To stop chasing this and let the bailiffs come for ex

[theduchessstill]

We've been divorced year, apart for 4. A couple of months ago I accidentally opened a letter for him and it was a parking fine from the council. I passed it straight to him but didn't make the link that his car must be registered to my home, despite his having got that car after he moved out.

A but later another letter came and the fine had gone up. Again I passed it on and texted him asking him to sort the fine and contact the DVLA. Of course he ignored the text and did nothing.

A few days ago another letter came so I opened it knowing it would be about this. It said the debt had been passed to bailiffs, or whatever they're now called and goods could be taken within 10 days. I passed it to him but know he will do absolutely nothing about it. I have been ringing the number on the letter, but it always rings out. I've emailed the address on it telling them he doesn't live here but received no reply. I've also written to the dvla, but I imagine the 10 days will be up pretty soon.

I'm sick of spending so much time trying to sort out his fucking mess again and again. AIBU to stop trying to contact them and just let the bailiffs come? I'm sure I can explain when they're here and they will just go away? I'm out most of the time anyway. The only problem is there're a couple of hours a week when ds (11) is here alone. He's under instructions not to open the door, but I don't know how persistent they'd be. They're not allowed to deal with children are they, but I don't know exactly what would happen.

So sick of ex and his irresponsible shit.

I agree, write a letter to DVLA and the Baliff, send a copy of the other letter to each party also.

Give them his new address, and date that he moved out.

Rawhh's above post has pretty much got it covered.

You may be lucky and get a nice bailiff who takes your word, council tax bill as proof you live there and leaves.

They won't be "taking her word" if she has evidence that she is divorced and therefore that he doesn't live there! They can't take her car if she proves it is hers anyway and they certainly can't take anything from the house if she doesn't let them in.

You may however get one who climbs through your kitchen window whilst you are on the loo, and starts listing your belongings going through every room whilst you are desperately trying to prove your ex husband doesn't live there.

They're not allowed to do that! They can only enter through an open door.

If they’re sending bailiffs they will have had to have a court order. Contact the actual issuing court rather than the bailiffs and they will sort it for you. Do you have the court name?

Call the contact number on the letter and advise he doesn't live at the property. If they require evidence, you can give them a copy of your tenancy agreement (if the property is rented) you can also give them his forwarding address and advise that you had previously passed post to him him but clearly he has not updated them...

@Dungeondragon15

The evidence they can accept isn't set in stone.

You can be divorced and still living together.

Some bailiffs will want more 'proof' than others.

You can be divorced and still living together?

It would be extremely unlikely and I very much doubt that further proof would be required. The scenario that the ex had moved out and hadn't changed his address would be far more likely. If OP supplied his new address and evidence that they were divorced why would they waste their time (and effectively money) demanding further proof rather than going to his new address?

It’s very annoying that people run up bills/don’t pay fines and merrily skip off and leave the mess for someone else to sort out.

I think there should be some way of making a statutory declaration that someone doesn’t live at an ddress anymore, to stop being hounded by bailiffs. I bet there is in countries such as France or Germany.

The last time I was in that situation, after putting RTS on the letter I put down clear instructions on where this person moved next - I had to work through a shopping-bag’s worth of post to misdirect.

We had/still have a similar with the previous owners of our house. We've had bailiffs and police to the door (driving offences - no response to court summons)

Both the police and bailiffs were great and apologetic when they realised, showed them ID, explained previous owner had moved - no forwarding address, told them to contact estate agent we bought through.

I contacted the DVLA myself - they were useless.

Now I just bin the letters as soon as they arrive.