Previous tenant started using my address for DWP matters

[legofansmum]

Myself and DS (now 12) have been sole tenants of our housing association property since we moved in during June 2015.

I received a phone call from the previous tenant about ten days ago saying I’d some post came for him, then please could I leave it in the electric box outside and let him know and he’ll pick it up.

I’ve since just had two brown envelopes letters from the DWP. I haven’t opened them , but it’s obvious he is using my address for benefits reasons.

I’m now feeling stressed. He has served time in prison before for violent offences etc... I can’t let him use my address though because I am a single parent and it will affect my own DWP claims. I know they cross check because when I worked a few hours over a few months ago, DWP informed housing benefit I had worked extra and I had to pay the £ back to Housing Benefits.

Has anyone else had someone else use their address? Did it have repercussions for you? I’ve just wrote return to sender on the front and added on the back that I’ve been the sole tenant along with my child since June 15.

I’m so stressed, I don’t want to go falling out with people , but I can’t afford to have my tax credits etc ... cut as I can barely survive as it is.

OP, you sound very worried about the repercussions (understandably) from the DWP and the ex-tenant. It sounds more than one letter has come for him. So give him one and send the other back as ‘not at this address, remove from mailing list’.

No no no, do not simply post the letters back.
Open both and deal with the DWP Direct by phone.
If he asks then you simply don’t have any letters for him.

If you don’t deal with DWP immediately and effectively they may cut your benefits and investigate you as others have stated above.

He does not live at your address, he does not have your permission to use your address and you have no idea what is going on.
You need to demonstrate your honesty and good faith to DWP.

Return to sender and then say that they don’t seem to have arrived if he asks but you’ll keep an eye out for them.

@awesomeaircraft it literally says the exact opposite on that article you posted. Credit files are linked to people not addresses.

I would RTS and claim they hadn't arrived but I have very little contact with DWP so it might be better to contact them direct as others have said.

Incidentally I have a hazy memory of something like this happening to my mum, she kept getting letters about milk stamps, she kept returning them and calling them to say they weren't hers and eventually they stopped.

@ActualHornist, darn, you are right. I read the Google summary on the article rather than the full text and I clearly got the wrong end of the stick on this one. Well spotted.