Previous tenant has bad debts - should I be concerned?

leftieM

A debt collector called chasing the last tenants. Now I've noticed that some of the post that's arrived for these tenants appears to be from creditors also. Will this impact on my credit rating and, if so, is there anything I can do about it?
Thanks in advance.

Doozergirl

Doesn't impact on your credit rating.

In the sure knowledge that someone will know doubt start flaming me; open the post and call those agencies. Let them know that they have moved on and give them any info you might have on the last tenants.

It is not illegal to open post if you are not planning on trying to defraud people or whatever. It's also fairly obvious that the last tenants don't want the post anyway! It should also stop the people knocking on your door, which is just a horrible thing to deal with. From past experience with a few properties, I have not heard anything more once I've called the debt collectors and they have been perfectly polite when I have called them.

pickles110564

Doozergirl wrote: »

Doesn't impact on you.

In the sure knowledge that someone will know doubt start flaming me; open the post and call those agencies. Let them know that they have moved on and give them any info you might have on the last tenants.

It is not illegal to open post if you are not planning on trying to defraud people or whatever. It should also stop the people knocking on your door, which is just a horrible thing to deal with.

If I am trying to trace a tenant and then found them I might open their old mail so that I can point the debt collectors in the right direction.
It is great knowing that you have turned them in to face the music.:T

Captain_Mainwaring_2

Doozergirl wrote: »

Doesn't impact on your credit rating.

In the sure knowledge that someone will know doubt start flaming me; open the post and call those agencies. Let them know that they have moved on and give them any info you might have on the last tenants.

It is not illegal to open post if you are not planning on trying to defraud people or whatever. It's also fairly obvious that the last tenants don't want the post anyway! It should also stop the people knocking on your door, which is just a horrible thing to deal with. From past experience with a few properties, I have not heard anything more once I've called the debt collectors and they have been perfectly polite when I have called them.

Don't mess with the post - it is a serious offense. That said , it got torn in the letterbox.

You may NOT open post not belonging to you (least not unless you work for HMCR)

leftieM

It's good to know that we won't be affected credit-wise. I've passed the post on to the landlord, as he had requested. I suspect the previous tenant left owing him money.
How do people let themselves get in that kind of a mess? If you can't afford a BMW then don't buy one!

Doozergirl

Captain_Mainwaring wrote: »

Don't mess with the post - it is a serious offense. That said , it got torn in the letterbox.

You may NOT open post not belonging to you (least not unless you work for HMCR)

Yup, Flamed again.

You're wrong. It is not an offence unless you plan to commit an offence with that post. But whatever.

tbs624

Captain_Mainwaring wrote: »

Don't mess with the post - it is a serious offense. That said , it got torn in the letterbox.

You may NOT open post not belonging to you (least not unless you work for HMCR)

:rolleyes:
Agree with Doozer - CM may like to peruse this :

tbs624 wrote: »

Think it would depend on the interpretation of the term "reasonable excuse" :
Postal Services Act 2000, Section 84: Interfering with the mail: general

Section 84(1) provides for it to be an offence if persons intentionally delay or open postal packets without reasonable excuse. It amalgamates the content of offences previously included in the Post Office Act 1953.

Subsection (3) makes it an offence for a person, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, to open a postal packet which he knows or suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.

mlz1413

LeftieM don't return mail to LL anymore return it directly, as in put MOVED AWAY on the envelope and put back in a mail box.

BUT keep a note of who is writing to you, via the return address or even the franking mark. If they are still sending letters in 3 months time (they tend to do 6 week mailings in one go so expect more mail whilst they update the system).

But after 3 months you are within your rights to contact the credit agency direct (ie by opening letter and phoning them) and advise them with the ref numbers they quote that the person they want does not live there any more.

I am telling you to do this because I have now lived in my house 3 years and i returned mail for a year, then took to calling the companies in year 2, but I STILL receive mail from agencies and I am currently in the middle of a complaint to the CSA about Thames Credit as they keep sending mail regardless of my phone calls, emails and returned post.

Thing is the complaint wants me to state what action I have taken and on what dates - I have no idea because so many debt collection letters were received I never thought to keep a track of them!

I will add that most of the credit agencies stopped within the first year, but the debts do continuously get sold on, so it can become a never ending circle of letters.

melancholly

we've had a problem with letters coming to our address for someone who appears to be totally random (i'd been here over 3 years before they started arriving and have never heard of them). we returned things to the sender for 3 months or so and then gave up and openned the letters as we were getting sometimes 5 a week. they are being chased for a lot of money and debt collectors were threatened - i'm very glad we openned them.

i also spoke to consumer direct about it and they actually advised me to contact the company in writing telling them that the person is not here and that we do not know anything about them to give a forwarding address. i think it's fair to assume from that advice that it's fine to open the mail to contact them.

we've been told that they will continue to contact this imaginary person at our address until they get a different address to chase up - which is just ridiculous. we've now even had hand delivered letters..... so i've been advised to send a letter to the company telling them that if we receive any more letters/harrassment on the doorstep, we will be obtaining further legal advice. don't know if it'll work, but worth a try.

Captain_Mainwaring_2

tbs624 wrote: »

:rolleyes:
Agree with Doozer - CM may like to peruse this :

So, legal or not?
Post all, not just the bits you happen to like.

84 Interfering with the mail: general
(1) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, he—
(a) intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or
(b) intentionally opens a mail-bag.
(2) Subsections (2) to (5) of section 83 apply to subsection (1) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(3) A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.
(4) Subsections (2) and (3) of section 83 (so far as they relate to the opening of postal packets) apply to subsection (3) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (3) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.


I think you may find that until it is in the hands of the recipient, that it hasn't been delivered.

I ask again, is it legal or not to open the post received, remembering that if it isn't placed in the mailbox and returned to the agency as NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS then the letter may well be deemed to have been received and legal action taken based upon that?

Put it in black and white, is it legal to open the mail in this case?

Captain_Mainwaring_2

Doozergirl wrote: »

Yup, Flamed again.

You're wrong. It is not an offence unless you plan to commit an offence with that post. But whatever.

I didn't call you a halfwit for giving out wrong advice, I just pointed out that to mess with the post was a serious offense - I'd say that therefore you haven't been flamed. You're just wrong.