Benefits payment...help required?!

[holidaysarenice]

Hi all,

I have had a small claims court application sent to me about a benefits overpayment in 2008/09. At the time I told them I was no longer entitled and it took 3 months to stop the payment.

I have no problem with paying the money back. However they have been writing to me at an address I do not and have not ever lived at. I now own the house but have no recieved any of these letters. Until today when the tenant finally managed to forward the court summons.

As I said I am happy to pay it, even if I am skint with no income to speak of these days. But I do not want to pay the £50 court fee, as I feel it is unfair.

Does anyone have any suggestions/legal advice on how to proceed. Especially bearing in mind I have no idea how they got this address, other than the tenant supplying it on their own claim form and it being cross referenced from there??

[gamerchick]

Is it legit? It's a new one on me (although it's probably not easy to scam these types of things?)

Maybe an appointment at the CAB? Might be in order.. that would freak me out slightly.

Good luck with it though.