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Original poster

Threatening letters arriving to my house. Please advise!

43 replies

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 20:57

I received a couple letters last month or so in someone else's name which I didn't recognise. As far as I am aware he hasn't lived here at least 5/6 years(if ever!).

I ignored them but kept them just in case. Today another came in and it looked urgent. Decided to look inside. Apparently someone went in London and didn't pay the congestion charge. For some reason the penalty came to my address. It was never paid as of course he never actually received it. The final letter is threatening debt agencies etc. I don't want people showing up to my home and I am scared it is going to affect my credit score. What do I do??

OP posts:
Justhereforthechristmasthreads · 21/01/2025 21:11

Your credit file is linked to your name not your address

If you genuinely don't know the person named on the letters (eg. it is not a boyfriend/girlfriend you are financially linked to with a joint account) then it cannot affect your credit file.

You need to ring whoever is chasing the debt and inform them that the person does not live at the address they have and ask them to remove it from their files. Return every future letter without opening it and mark as not known at this address.

If anyone did turn up to chase the debt you just show them ID that shows you live there and aren't who they are after

TeabySea · 21/01/2025 21:10

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

No it isn't.
It is a crime to use their details for nefarious/illegal/fraudulent purposes.

OnTheBoardwalk · 21/01/2025 21:08

You can open mail if you don’t intend to do anything fraudulent with it

give them a call and explain your situation, return to sender all opened letters, if you have the same regular postie have a chat with them

if anyone does turn up have your car invoice (not v5 ) council tax etc to hand and have a chat with them. You'll be fine

I had a bankrupt previously living her as well as random parking fines 300 miles away

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:08

No one is going to arrest you for opening a letter that you needed to open in order to resolve this problem

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:07

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:05

My bad! And I didn't until I had a lot for the same name which was weird. Isn't it also ilegal to use someone else's address to register your car? What if someone really shows up to my door or goes to my credit file and I knew nothing about this?

Show quote history

If you return letters to sender as not known at the address this is completely avoidable, because then the sender knows they have the incorrect address. As it is they see that all letters have been delivered and kept, so assume the address is correct.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:06

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:02

Sending them back will do no good, people who don't want to pay pull this trick all the time. The vehicle registration must be linked to your address.

I would ring TFL and ask them to correct the information, they might ask you to give them sight of your council tax bill as proof.

Makes sense that they do. Will do that first thing tomorrow! Thank you!

Thank you@Foxgloverr and @888STARZ too

OP posts:
888STARZ · 21/01/2025 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:05

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

My bad! And I didn't until I had a lot for the same name which was weird. Isn't it also ilegal to use someone else's address to register your car? What if someone really shows up to my door or goes to my credit file and I knew nothing about this?

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 21/01/2025 21:04

If it were me I would sellotape them up & put - opened in error , addressee not known at this address and stick them back in the post box.

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:01

I am not from the UK so didn't realised that was a thing you do! I kept them in case someone put the wrong address and asked for them back. They are open now so can't do that should I wait for the next one or call them?

Show quote history

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:02

Sending them back will do no good, people who don't want to pay pull this trick all the time. The vehicle registration must be linked to your address.

I would ring TFL and ask them to correct the information, they might ask you to give them sight of your council tax bill as proof.

Foxgloverr · 21/01/2025 21:02

Call them

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:01

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??

I am not from the UK so didn't realised that was a thing you do! I kept them in case someone put the wrong address and asked for them back. They are open now so can't do that should I wait for the next one or call them?

OP posts:
SheridansPortSalut · 21/01/2025 21:00

You're not supposed to keep or open other people's mail.

Return it to sender.

Guavafish1 · 21/01/2025 20:59

Just call them… say the person doesn’t live at this address.

it’s strange you have not

rubyslippers · 21/01/2025 20:58

Don’t open the letters
Just return everything with the name and address crossed out with return to sender / addressee never resided here

sometimesmovingforwards · 21/01/2025 20:58

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??

Exactly this.

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??