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AIBU?

not to give my details to somebody else's debt collectors?

31 replies

saggyb00bs · 30/03/2015 18:16

Somebody, possibly a previous resident here, incurred parking tickets for a car registered to this address. I told DVLA the car shouldn't be registered here, and they've removed its registration from this address, but the parking tickets are still outstanding. Debt collectors came round today to recover the outstanding amount, fortunately while I was out. I phoned them to explain the situation and they said they needed to see a council tax bill to prove the person doesn't live here. I'm not keen on the debt collectors having any of my details, so don't want to show them the council tax bill. Obviously I want this situation resolved quickly, as I don't want this person's bad debt associated with my credit record. AIBU not to show my council tax bill to the debt collector? I really don't trust them, although I realistically don't know what they would do with this information to my detriment.

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Wibblypiglikesbananas · 30/03/2015 18:18

They are the ones who don't have accurate info. They need to stop harassing you. Don't give them anything!

TiggieBoo · 30/03/2015 18:45

You are not obliged to give them any proof, but it would save you a lot of hassle. I had debt collectors coming to my door for a previous tenant's debt, I told them he didn't live here and showed them my driving license. They didn't make a copy or anything and haven't heard from them again. Better than having the bailiffs at your door.

YellowTulips · 30/03/2015 18:47

I'd show them but as per PP don't let it out of your hand or let them make a copy.

SaucyJack · 30/03/2015 18:48

YANBU. Tell them to jog on. They have absolutely no legal rights or powers.

expatinscotland · 30/03/2015 18:49

I would just show them at the door. We had police come once for similar and just showed them our tenancy agreement and licenses.

treaclesoda · 30/03/2015 18:51

Would your council tax bill prove anything?

We don't have council tax here, so I don't know what a council tax bill looks like, but our rates bill wouldn't prove anything. It is in my DHs name, so it would prove he lives here but it wouldn't prove that I'm not the person that the debt collector is looking for iykwim.

CockMcStuffins · 30/03/2015 18:53

We had this and I did have to prove who I was. I had no choice as the bailiffs just kept coming.

PartTimePunk · 30/03/2015 18:54

Same as expat. We had bailiffs call round due to previous occupants not having paid a credit card bill. I showed them a copy of our lease while they were on the doorstep and that was the end of the matter as far as we were concerned.

HarrietSchulenberg · 30/03/2015 18:58

I would comply, mainly due to an experience that happened to my next door neighbour.
The woman 2 houses down had moved out and had unpaid bills that meant a debt collector was sent round. My next door neighbour's car was parked on the street outside the long-gone debtor's house. The debt collector clamped the car, on the grounds that it was reasonable to assume that the car belonged to the debtor as it was parked outside her house, even though it was on a public road.
Neighbour phoned debt collector, who said he was 30 miles away but would "come straight over" to sort it out. He took nearly 3 hours to arrive and neighbour had to show her ownership doc to prove that a) the car was hers, b) she wasn't the debtor, and c) she didn'l live at the debtor's address.
Debt collector was thoroughly unpleasant throughout. When neighbour told him she was making a complaint about him shrugged and said, "Do I look like I give a shit? Happens all the time."
Neighbour was not out of pocket but she was very late for work and had the hassle and inconvenience of sorting it all out.

tiggytape · 30/03/2015 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tiggytape · 30/03/2015 19:05

This reply has been deleted

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MrsSquirrel · 30/03/2015 19:06

YANBU
When I had a similar situation, I didn't get involved with the debt collection company, but went straight to the local authority that issued tickets. The notice from the debt collectors will say who they are collecting on behalf of. It worked for me, never heard from the debt collectors again.

TiggieBoo · 30/03/2015 19:08

Debt collectors can't clamp cars, seize assets etc. They can only talk you into paying. If a debt collector clamped my car I would call the police, not threaten to complain. Just saying.

BuggersMuddle · 30/03/2015 19:11

Debt collectors can be a PITA. We had some pursuing previous owners of our house and the debt was such that I was concerned about bailiffs.

Depends on the company I suppose, but I gave them my name and was able to advise where the person had moved to and at that point they apologised for inconvenience and I've not heard from them since.

It did help that I am clearly not a 40-something year old man and neither is my partner. I would just flash a copy of the bill but keep a hold of it. You don't want bailiffs at the door.

TheFecklessFairy · 30/03/2015 19:40

They will just keep coming - how do THEY know you are not the person they are looking for unless you prove it? Doh!

lithewire · 30/03/2015 19:47

You don't have to but in my experience it will get them off your back quickly. We came home from work one day to find a note had been pushed through the door for the previous tenant who owed the debt collectors £14,000 I called the number on the letter and they said to send a photo of our council tax bill. Rather than carry on being bothered by them, we did just that, and haven't heard a peep from them since.

YouTheCat · 30/03/2015 19:49

Point them towards the electoral register, if you have registered to vote.

NoelHeadbands · 30/03/2015 19:53

I once had some scary looking letters for a previous occupant followed by a debt collector at the door. I must have an honest face because I just told them I wasn't who they were looking for. They never came again and nor did the post.

Wouldn't have occurred to me to show them my ID, on my own bloody front doorstep

VanitasVanitatum · 30/03/2015 19:56

Bailiffs can though tiggie

TiggieBoo · 30/03/2015 19:59

Yes, of course court appointed bailiffs can. I was just saying that in response to the pp about the car clamped by debt collectors, because people tend to think debt collectors have a lot of power. They don't.

hooker29 · 30/03/2015 20:07

Just show them the bill-they just want proof that you are who you say you are! They'll leave you alone then.

stilllearnin · 30/03/2015 20:11

Who are they collecting for? If its a council then they could check anyway. If its another council than the one you live in would you be happier giving that council proof rather than a debt collector? Or even if it idnt a council you could prove your id to the company they collect for. They may say you cant but the collector is acting for someone (unless its been sold on). That might give you more peace of mind than dealing with a collector. Check if the company is a bailiff or a debt collector for the reasons pp have said and get some advice if you want to know your rights. people talk nonsense about debt collectors and bailiff powers quite often.

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HarrietSchulenberg · 30/03/2015 20:18

If you think the police are going to come out and unclamp your car before the debt collector returns then you must have a more rapid response force than we do. When my 13 year old son was assaulted by an 18 year old, it took them 36 hours to come round. The debt collector took 3. And when shown proof of ownership he unclamped and went away.
It's a tactic to get people to pay up that they know works, so they use it whenever they think it's appropriate.
Much more straightforward to just show them that you are not who they want. If they took everyone who said, "Oh no that's not me" at face value, they'd never collect the debt.
Blame the feckless fuckers who never paid up and left someone else to deal with their mess.

saggyb00bs · 30/03/2015 20:24

Thanks for the responses. I think they are debt collectors, not bailiffs - at least there is no mention of bailiffs in the letter I opened. I'll phone Citizen's Advice tomorrow, and the council who issued the parking tickets. I told the council at the time that the person didn't live at this address, so I suppose it was pretty lazy just to pass the debt on to the agency like that. Perhaps they can do something to remedy the situation - wouldn't have thought of that so thanks MrsSquirrel. I'm assuming they won't batter down my door while I'm away over Easter?!
Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:

stilllearnin · 30/03/2015 20:27

Oh and if you do want advice please please please do not pay for it. Have I missed that the car is already clamped?

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