data Services Centre, Department E’ in Doncaster. Despite the fact that I have written to them several (at least five) times with his new (and correct to the best of my knowledge) address, they continue to write regularly, and by what I can make out through the transparent window have the word ‘Warrant’ on a red background.
As I’m getting ready to sell my flat, I’m getting increasingly worried about these red letters being present when people come to view the property. Nor do I wish to leave future owners of the flat with the prospect of having bailiffs knocking at their door.
Have tried Google/BT for any ‘phone number for this Data Services Centre, to no avail.

Does anyone know how I can get in touch with this company?

Can this situation cause problems with my flat sale?

Is there any such thing as a central database that these companies refer to for his current address that I can contact directly?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Vince

VinceWear

Hi,

After a look on the experian website's 'Ask Jill' section:

http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/index.html

it appears they advise you to register the surname of the past occupier with the Mail Preference Service:

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/

Hopefully that'll sort out the mail issue.

Vince

Safie2

Contact details for Data Services, Dept E are as follows:
Telephone: 0870 5581581 (8 am - 8 pm) eves are best to ring
email: [EMAIL="info@equita.co.uk"]info@equita.co.uk[/EMAIL]
Address: 42-44 Henry Street, Northampton, NN1 4BZ
Had similar nightmarish problems. Good luck. Hope you manage to solve it.

BitterAndTwisted

Why so you feel it necessary or useful to reply to an enquiry made OVER FIVE YEARS AGO?

G_M

You are worrying about nothing. This is not your problem, and of no relevance to the property. Debts belong to PEOPLE, not properties.

Mark all letters "moved away - RTS", put back in the postbox, and forget them. If a bailiff comes to the door, tell him/her your name and show some ID. He is not interested in YOU.

oops - just realised what Bitter means. Yup, bit out of date. I withdraw my advice as the OP is unlikely to read it!

DVardysShadow

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Why so you feel it necessary or useful to reply to an enquiry made OVER FIVE YEARS AGO?

In this particular case, it could be useful. Obviously safie has also had a problem involving the Dept E people, has searched and found this thread and has been good enough to come back with an answer for anyone else who digs up the thread because they too have the same issue.