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

[MrsV2012]

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

[liquidrevolution]

I had this. I opened the letters then I just googled the name of the previous tennant and the details popped up including address. I sent polite emails to all the companies explaining what I had done and infrming them if they do the same they will be able to track her down. I havent had anything since.

I agree with a PP, print off an A5 card with the information on and just hand to any callers, then close the door. make sure you put a note on your credit file dissassociating yourself with her.

[Damnautocorrect]

I've had this, all I had to show was my council tax bill to show they dont live there anymore.
It's fine, no big deal. Yes they are big, scary and intimidating but the laws on your side, you don't let them in and they aren't there for you. I wouldn't get involved on facebook, unless you wanted to send a helpful message about talking to CAB or step change.

[butterflygirl15]

I don't think a stranger at the door has any right to ask you to prove who you are quite frankly.

[pigsDOfly]

No don't contact her on fb. What's the point.

Bailiffs should give notice of, certainly, their first visit and should show you their id. If they won't you don't deal with them.

Not sure why anyone thinks it's reasonable for the anyone to have to show id to any stranger who come banging on the door demanding to know who you are but refusing to tell you who they are.

I wouldn't open the door - do you have a chain on the door - ask who it is and if they're asking for this woman tell them she's moved away. If you're not satisfied it's someone you want to open your door to you're not obliged to.

If they get nasty or threatening in anyway tell them you're calling the police and ring 999. You're feeling threatened in your own home and you have vulnerable children with you. Their behaviour is not acceptable.

When I had a tenant who had to be removed by bailiffs they were told exactly when the bailiffs would arrive and they had a court order.

These people sound like thugs. If they persist in making you feel threatened I'd be inclined to call the police non emergency number and ask their advice about your rights and how to deal with these people.

[Damnautocorrect]

Butterfly, you can look at it that way and they'll keep knocking, Or you can give the information they need and they go away.

[Downtheroadfirstonleft]

We had this in our first house. V stressful. We kept showing id. and sent a copy of a land registry document to some creditors and they eventually stopped.

I doubt that posters would be so relaxed about it if they had had aggressive, threatening people knocking at their door regularly!

[BreakingDad77]

They said due to Data Confidentiality is complete BS, a family member is a county court bailiff and they have ID and your are completely within your rights to ask them to identify themselves.

Though it shouldn't come to that, as proving you are a new tenant copy of agreement utility bill etc and none of their stuff is in the house they should be on their way.

Bailiffs cant just enter your premises there is a whole chain of applying for orders, notice periods etc.

[butterflygirl15]

some bully boy 'debt collector' has no right to demand you tell them who you are. I would be calling the police and not telling them anything quite frankly. Why should you give them evidence of your own existence to hope that they go away?

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

She wants them off the doorstep butterfly. Showing ID is the quickest, most pragmatic way to get them to stop.

[Damnautocorrect]

They are doing their job. It doesn't give them a right to be a knob admittedly.
But the information is a lady lives at that property who they have to collect money from. a lady answers the door. Claims not to be said woman but won't prove it? They should just accept it and not come back?
Of course they can't /won't.

[specialsubject]

do not contact her. She's a thief. Give her your name and then she knows your address. Fantastic - 10 mins on the internet will probably get her lots of other details and then she can REALLY start the fraud.

as noted; no bailiff can come in unless invited or with a police escort.

you need to fight the companies, not the crook. You should not have to do this but that's how it is.

[Anniesaunt]

Maggie if they were coming to the door, identifying themselves as being from x bailiffs/debt collectors and showing ID I would agree with you re the op just showing her ID. This is not what appears to be happening though, they are acting intimidatingly, refusing to identify themselves while hiding behind made up points of law and making demands of the op. I think she is completely reasonable to distrust them.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

The thing is, does she think they are there in connection with the previous tenant's debts or not? If they are, why not flash ID and thus move them?

If they are really being dodgy I would also complain or report. And I would write to any companies she becomes aware of outlining what she knows.

But by showing ID she is removing their excuse for any further dodginess and leaving them without excuses for being on the doorstep.

And really, what are the chances of them memorizing enough info from her ID to do anything odd with it? And would they really want to? It would seem they ARE trying to collect ex-tenant's debts, albeit in an unpleasant, high-pressure way. So what are they likely to do with her ID that is unsavoury?

[HighwayDragon]

I had the police at my door with an arrest warrant for some bloke, I invited them in, showed them various id for me and dp, and called my letting agents as I couldn't find our tenancy agreement. They were lovely about it, wasn't scary at all because I knew I'd done nothing wrong.

[Anniesaunt]

Maggie because some are incredibly dodgy. I've had debt collectors tell me that if the debtor couldn't be found they would just take my money because it didn't matter as long as they got their money. Obviously this is illegal and proper bailiffs wouldn't act this way. How can you establish they are legitimate bailiffs when they won't say who they are. Not saying who they are puts serious doubts in my mind.

[travellinglighter]

I have occasion to knock on peoples doors with regard to work and I always show my ID, doesn’t stop them calling the police. I then have to identify myself to the police.

As for the OP, if they don’t show ID then I would say “wait one sec” go inside call 101, explain the situation and then bring the phone to the door explain that the police are on the line and would like to speak to said bailiff/debt collector/trained ape. If they run away/refuse to speak then report it as an attempted scam.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

Maggie because some are incredibly dodgy. I've had debt collectors tell me that if the debtor couldn't be found they would just take my money because it didn't matter as long as they got their money

Awful. But not a situation that ID has much bearing on. If they want to try that nonsense, they will do it with or without ID.

[Anniesaunt]

True maggie but unwillingness to identify who they actually are never mind ID makes me significantly more suspicious.