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Potential fraud issue with previous owner?

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CarbonImage
CarbonImage Posts: 90 Forumite
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in House buying, renting & selling
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, I've searched through and it seemed the most appropriate to post this in here.

When we moved into our new house, we started receiving an incredible amount of post for someone we'd never heard of. As it turned out the previous owner was renting the property out for a while before he sold it to us (we'd been told it had been vacant since his dad died, and when we viewed it was totally empty with no signs of life).

We ignored it for a while or marked 'return to sender' as we had no forwarding address, but we were getting so much (up to 10 letters a day) I decided to open a couple to see what they were. It turns out that the previous occupant was registering companies to the address, and all of the letters were from Companies House, HMRC, and some accounting firms looking for business.

I spoke to HMRC and they advised to 'just ignore it and destroy the letters' which didn't sit easily with me, so I lodged a case with the fraud prevention hotline. They said there was nothing they could do but they gave me a case number for my records anyway.

This was 6 months ago, and we're still receiving post every day. A check of Companies House currently shows 40 companies which either are registered to my address or have been in the past 6 months.

Is there anything I can or should be doing about this? Can it affect my credit rating, or could I even be pursued by bailiffs?

I've tried to put it to the back of my mind but it is a bit of a niggling worry that one day there's going to be a knock at my door.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/help.
«13

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  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    Is there anything in the mail to suggest the companies were actually trading and/or had debts? It's not going to affect your credit rating anyway.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,323 Forumite
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    I'd advise you to keep some kind of proof of having purchased the property and proof of who you are in a file you can pull out easily, just in case. Then even if bailiffs/sheriffs do call, they can do nothing.

    But that's the worst case scenario. It sounds like you have done all you can.
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,470 Forumite
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    Debt etc relates to individuals (not you!), not a property. You cannot be pursued for any of it. Do as deannatrois suggests.


    Keep returning mail, but with 'not known at this address - return to sender' on.
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    It would be worth registering for a property alert if you've got fraudsters using your address, just in case they get more adventurous and try to remortgage the property - https://propertyalert.landregistry.gov.uk/
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 9,985 Forumite
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    Have they been registered to your address after you moved into it? If so I'd pursue this further with companies house. I'd be pretty peed off if it was me, there's no reason you should put up with a tide of fraudulent letters keep coming through your door.
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    Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%

  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    Slinky wrote: »
    Have they been registered to your address after you moved into it? If so I'd pursue this further with companies house. I'd be pretty peed off if it was me, there's no reason you should put up with a tide of fraudulent letters keep coming through your door.

    Having been told that this address was being used fraudulently you'd think that Companies House would put an alert on it and challenge anyone who tries to register a company there. :(
  • CarbonImage
    CarbonImage Posts: 90 Forumite
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    hazyjo wrote: »
    Debt etc relates to individuals (not you!), not a property. You cannot be pursued for any of it. Do as deannatrois suggests.


    Keep returning mail, but with 'not known at this address - return to sender' on.
    Thanks, all my mortgage and ID docs are easily accessible at home, and that is what I was doing up until January when I got fed up of going to the post box every other day. I'll start doing that again.
    Mojisola wrote: »
    It would be worth registering for a property alert if you've got fraudsters using your address, just in case they get more adventurous and try to remortgage the property - https://propertyalert.landregistry.gov.uk/

    Brilliant, didn't know that service existed. I've just registered for an account.
    Slinky wrote: »
    Have they been registered to your address after you moved into it? If so I'd pursue this further with companies house. I'd be pretty peed off if it was me, there's no reason you should put up with a tide of fraudulent letters keep coming through your door.

    Yes, most of the letters are for new companies being registered. Interestingly some of the older companies addresses have been changed, but new ones are being registered at my address every week.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,813 Forumite
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    Have you looked to see who the directors are if these new companies?

    It sounds like they set up companies and then sell them on to people 'ready made'. There are companies that do that. The new owner then changes the address to their own legitimately.

    It's weird using your address, but it's not fraudulent unless they do something fraudulent. I wonder why they use your address?!
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 9,985 Forumite
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    CarbonImage wrote: »
    Thanks, all my mortgage and ID docs are easily accessible at home, and that is what I was doing up until January when I got fed up of going to the post box every other day. I'll start doing that again.



    Brilliant, didn't know that service existed. I've just registered for an account.



    Yes, most of the letters are for new companies being registered. Interestingly some of the older companies addresses have been changed, but new ones are being registered at my address every week.

    Then I'd take this up with companies house and wouldn't let them fob me off. If they dont' take it seriously, try contacting your local MP.
    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific to 29/2/24 £184.97, Chase Interest £11.88, Chase roundup interest £0.18, Chase CB £16.96, Roadkill £1.10, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £6.30 to 31/1/24, Topcashback £4.64, Shopmium £3
    Total £279.03/£2024  13.8%

    Make £2023 in 2023
    Water sewerage refund: £170.62,Topcashback: £243.47, Prolific: to 31/12/23 £975, Haggling: £45, Wombling(Roadkill): £6.04,  Chase CB £149.34, Chase roundup interest £1.35, WeBuyBooks:£8.37, Misc sales: £406.59, Delay repay £22, Amazon refund £3.41, EDF Smart Meter incentive £100, Santander Edge Cashback-Fees: £25.14, Octopus Reward £50, Bank transfer incentives £400
    Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%

  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 9,985 Forumite
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    Doozergirl wrote: »
    It's weird using your address, but it's not fraudulent unless they do something fraudulent. I wonder why they use your address?!

    Because they don't want a tide of letters coming to their address?!

    Seeing it's easy and cheap enough to set up a company yourself online (mine was under £30 a few years ago), I don't understand why anybody buys 'off the shelf' companies anymore, unless it's to hide something. Afterall if you don't change the shelf address to your's, any trouble arising can head off in somebody else's direction. In this case, the OP.
    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific to 29/2/24 £184.97, Chase Interest £11.88, Chase roundup interest £0.18, Chase CB £16.96, Roadkill £1.10, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £6.30 to 31/1/24, Topcashback £4.64, Shopmium £3
    Total £279.03/£2024  13.8%

    Make £2023 in 2023
    Water sewerage refund: £170.62,Topcashback: £243.47, Prolific: to 31/12/23 £975, Haggling: £45, Wombling(Roadkill): £6.04,  Chase CB £149.34, Chase roundup interest £1.35, WeBuyBooks:£8.37, Misc sales: £406.59, Delay repay £22, Amazon refund £3.41, EDF Smart Meter incentive £100, Santander Edge Cashback-Fees: £25.14, Octopus Reward £50, Bank transfer incentives £400
    Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%

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