Page 2 | Previous owner still getting credit cards etc - after TWO YEARS

RevoltingPeasant · 2015-04-17T12:06:31+00:00

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?

Allergictoironing · 17/04/2015 15:59

Redirection only lasts one year afaik. I've lived in my house for nearly 7 years, the previous owners longer than that before me, yet until recently I was still getting mail for the owner before THEM. In particular I used to get share statements from the registrar; after 3 years (twice a year) of the "not known here, return to sender" I started to call the registrars each time anything arrived from them. Each time I was promised that the details would be changed on their system, it still took about 4 goes before I stopped getting those letters.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 17/04/2015 16:12

I did the deceased thing too - have finally stopped after 8 years!

Jasmine2233 · 17/04/2015 16:14

When i moved i did open the mail and call the companys, they wont leave you alone by just stating not at this address

Arsenic · 17/04/2015 16:21

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

And were they deceased?

Arsenic · 17/04/2015 16:25

That could backfire, couldn't it? If the debts are big enough to be seriously pursued, an investigator could think you were colluding with the debtor (or were the debtor).

Andrewofgg · 17/04/2015 16:33

If bailiffs turn up show them a bank statement or similar keeping your thumb over the account number and with the door on the chain.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 17/04/2015 16:35

Arsenic - I have no idea if they were deceased

MagelanicClouds · 17/04/2015 16:45

We had a similar problem at our old house. After a couple of years we started getting a lot of letters. I forwarded them on, but after a while I got curious and opened one. It was a bailiffs notice - professional but quite threatening. We phoned them up and the letters stopped, but restarted again two years later. I returned them to sender.
At our current house the old occupiers didn't bother with a redirection order, we were told to give it all to two doors down. They promptly gave it all back as they didn't have a forwarding address! We had car tax, car insurance, wage slips and bank statements all come through for them, we returned them to sender.
One day the police turned up looking for them! I took pity on the officer and let him stand in the hall out of the rain while I got my ID, but I couldn't help him with where they might have gone.

Bailiffs have no legal entry to your house, neither do the police without a warrant.

MagelanicClouds · 17/04/2015 16:45

We had a similar problem at our old house. After a couple of years we started getting a lot of letters. I forwarded them on, but after a while I got curious and opened one. It was a bailiffs notice - professional but quite threatening. We phoned them up and the letters stopped, but restarted again two years later. I returned them to sender.
At our current house the old occupiers didn't bother with a redirection order, we were told to give it all to two doors down. They promptly gave it all back as they didn't have a forwarding address! We had car tax, car insurance, wage slips and bank statements all come through for them, we returned them to sender.
One day the police turned up looking for them! I took pity on the officer and let him stand in the hall out of the rain while I got my ID, but I couldn't help him with where they might have gone.

Bailiffs have no legal entry to your house, neither do the police without a warrant.

Arsenic · 17/04/2015 16:46

You're bonkers

TheListingAttic · 17/04/2015 16:48

It's already been said but: IT'S ONLY ILLEGAL TO OPEN SOMEONE ELSE'S MAIL WITH MALICIOUS INTENT.

We've had this for people who moved out years previously (and it was threatening debt collection stuff) - returning stuff to sender won't work if there's no return address (which there wasn't on debt collection stuff), and will take time to get things updated. Just open, and phone the company if you'd rather do that than keep returning to sender till the message gets through.

EBearhug · 17/04/2015 16:49

I think redirection services can only be renewed for up to two years (my landlord had a problem with this.)

Fluffyears · 17/04/2015 17:29

We live in a new build and constantly get Debt phone calls for someone who has never lived there we obviously got assigned the number after her. I keep telling them to remove number as they are wasting their time. After 3 years we still get calls! Once they asked what the address was ..,erm why would that be relevant we do not know this person?

Strangest one was someone using our address (all correct) to clamp void council tax at another property, that got sent back with explanation that it was a new build written on the letter and no stamp don't see why I should fork out even if it is under a £