To give debt collectors my relatives address?

[Famproblems1]

NC, I'll try to keep it short.

5 years ago I let a younger relative come and stay with me temporarily when she was leaving domestic violence in another part of the country, she stayed with me for approx 12 months before moving on into a place of her own with her small children.

During the course of that relationship alot of debt was accumulated before she left age 20..she says the majority of this was due to the partner taking out contract phones and payday loans using her details and that she had no control of her finances.

Despite the fact she doesn't live here anymore and hasn't for almost 4 years I'm still getting letters here addressed to her from debt collectors asking for money and to be honest I'm tired of it and want no part of it.

Obviously I've mentioned this to her a number of times and she claims she has contacted the companies and told them not to send anything else to my address as she doesn't live here. If that's true, which is debatable, then they clearly haven't listened.

I'm aware that she's paying a token sum to a couple of different companies on a monthly basis so she she says she's doing what she can but claims to be out of her depth and can only work part time. She has refused to give her address to these people citing that she's vulnerable with MH problems and has her disabled child there.

I received another letter through the door for her this morning after a peaceful couple of months, low and behold a debt collection company demanding £300 odd and I've reached the end of my rope.

We spoke over the phone which ended in something of a heated discussion because I said I'm going to give them her new address as I'm sick of the letters coming here and don't want debt collectors turning up here trying to take control of my property.

She then spoke to her mother who called me and implied I was being cruel.

So WIBU to do exactly that?

Lesson learnt never help her out again.

I won't be doing, that being said it's rare I hear from her these days. I have clearly outlived my use.

Yeah ok Hyacinth Bucket I mean unintentional oversight isn't a defence. There's a big bold sentence at the bottom of my council tax bill that says "If you are in receipt of a discount you must advise us immediately if your circumstances change and you are no longer entitled to this discount. Anyone who knowingly gives false information may be prosecuted and/or subject to penalties."

Check yours. It'll say the same.

The debt collectors unfortunately are well within the rights to keep writing to your address until they have a new one for her. So i would definitely give them her new address.

As a rule of thumb do not pass on or share anyone’s personal contact details without their expressed permission, particularly if that person has been subject to domestic abuse or form of harassment. I would not bother asking your niece as she is already struggling.

The only thing to contact your niece about is to encourage her to go to a non-profit agency such as Christians Against Poverty who can help her build a simple payment plan to manage the involuntary debt incurred through the domestic abuse - a very common aspect of DA that is often overlooked. capuk.org/i-want-help/our-services/cap-debt-help/introduction.CAP were recommended to a family member by the local Police DA team, & the resulting financial plan has given that person hope for the future. It is all easy to underestimate the hopelessness of massive debt imposed on top of an already abusive situation.

Refuge & Co-operative Bank initiative to raise awareness

www.co-operativebank.co.uk/assets/pdf/bank/aboutus/ourbusiness/Know-Economic-Abuse-Campaign-Press-Release.pdf

‘ Nearly two out of five UK adults (39%) – approximately 20m people1 – have experienced economically abusive behaviour in a current or former relationship, according to a new report launched today by The Co-operative Bank and Refuge, the UK’s largest national domestic abuse charity. Despite this, only 16 per cent of people describe, or recognise, their experiences as abuse.
The “Know Economic Abuse” campaign aims to raise awareness of the true scale of economic abuse in the UK.’

Return letters unopened to the sender - short form address usually on back of envelope so need to open or readdress- with ‘not known at this address ‘ clearly marked on front of envelope. Stick in post box, job done.

Get a copy of your own credit report from Experian & each of the other two credit reference agencies, make sure that you have optimised your own credit history, follow up on any hints given in the report.

@Roodicus21

Go online to royal mail and get her mail redirected to her new address. It will cost you a few quid but then you don't get lumbered with the mail and she won't be able to deny getting the post.

I started to write the same, but then deleted it from the message box, as it struck me that the mail recipient (the niece) would have to do it herself, they wouldn't take the OP's word for it. Pity, because that would be an ideal solution, the OP doesn't get the letters, the niece does, but the companies don't get the niece's address.

How do you know what is in the letters? Why are you opening someone else’s mail? Write ‘return to sender’ / not at this address’ on any envelopes and drop them in the post box. It’s none of your buy.

The point re the council tax bill was that it would provide evidence that you are the only person residing at your property, which should get them to believe that she doesn't in fact live there and start tracing where she does live, without you needing to do their job for them and hand over her address.

Ironically, CT bills being used for proof of occupancy is based on the fact you're obliged to inform the council of any changes to make sure they accurately reflect adult occupants, so you've somewhat let down the whole process on which you need to rely! Easily done though.

You do seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill based on some letters flopping through your letterbox and one bloody bailiff visit. Calm down. You don't owe anyone any money, no-one is going to break down your door and take your stuff, your credit history is going to be fine, it's just some letters.

It is a relatively minor inconvenience to contact some companies and confirm she doesn't live there. I wouldn't even bother going to that effort tbh - the letters would be going in the bin and any bailiff arriving would be politely shown my ID and proof that I live alone and that would be the end of the conversation. (But make sure you lock the door on them while you're finding the ID or they wander in).

