Getting friends debt letters -what now?

[sallpuut]

I haven't been very well of late with my anxiety and friend has helped a lot.
She's one of my best friends.
In January she was made homeless.
She was sofa surfing between me and a few friends and her brother.
She got a new job and put down my address to get mail.
Since then I've had months of letters
Debt letters
I've told her many many times to inform her work /HMRC that this was just a address to get mail and give them her previous address yet I'm still getting this mail

I'm fed up of it now
I never send the mail back as "not at this address "
I pass it on and ask her to contact them and remove my address
She says she has done it but never does
My mental health can't cope with this

Kind of you to open up your home OP 😊

Where does she live now? Personally, I would return to sender.

She's staying with her partner /dad/brother
Anyone who will have her really
I just don't trust her that she changes it
I don't think she can be bothered

I'd gather the letters together, and send each set to the sender in an envelope, together with a letter saying that this person does not live at this address, yet you are continually getting mail for them.

Bascially you just need to protect yourself from any consequences to your address being connected to someone who is accumulating debt.

I never send the mail back as "not at this address”

Sorry OP but you must absolutely change that. From now on, any more letters for her, write RTS and post it back. She’s clearly not going to change her address like she said she would. Maybe she’s not as good a friend as you thought. It’s not your responsibility to deal with her debts and your are not her PA.

You can't trust her, can you? Stop trying to get her to do the right thing, because she won't.

Write across every envelope: "Return to Sender - Not Known At This Address" and put them back in the post box.

Also, make sure you have a copy of your council tax bill available, (or mortgage/tenancy document) to show to any debt collectors who turn up on your doorstep demanding money that you live there and she doesn't. Do not let them in under any circumstances, and if they won't go away, call the police and they will come out, verify your story and make them leave.

You’ve been generous and patient but as it’s causing you distress you can circle the address on the back & just write on the envelope
of each letter ‘not at this address, return to sender’. It worked for us when we continually got Mail for the previous owners 🙄

Just draw a line through and write RTS next to it and bung back in the post box.

You don't need to write sentences - that's all you need to do.

I’m afraid you need to start returning them, she won’t change it. If you’ve made it clear how this is affecting your MH and she’s still not taken steps to address it she’s not a good friend.

You are going to end up with bailiffs turning up - call each company individually and explain she does not live at your house, and never has and can they remove your details. Call them all tomorrow.

Don’t scare her even more. Returning them will suffice for now.

It’s not a crime to emblazon “RTS - Not at this address” on an envelope and bung it back in a post box.
Just do it!

It actually happened to us.

We rented out a house to a woman just like this. We were advised to call every company and tell them directly not to rely on RTS. They will ask op questions about friends forwarding address but she can reply that she has no idea.

I am urging to do this as a heads up. I think it will be far worse not saying anything and experiencing the stress of an actual visit 🤷🏼‍♀️

I had bailiffs turn up at my door several times when we bought this house. The previous owner had form, apparently.

It's no fun (and they certainly didn't take my word for it that she didn't live here any more), but after the second visit from the same bailiff (who clearly didn't believe me the first time and hoped to catch us out) I was at least able to give him the details of the estate agent who'd sold it to us. And by then I'd found out her new address, which in afraid I didn't hesitate in passing on.

So I'd be proactive in contacting the various companies/agencies rather than just putting RTS on the envelope.

Yes exactly. I didn’t want to say that but honestly they didn’t believe us. And wouldn’t leave. It took a long time of getting our id out and showing who we are etc. I had to threaten to call the police. I would rather op didn’t experience that if she is feeling fragile.

The point is unless you tell them they will continue blitzing because they have no other lead for her, and this will be entirely deliberate on her own part, it buys her time.

She is no friend and she took advantage of you op.

Block her and call the companies.
She didn’t take any money from you?
Or owe you anything?
Or opened accounts in your name?

Please check your credit status and cross check all your accounts and change passwords, fraudsters don’t advertise their ill intentions. Change your locks if she has ever had a key.

Return to sender EVERY SINGLE TIME

No call every time, most companies shred without actioning return mail.

I had a very similar situation.
If you send the letters back, or phone the companies, they won't take any notice and will eventually sell the debts on to debt collection agencies.
They will probably write to "the occupier" at your address. Even if you send these letters back or phone them, it is highly likely you will get a knock on your door, from a bailiff with a court order.
Don't panic.
Have some proof of your identity to hand. Photo id is good if you have it. Also a copy of your council tax bill. They may ask you to send a copy of this via post or email.
At this point, the bailiffs should go back to the court and say that the debtor does not live at your address, and any further requests to the court (as there may be multiple debt collection agencies involved) will be knocked back.
Of course sometimes the debt collectors don't follow this correct procedure and sell the debt on again.
Most important is that you do not let this upset you too much. I know it's distressing. Been there, done that, but if you are not the debtor, then there is nothing they can take from you. Remain polite but firm when dealing with them.