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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Previous owner still getting credit cards etc - after TWO YEARS

38 replies

RevoltingPeasant · 17/04/2015 13:06

We moved into our house in May 2013. The old owners set up a redirection.

I don't know if it's recently run out or what, but over the last few months we are getting loads of post for them - more than we do for us!

Lots of it is financial - credit cards, insurance renewal, bank statements.

I believe they moved abroad and obviously didn't tell anyone!

AIBU to open it and ring the companies concerned? I have started doing this and whilst I think it's technically illegal, I am really concerned about debts being associated with the property or bailiffs turning up. Should I worry?

OP posts:

londonrach · 17/04/2015 13:07

Just put in post unopened saying not know at this address

Justyouwaitandsee · 17/04/2015 13:08

Return them unopened with a note that says 'No longer at this address. Please return to sender and remove from your database/mailing list'

ArtyBat · 17/04/2015 13:09

Just write 'named person not at this address' on the envelopes, near to your address, then stick it back in the post box.

Should any sort of baliff turn up, just show them evidence - such at council tax statement - that you are now living at the property, and that should be it.

gamerchick · 17/04/2015 13:09

I did exactly that and I'm glad I did because the debt letters were escalating and were getting threatening.

I rang all the company's and gave new address but obviously you may not be able to do that..but at least the letters will stop.

HubertCumberdale · 17/04/2015 13:10

draw a big cross over the address window, and 'does not live here' on the envelope, then put back into a post box.
That way it gets returned to sender and they can take the address off their database

CapnMurica · 17/04/2015 13:10

Still getting post for previous owners 8 years later! One was from a local company - I actually took it back and told them but they still send stuff.

They had their car registered SORN to our address as well - there's no off street parking. I sent it back not known. Annoying.

gamerchick · 17/04/2015 13:11

Sending them back in the post doesn't always work I found and bailiffs can have a habit of knocking you out of bed at stupid o'clock.

PurpleSwift · 17/04/2015 13:12

It's not illegal unless you are doing so to act maliciously. YANBU

soapboxqueen · 17/04/2015 13:13

We've been at our address for just under 3 years and still get loads of post. At least 3 or 4 items per week for previous occupiers.

Initially it was 10+ per day plus bailiffs. I sent much of it back but after a year I started calling the companies to tell them. It slowed down quite a bit but not entirely. I just wait until I have a bunch now, stick an elastic band around them and write 'return to sender' on the top one. I got sick of writing it over and over.

Original poster

RevoltingPeasant · 17/04/2015 13:14

Oh isn't it Purple? Oh good!

Yeah we did the whole return to sender thing but many companies seem to ignore it. For stuff like catalogues I don't mind so much, but unpaid bills for insurance etc - freaked me out a bit!

OP posts:

TheBooMonster · 17/04/2015 13:16

We wrote 'not at this address' on the old owners mail for over a year and it still came through. I started stopping the postman and giving it all back to him and now it doesn't come through the letter box, no idea if it's still being sent though.

Tbh if it was my mail, I'd appreciate the new residents opening it and contacting the sender it would have saved me 2 years of defaults on a phone contract I thought was closed and dealt with, and the subsequent state of my credit score

Number3cometome · 17/04/2015 13:17

Check the electoral role for your address is correct - you shouldn't be getting this stuff.

Keep sending back and remain persistent.

Starlightbright1 · 17/04/2015 13:19

I have opened letters and Phoned up at an old address. there were a lot of baliff type letters...Return to sender was not working.

I also opened one from a bank as I had lived here 5 years and was still getting mail from old owner and wanted the letters to stop after 5 years.

GlitzAndGigglesx · 17/04/2015 13:21

I had a mans post turning up here from a bank. Doesn't sound dodgy until you know we're the only people who have ever lived at this address and not a single sole in this block goes by the name. It used to be 1-2 letters a week coming despite me personally going to the bank to tell them he doesn't live here and returning post to sender. Anyway after a couple of months of the bank still doing f all to resolve it I opened a letter to see he owed the bank a load of money for a business account. I phoned the bank and spoke to a manager who finally removed our address linked to the man and received a £50 cheque as it should've been resolved a long time ago

AbiBranning · 17/04/2015 13:23

The owner before the people we bought our house off still has contents insurance on our house, we get a quote through followed by the certificate every year. We've returned to sender and called Nationwide, they won't deal with it and as it's all on DD he just keeps paying. We've lived here 7 years and the owners before 2+ years. We had to open them after a few years as I was concerned, but nothing we can do about it, but at least it's just one thing.

MidniteScribbler · 17/04/2015 13:26

I had it here, particularly bank letters. I took a big pile in to the bank and had a whinge, and they told me they would actually put a stop on the card to force them to contact the bank. It must have worked because those letters stopped.

Original poster

RevoltingPeasant · 17/04/2015 13:42

The electoral roll is right number as we have our polling cards for the GE next month.

I just don't understand people like this - it's like they abandoned their whole lives. I mean, aren't they worried that we're getting f their new credit cards with PINs?

the limit was 12000 quid and I told DH that would have been a very nice new kitchen!

OP posts:

DayLillie · 17/04/2015 13:50

We opened the debt stuff for a previous owner (many CCJ orders, including us) and told them where he lived (down the road). He moved again fairly soon. Known as a 'Wide Boy'.

HowDoesThatWork · 17/04/2015 14:42

Don't open them.

I had this, I just wrote 'DECEASED' in big letters across the address and re-posted the mail. They stop pretty quickly after that.

hellsbellsmelons · 17/04/2015 14:47

I still have to return to sender for my ExH mail after 5+ bloody years.
Drives me mad but I just keep doing it.

MewlingQuim · 17/04/2015 14:49

That doesn't always work either, we bought our house 15 years ago, the previous owner is dead and we still get post for her. We have also had phone calls for 15 years for a Mrs Sims but there has never been anyone of that name at this address since it was built

BiddyPop · 17/04/2015 14:54

The previous owner of our house moved abroad when she sold it. For a while we got lots of mail but hadn't been given an address so used to just "return to sender, not known here".

In the past year, we've got a few more things after a few years of nothing - seems like a few things reactivated and trying to find her (same companies as previously) rather than new stuff.

We are here 13 years next month!!!

Frostycake · 17/04/2015 15:06

I have this and I've lived in my house for two and a half years now and it was empty for a year before I moved in I know because I used to drive past it every day wishing it was mine

I STILL get the following for previous occupants: VIP invitations; summonses; Bailiff / debt collection letters; mobile phone bills; DVLC documents; bank cards; Christmas cards, 'round robin' letters, letters from GPs and dentists.

It's amazing how these people carry on with their lives when they leave so much behind.

Oldraver · 17/04/2015 15:26

I would open the letters (which you ARE allowed to do), if they are innocuous send them back not at this address.

Any threatening or need acting upon I would phone the company

I've had someone try and open a bank account at my address so anyhting I dont recognise gets opened

PurpleCrazyHorse · 17/04/2015 15:35

We've started getting letters for a lady who certainly doesn't share a name with the previous owner. I therefore opened her post and it was for a hospital appointment, promptly re-sealed and sent back with "not known at this address" on it. No more items for her received yet.

Our previous owner stuff (only moved in Nov last year) goes back in the post with "not known" on it, I haven't opened theirs. They have redirection but it doesn't appear to pick everything up. They left no forwarding address (they've moved abroad) so I have no guilt in simply sending it back. Once we get into 2016 I'll be opening it and contacting the companies as a year is plenty of time to sort stuff out.

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