Debt Collectors Coming After Person Who No Longer Lives Here

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  • RG2015
    RG2015 Posts: 5,905 Forumite
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    A4445 wrote: »
    Be warned, you can be fined up to £1000 for opening mail not addressed to yourself!:(
    Not sure about this and as you haven't included any information on the provenance for this I Googled it and got an MSE thread from 2011 with 4 pages of comments on opening letters!

    I have posted a link to this below. A read a few of the posts on page 1 and then got bored. :)

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2996652#topofpage
  • Indebted2U
    Indebted2U Posts: 182 Forumite
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    Hi Pete

    Although annoying don!!!8217;t worry to much about this. Step change a debt charity has some good advice on the law regarding this problem and what you can do.
    https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/your-rights/debts-not-in-my-name.aspx
  • A4445
    A4445 Posts: 1,103 Forumite
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    I stand corrected lol.

    Im sure tho its some where in the Postal Services Act 2000, its a massive document to loook through!
  • chattychappy
    chattychappy Posts: 7,302 Forumite
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    RG2015 wrote: »
    Not sure about this and as you haven't included any information on the provenance for this I Googled it and got an MSE thread from 2011 with 4 pages of comments on opening letters!

    I have posted a link to this below. A read a few of the posts on page 1 and then got bored. :)

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2996652#topofpage

    Or this one from 2012 where I quoted the relevant law at post 18 http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4307699
  • chattychappy
    chattychappy Posts: 7,302 Forumite
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    A4445 wrote: »
    I stand corrected lol.

    Im sure tho its some where in the Postal Services Act 2000, its a massive document to loook through!

    It is in there. Including an interpretation section which people don't read - hence the mythology!
  • nic_c
    nic_c Posts: 2,928 Forumite
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    If post is coming from the bank, then at the very least AB's credit file will show a bank account linked to your address, thus debt collectors etc will connect it to his other debts and send letters there.
    You can search contacts from return address, but TBH just open them and contact all creditors and inform he is no longer at the address. You don't have to confirm you have opened the letter, but a bit effort now is surely worth it.
  • Shakin_Steve
    Shakin_Steve Posts: 2,701 Forumite
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    Mail that drops through my letterbox gets opened........unless I have an agreement with a previous occupier or a neighbour. My letterbox, my mail. :D
    I came into this world with nothing and I've got most of it left.
  • petesmile
    petesmile Posts: 16 Forumite
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    I've diligently been sending back letter after letter, month after month for 18 months now. My arm hurts from writing "Return to sender - not at this address".

    Yet even the receivers of the return mail take no heed. I know, as I keep receiving the same header addresses in their recognizable envelopes, etc.
  • Krisko
    Krisko Posts: 61 Forumite
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    petesmile wrote: »
    I've diligently been sending back letter after letter, month after month for 18 months now. My arm hurts from writing "Return to sender - not at this address".

    Yet even the receivers of the return mail take no heed. I know, as I keep receiving the same header addresses in their recognizable envelopes, etc.

    Stop worrying about it and throw the letters not addressed to you away with the other junk mail. No need to bother opening them.

    I think it's very unlikely that someone will show up on your door, but if someone do just let them know that the person they're looking for isn't living there anymore.
  • chattychappy
    chattychappy Posts: 7,302 Forumite
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    I've opened debt-chasing mail and called the company from time-to-time. Generally I've found they stop sending them. In some cases people have used my address for fraud and I really don't like them getting away with it.
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