I can't understand why you'd want to make life harder for a woman (who is related to you!) with MH issues and a history of abuse struggling to face up to her debt issues. You can get them off your back without sending them directly to her front door.

And actually, thinking about your last little dig at her there, it's not up to the council to work out you had a lodger and ask for the money you owe them - that's up to you because it was your responsibility to tell them in the first place. As you're all about accountability I assume you will contact them tomorrow to let them know of your mistake and arrange to pay what is owed?

the repetitive posts on this Thread are head thumping... same post over and over and over and over

seriously ... flippin HEAD THUMPING

Give the address.
You have already been more than kind. Her mother sounds like she was OK to let you pick up the pieces for her daughter, help her get on her feet and is now chirping in and stirring the pot.
You have been kind and generous but with or without mental health issues she needs to learn to stand on her own two feet and she can't expect you to constantly take this type of shit. Do not allow them to make you feel bad!

Debts are sold on down a chain of collection agencies.

I don’t doubt - although you do - that your niece has told the original debtor or last known agency that she no longer lives at your address. Alas the debt collection machinery is not so precise & agencies can pick up data that is out of date & follow on. Also there is an element of one armed bandit, if they keep repeating the chase eventually some money will come back.

As far as I am aware DWP do not pass personal data on to non Govt agencies. If a debt collector has told you that I would be very wary of their legitimacy.

Given that you have the same surname, it is highly likely that there is a ‘link’ on your niece’s credit record to your address. Again with the suggestion about getting your own credit report & checking the section about links. The credit agency will advise you how to have this information updated so that you are no longer bothered.

Just return anything addressed to her unopened marked not known at this address.

We used to get these all the time when we moved in as several of the previous tenants had obviously had trouble. Just keep returning them unopened, took about 3 returned ones and they stopped coming.

One of them addressed one to the current occupiers and asked us for their details and implied we had to tell them if we knew but it was all bogus I just returned that with the same enormous known message and that was that.

@WisnaeMe

the repetitive posts on this Thread are head thumping... same post over and over and over and over

seriously ... flippin HEAD THUMPING

This 👆🏻👆🏻

‘
‘I bought my house 15 years ago. I'm still getting debt collector letters for the previous owners. Writing "return to sender" achieves nothing, in my experience.’

@Motorina because you have not told them anything so their db is not updated. ‘ Not known at this address since 2005’ might help?

If you absolutely have to give a new address, then I’d be tempered give the address of your niece’s ex who incurred the debt in the first place.

BUT of course, that could spectacularly misfire with possibly disastrous consequences, so I’d just as quickly nix that idea.

I do wish people would stop saying that opening other peoples post is illegal.

It isnt in certain circumstances and this is one of them. The OP would not be prosecuted, especially as the neice is deliberately making sure that the post is not being redirected as a way to avoid her debts.....

Most people do not realise what little in the way of powers ordinary debt collectors have! They will blind you with lies but thats what they are, lies.

Employing a company to collect your debts if your are a business is understandable because most businesses dont have the time or the means. But companies who actually buy up debts for pence in the pound are scum bags as are the individuals who work for them.

@memberofthewedding

Most people do not realise what little in the way of powers ordinary debt collectors have! They will blind you with lies but thats what they are, lies.

Employing a company to collect your debts if your are a business is understandable because most businesses dont have the time or the means. But companies who actually buy up debts for pence in the pound are scum bags as are the individuals who work for them.

This is true.

They can knock on your door, talk very loudly to embarrass you in front of the neighbours, bully you and make you think that they can take your TV. In reality, only court appointed baillifs can enter your property to take your stuff to sell for debt. And only then with a court order. Debt collectors will rarely have anything more than "if you dont pay we will be calling at your address" tyoe threats. This is to make you think that they can break in and take your stuff, as bailliffs can legitimately do with the right paperwork, when they know that they cant.

Also debt collector companies will try to get people to pay debts that have been written off under the limitations of 6 years, again by frightening people.

Return the letter with return to sender not at address on

Or alternatively, cancel the cheque

Head. Wall.

@Mumoftwoinprimary

Could you give the debt collector her mother’s address. Then she can decide how heartless or otherwise it is....

^^^this

memberofthewedding: ...companies who actually buy up debts for pence in the pound are scum bags as are the individuals who work for them.
..........
Absolutely. I find it hard to believe that the op would give her relative's address to anyone like that when all she had to do was return letters to sender and, if they persisted, eg telephoned or called round, tell them she didn't know where the person went five years ago. It would be cruel to do otherwise, frankly.

She really does need to look into a debt relief order. She should qualify as she's on a low income.

All these bailiffs and collection agencies will be adding charges to her accounts and she could be paying towards the debts for years on end but getting nowhere. A DRO will get everything written off after a year and make it all go away and she'll be able to get on with her life.

You shouldn't be opening the letters, contact the companies and tell them she does not live at that address.

We had this from previous tenants. We rang the companies said they had moved and they left us alone. No need for a forwarding address
We then did a return to sender for all the next letters. They soon stopped.

It’s like Chinese water torture isn’t it 🙄🙄