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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Threatening letters arriving to my house. Please advise!

43 replies

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 20:57

I received a couple letters last month or so in someone else's name which I didn't recognise. As far as I am aware he hasn't lived here at least 5/6 years(if ever!).

I ignored them but kept them just in case. Today another came in and it looked urgent. Decided to look inside. Apparently someone went in London and didn't pay the congestion charge. For some reason the penalty came to my address. It was never paid as of course he never actually received it. The final letter is threatening debt agencies etc. I don't want people showing up to my home and I am scared it is going to affect my credit score. What do I do??

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??

sometimesmovingforwards · 21/01/2025 20:58

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??

Exactly this.

rubyslippers · 21/01/2025 20:58

Don’t open the letters
Just return everything with the name and address crossed out with return to sender / addressee never resided here

Guavafish1 · 21/01/2025 20:59

Just call them… say the person doesn’t live at this address.

it’s strange you have not

SheridansPortSalut · 21/01/2025 21:00

You're not supposed to keep or open other people's mail.

Return it to sender.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:01

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 20:58

I don’t understand why you’ve kept them and not sent them back with “not known at this address”??

I am not from the UK so didn't realised that was a thing you do! I kept them in case someone put the wrong address and asked for them back. They are open now so can't do that should I wait for the next one or call them?

OP posts:
Foxgloverr · 21/01/2025 21:02

Call them

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:02

Sending them back will do no good, people who don't want to pay pull this trick all the time. The vehicle registration must be linked to your address.

I would ring TFL and ask them to correct the information, they might ask you to give them sight of your council tax bill as proof.

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:01

I am not from the UK so didn't realised that was a thing you do! I kept them in case someone put the wrong address and asked for them back. They are open now so can't do that should I wait for the next one or call them?

Show quote history

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

BasiliskStare · 21/01/2025 21:04

If it were me I would sellotape them up & put - opened in error , addressee not known at this address and stick them back in the post box.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:05

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

My bad! And I didn't until I had a lot for the same name which was weird. Isn't it also ilegal to use someone else's address to register your car? What if someone really shows up to my door or goes to my credit file and I knew nothing about this?

OP posts:
888STARZ · 21/01/2025 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:06

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:02

Sending them back will do no good, people who don't want to pay pull this trick all the time. The vehicle registration must be linked to your address.

I would ring TFL and ask them to correct the information, they might ask you to give them sight of your council tax bill as proof.

Makes sense that they do. Will do that first thing tomorrow! Thank you!

Thank you@Foxgloverr and @888STARZ too

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:07

Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:05

My bad! And I didn't until I had a lot for the same name which was weird. Isn't it also ilegal to use someone else's address to register your car? What if someone really shows up to my door or goes to my credit file and I knew nothing about this?

Show quote history

If you return letters to sender as not known at the address this is completely avoidable, because then the sender knows they have the incorrect address. As it is they see that all letters have been delivered and kept, so assume the address is correct.

ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:08

No one is going to arrest you for opening a letter that you needed to open in order to resolve this problem

OnTheBoardwalk · 21/01/2025 21:08

You can open mail if you don’t intend to do anything fraudulent with it

give them a call and explain your situation, return to sender all opened letters, if you have the same regular postie have a chat with them

if anyone does turn up have your car invoice (not v5 ) council tax etc to hand and have a chat with them. You'll be fine

I had a bankrupt previously living her as well as random parking fines 300 miles away

TeabySea · 21/01/2025 21:10

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

No it isn't.
It is a crime to use their details for nefarious/illegal/fraudulent purposes.

Justhereforthechristmasthreads · 21/01/2025 21:11

Your credit file is linked to your name not your address

If you genuinely don't know the person named on the letters (eg. it is not a boyfriend/girlfriend you are financially linked to with a joint account) then it cannot affect your credit file.

You need to ring whoever is chasing the debt and inform them that the person does not live at the address they have and ask them to remove it from their files. Return every future letter without opening it and mark as not known at this address.

If anyone did turn up to chase the debt you just show them ID that shows you live there and aren't who they are after

malmi · 21/01/2025 21:11

Ignore people saying it's a crime to open them, they are coming to your house and you have no intent to commit malicious acts using the information so you are legally perfectly in the clear. Phone them and explain the person doesn't live there, and feel free to mark any future letters with "Not known at this address" and drop them in any post box, no payment needed.

Original poster
Kat256M · 21/01/2025 21:11

OnTheBoardwalk · 21/01/2025 21:08

You can open mail if you don’t intend to do anything fraudulent with it

give them a call and explain your situation, return to sender all opened letters, if you have the same regular postie have a chat with them

if anyone does turn up have your car invoice (not v5 ) council tax etc to hand and have a chat with them. You'll be fine

I had a bankrupt previously living her as well as random parking fines 300 miles away

Thank you I was really panicking! I don't even own a car...I am hoping that someone made a genuine mistake and I won't get anything else for that person.

@malmi Thank you, will do that!

OP posts:
ohyesido · 21/01/2025 21:11

It won't go on your credit file either, if a bailiff does turn up just show them your council tax bill and they'll be on their way.

If the perpetrators keep incurring charges with a vehicle that is linked to your address it will keep happening and causing you stress but your credit score won't be affected as it's not against the property or your name

Didimum · 21/01/2025 21:12

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

This is a myth. It’s only an offence if it doesn’t have your address on it and it’s been delivered by mistake. If it’s an unknown name to your address, then it’s not an offence to open it. And even then it’s only an offence if you open the letters with intent to cause harm.

Lemonyfuckit · 21/01/2025 21:13

My parents used to get road tax letters and all sorts for a variety of people who had previously lived at their address (and in cases hadn't lived there but for some bizarre reason the previous owner had let them use her address - all v dodgy). When they called the DVLA about one of these the sensible person on the other end said well naturally they could change their records unless they knew the registration number in question, so perhaps if one of the envelopes got accidentally ever so slightly torn so that the registration was visible, they could then update the record that the registered keeper no longer was at that address. So maybe given one of your envelopes has 'accidentally' come open you could call and just say not known at this address.

YellowDaffodilRedTulip · 21/01/2025 21:13

Mrsttcno1 · 21/01/2025 21:03

It’s also a crime to open someone else’s mail.

Show quote history

No it’s not. It’s a crime to open someone else’s mail with the intent to commit fraud.

Just call the company. The person I bought my house from obviously took out multiple loans then did a runner so I had lots of those sorts of letters. I just rang them and explained and I never heard from them again.

bakerroo · 21/01/2025 21:13

Make sure you are the only one on the electoral register for your address.

We had this once and we were advised to do the above.

Meanwhile write 'return to sender not known at this address' on the envelope and put in the post.