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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to contact the previous tenant of my house on FB (re Debt?)

94 replies

MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 19:06

To cut a long story short, me, DP and 3 DCs moved into our quiet little house nearly a year ago. It didn't stay quiet for long- we've been bloody inundated with debt letters for the previous tenant, bills, overdue TV licensing, arrears on Council Tax, but more worrying, Bailiffs are now arriving at the door.
No forwarding address given to send mail on, and I've wrote Return to Sender on countless letters, but I'm bloody sick of it now. Our main concern is these Debt Collectors on our door- all requesting this woman by name.
They've looked sceptical when I tell them it is not my debt, one asked me to prove who I am and they would 'leave me alone'.
The woman who lived here beforehand has an unusual name, and I've found her on FB, as her profile picture has her daughter on it (We met her daughter when I came to view the home, so its definitely her).
WIBU to message her and tell her to respectfully organise her finances because we are being harassed and disturbed because of her debt, and it's causing my family a lot of upset and stress?
Or is there anyone else I can contact? Any views on this would be welcome Smile

OP posts:
muchhappierthesedays · 21/07/2015 19:46

But you said you opened the letter-I'm confused

lighteningirl · 21/07/2015 19:46

I'm with the Op here we moved a year ago and the previous tenants grandson had used our address and continued to do so. He missed court appearances and failed to pay debts and we had debt collectors knocking g on the door at 6 in the morning 10 o clock at night. I had police vans cars it was very intimidating. Open you are definitely not being a drama llama. I would try contacting her on fb I would also screen shot her fb account take copies of your council tax and show both to any one else who knocks. I also opened all the mail sent it back saying oops opened in error and btw here's the forwarding address which I found via a family member. I wrote to all the local police forces detailing time.especially and visits and enclosing copies of my council tax and said any further visits would class as h harassment and I would be instructing a solicitor. thexxed unless you have experienced this in your own home you have no right to be so rude and should apologise

lighteningirl · 21/07/2015 19:49

And who cares if you're not supposed to open mail??? Put it through my door and its fair game once you've caused me grief.

Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 19:49

Thanks Imustgodowntotheseaagain Smile far from being a 'drama llama', we are genuinely run down with it, the 2nd time it happened I heard banging and ignored it as I was having a PJ and film day with DCs, they came and knocked on my window looking through it. It's bloody harassment. They aren't the nicest of people to deal with, attitude and pretty much calling you a liar on your own doorstep. It's disturbing to us and our DCs. Anyone who thinks it isn't a big issue, obviously has never had them on the door.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 19:52

much happier I did open the letter. It was addressed to the previous tenant, I just wanted to know who was at my door and why. Technically Illegal I know to open someone else's mail, but I wanted to know who was on my door asking me who I was. Not unreasonable under the circumstances I think

OP posts:
TheXxed · 21/07/2015 19:53

OP I also have a child with Autism and understand the distress that can be caused by unexpected loud noises. If I was in your position I would have opened the door shown my ID and resolved the situation. A very quick process, contacting someone regarding a private matter via FB is inviting unnecessary drama.

muchhappierthesedays · 21/07/2015 19:58

Did you mean they posted it through your door after they left? I was confused, I thought you meant they took it with them and posted it in the letter box, which made no sense-I understand now.
No, its horrible when that happens. I had letters from a previous tenant but thankfully not bailiffs. I passed it on to the letting agent and they tackled it for me and I didn't get any more.

Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 19:59

theXXed I'm glad you can understand, that's why I did go and open the door and show ID the second and third time. But they are still coming. Hand delivered letters, pushed through the door from BrightHouse, a holiday company for an outstanding payment due in 7days (so a holiday must have been booked from this address recently?), TV licensing, and catalogues red letter debt. It's just getting too much.

OP posts:
avocadotoast · 21/07/2015 20:00

I'm surprised the LL/letting agent hasn't given you a forwarding address for the previous tenant (whenever I've lived in rented I've been given one). Have you asked them for one?

If I were you I'd call the debt collectors and tell them the tenant doesn't live at your address any more. I had to do it once and they were totally fine, and we didn't get any more letters.

I feel for you though OP, it is shitty and frightening.

If it helps any, the collection companies will be able to trace her to her new address. They can use data from credit reference agencies, electoral roll etc to piece together where someone has moved to. They just probably won't do it until they know someone has moved.

Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 20:02

Yes muchhappier , they wouldn't tell me who they were, so I wouldn't give them my ID- they said they had a letter which I refused to take and closed the door, but they posted it anyway. I have let them see my Passport at the door twice since. I just don't know if I can do anything to make them stop coming.

OP posts:
TheXxed · 21/07/2015 20:05

If you have shown them ID and they persist I would call the police this is harassment. Also you letting agency/ Landlord should be actively trying to resolve the situation.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 21/07/2015 20:06

I'm surprised they didn't tell you who they were. I thought bailiffs had to disclose who they were Confused

MaggieJoyBlunt · 21/07/2015 20:08

Once one of these companies has marked her details on GAIN ( www.uk.equifax.com/ee4/WebHelp/GAIN_-_Gone_Away_Information_Network.htm ), it will stop.

