To think you should tell people you've fucking moved!!! 😡

[WrappedInABlankie]

I moved in August 2014 via a mutual exchange (so we swapped house's) and the person I swapped with still hasn't changed her address! I'm even getting car tax reminders from the DVLA! and I've just received my electoral register information and she's still bloody on it! So that means she hasn't told the local council she's now in their borough I know why as I receive daily debt letters for her but it's getting annoying!

I've tried telling them that she doesn't live there and I could give them her actual address but all i get is "she needs to tell us herself, until then we'll be sending people to you"

It's been 5 bloody months I'm getting 5 letters a day from various debt companies even bills for a BT mobile for her ex partner who she said moved back to France!

It's getting annoying

I get this. Five years on and I still get the odd letter, including in use bank statements. It is annoying, but save opening the letters and contact the companies direct there isn't much you can do. I have done just that in the past to be asked whether I know the person.

YANBU

Contacting of course.

When i moved she said give letters to the next door neighbour she sees I got pissy after the DVLA one 2 months later and wrote in capitals "CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS BEFORE YOU GET FINED!!!"

Did she of course not I think next time I'll just tell them she doesn't live there and she can have the fine. I never use to open the letters but after 20 in 3 days I did and it's you owe £500 odd to capital act now, £300 to this person act now. She'd been ignoring them for months it seems

It is annoying, I've had it several times.

Not much you can do. Send all letters back saying 'not at this address.' Either send debt letters back saying same or phone if you can be arsed. Even if they come knocking, there's fuck all they can do.

Or alternatively, just stick em straight in the bin.

Why not just 'RTS no longer at this address' and put back in the post?

Tried sending them back I've actually received the same letter and envelop in a new bigger envelope, like that'll suddenly make her live here again.

I do bin them now but it enrages me a little every time haha

Write or email the compliance/complaint department of the debt firms. State you feel you are being harassed by the letters. They should stop.

Most use external mailing firms and they take an age to update this stuff.

Actually write to them with her new address. Sign the letter from her!

You're not technically allowed to open her mail, just write not know here and return

You could make up a stamp and use it (I would)

You should update the electoral roll yourself. She is obviously avoiding some of this and all you can do us envelope it up and ensure she gets it anyway.

Slightly I think that's illegal isn't it?

I was told by all the companies to open her mail (found them by googling the address on the back) as they needed the info inside to amend her address

I've updated the electoral when I moved in, she's somehow back on it! I've just updated it again though

You are allowed to open someone else's mail in certain circumstances, and judging from the CAB, that would be fine in your situation.

www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/consumer_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_e/consumer_problems_with_post_delivery_e/youre_receiving_someone_elses_mail.htm

"Opening someone else’s mail is allowed in certain circumstances under the Postal Services Act 2000. It is only an offence if you open someone else’s mail ‘without reasonable excuse’ or if you ‘intend to act to another’s detriment'. For example, if you are receiving bank statements/cards in someone else’s name then you should act on that immediately. You should tell the sender, either by returning it marked “not known at this address” or by opening the mail and calling any number provided within. The “reasonable excuse” for opening such items would then be that you were helping to prevent fraud against the companies involved."

You can open her post. The law says you can't permantlu deprive someone of the letters

Debt recovery companies won't give up, and won't stop if you send them back, obviously that's a tactic real debtors use. The only way is to give a new address, have you actually done that?

If you've swapped houses, can't you just tell the companies her new address, or forward her mail there?

It is annoying though. We get all my ex-flatmates mail, including a recent court date letter and loads from debt collection companies

Moved two and a half years ago. The lady who lived here still gets more Christmas cards than we do!

Ehric and goo

Unfortunately as said in my post I've tried to give them her address and all the say is "she needs to be the one to give us her new address" until then they'll carry on sending it to mine

I just don't get why she wouldn't of changed her driving licence and road tax if she's amended her insurance which I doubt then she'll get fined if she's pulled over and they find out she hasn't changed her address for over 5 months. It's not that hard to do I did mine in a couple of days before hand and mines never gone to my old address

sounds like she moved just to avoid paying debt in which case she will never update her address. you have done your bit, or at least tried. Anymore mail just bin it. If debt collectors turn up on your doorstep show them some ID, give them the address where she has moved to and tell them to leave you alone.

It does indeed sound like she moved just for that.

Will ring my council up Monday to make sure she doesn't keep adding herself to my house. And tell them what Council she's now in you can get an £80 fine for not registering or not registering at the correct address it seems.

I would of just done it for her but it's fraud apparently and I can register her and her own home lol

Register on the mailing preference service.
www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/
It takes a while to filter through but does eventually stop mail for any name not listed at the address and stops lots of junk mail too.
In the meantime, I'd just write "not known at this address", score out the address and stick it back in the post.
PS If anyone comes to your door looking for previous occupant, explain she does not live there and DO NOT allow them over the door just in case they are pursuing a debt owed by her.

I've updated the electoral when I moved in, she's somehow back on it! I've just updated it again though

I'd keep an eye on that, actually. Once you had updated it originally, she shouldn't have been back on it. She might actually be deliberately doing this to hide where she is.

It does indeed sound like she moved just for that.

Will ring my council up Monday to make sure she doesn't keep adding herself to my house. And tell them what Council she's now in you can get an £80 fine for not registering or not registering at the correct address it seems.

I would of just done it for her but it's fraud apparently and I can register her and her own home lol

That's why I think she's doing it. She obviously doesn't want the debt to catch up with her but looking at the amount she has it would be hard for her to get credit if she changed her address to her new house as she hadn't been there a year

Return to sender, not at this address.