Proving you're not her will trigger this.

shadowfax07 · 21/07/2015 20:10

I had this at my first home. I just kept writing 'Return to sender, no longer at this address'. You have my sympathies, OP, it's relentless. I even had to phone the court when the previous owners were summoned, at least I was thanked for making that call! I rang the debt collectors, and got a strip torn off me for opening someone else's post, that was after I'd lived there three years. I lost it at that point, and just binned the letters after that.

OP, they do eventually get the message and stop hassling you Flowers

MummaV · 21/07/2015 20:10

I'm currently in a similar situation, letters daily, debt collectors fortnightly at least. House is a private rent but was previously handled by a property manager who we also previously rented from so I contacted him for a forwarding address however previous tenant upped and left in the middle of the night with no forwarding address anywhere.
After I started receiving NHS and School letters 'To the Parent/Guardian of...' I felt I had to contact her. I messaged her on Facebook about 3 months ago. She read the message immediately and has ignored it ever since. We are still in the same position with letters and debt collectors. She obviously doesn't care. I hate to say it but I doubt yours will care either.

Show your ID, write letters explaining etc etc. I have also started emailing copies of my council tax bill to these companies telling them to F off. They don't seem to realise they are wasting time and resources coming to my house rather than trying to find where she actually is!

Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 20:11

The thing is, its been different men that have knocked. When I show them my ID to show I am not the woman they are looking for, they say they can't say who they are because it doesn't concern me it does when you're hammering my door! So I don't even know if these people are from the same debt company! I don't know if I could call it harassment, becuase they might be from 3 separate debt collectors. They won't show me ID when they know I'm not the person they are looking for. The amount of debt letters that drop through my door for her, it could be different Bailiffs if I'm honest Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsV2012 · 21/07/2015 20:15

Thank you Maggiejoyblunt I will give that site a look now Smile

OP posts:
Heidi122 · 21/07/2015 20:19

This has recently happened to us - so annoying!!!! We went onto the website of the debt collecting agency and there was a link where you could upload a copy of your tenancy agreement or a utility bill in your name to prove the previous tenant no longer lives there. Once we did that we were never harassed again and never heard from them! Be careful of speaking to the debt collection people on the phone. We called them to tell them previous tenant moved out and they didn't believe us, saved our mobile number and started harassing us via text message too!!!!

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 21/07/2015 20:21

Give them your landlords or estate agents details and that should sort it out. They should have details for her, assuming she got her deposit back if renting. I had this years ago and just referred the baliffs to the landlord to get the tenants details

Fantasyland · 21/07/2015 20:22

For all those saying it's no biggie it can affect your tax credits.
Previous tenant still has bank account with huge overdraft registered to my address .
Tax credits name this person and want proof I live on my own.
It is then my responsibility to prove she doesn't live here by a years worth of bank statements , bills , divorce papers etc costing me time and money all because she is avoiding debt.
It cost me nearly £35 to print everything they asked for so it is a big deal

Fizrim · 21/07/2015 20:24

I've had bailiffs turn up at the door for a previous tenant - I could tell who they were as they were wearing identification round their necks! They were very polite, I showed them our letter confirming our tenancy (it also had the date on) and they left (never to be seen again, thankfully).

I just return any post to sender.

zipzap · 21/07/2015 20:44

What would happen if this happened again and you were to ring 101 to talk to the police to say that you're being harrassed by people that are demanding information but not prepared to give it to you and that you feel threatened when they are banging on the door and generally giving off an air of menace?

Anniesaunt · 21/07/2015 20:45

OP is perfectly reasonable to be stressed. Bailiffs are intimidating and some are very unscrupulous and claim to have powers they do not have. Also perfectly reasonable to be uncomfortable presenting your ID to a complete stranger at the door who openly refuses to state either who they are or who they represent. Would so many of you really be comfortable handing over personal documents in such circumstances?

Having said that I think sending her a PM on FB would be a very bad idea, at best she'd ignore it. Continue to return letters as not known at this address, refuse to accept letters delivered by bailiffs on the basis you are not the addressee, definitely don't sign for any recorded/special deliveries addressed to her. I'd consider priming out screen shots of her FB though to give to the bailiffs.

UrethraFranklin1 · 21/07/2015 20:54

I dont see what is so stressful. Man knocks on your door and says are you x, you say no and close door. Letters go in the bin or back in the postbox.
Hardly taking over your life.

Anniesaunt · 21/07/2015 21:03

Doesn't always work that way urethra. I had similar experience to the OP some got in my face, one told me they didn't care if I was the debtor and could force entry and tare my stuff so id better never go out. Thus is completely illegal OP so don't panic, it won't actually happen. Still intimidating while its happening though.