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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU To Give Them Her Address?

30 replies

Deemented · 13/02/2009 19:28

So, have been living in my new house a fortnight tomorrow, and i've had three different set of baliffs knocking on my door, asking for the previous tennant. I have thirty five letters for said tennant, all from debt collection agencies and courts.

Today, my new next door neighbour gave me the previous tennants new address - would IBU to give the next set of baliffs who knock on my door looking for her, her new address?

OP posts:
SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/02/2009 19:30

Not really. They will find her eventually. I personally wouldn't bother, but YANBU if you want to.

RealityIsMyOnlyValentine · 13/02/2009 19:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TheCrackFox · 13/02/2009 19:34

YANBU. They will keep hassling you until they find where she is.

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 13/02/2009 19:37

Not at all. Give them her address.

They will never leave you in peace unless you do. And why should you give her a break, when they're her debts, at the expense of the quiet enjoyment of your own home?!

Tell them.

In fact, write a few little cards out and keep them by the door!

don't open the letters! That's illegal.

chickenfortea · 13/02/2009 19:41

You are ok if you open letters "accidentally", It is on your best to pass on the address as proceedings can be issued and served at a last known address,
If you want to play it straight you can slash through the envelope and mark the new address on it, along with something like, left address on the XXXX.
If you have any court proceedings against the property you can send them with a copy of your deed/tenancy agreement to the court and explain that you are not the debtor.
hope this helps and no YANBU

Janos · 13/02/2009 19:43

You are not being unreasonable at all, give them her address if you have it!

What you can also do is return all letters to sender marked addressee unknown, they will then attempt to trace help.

Janos · 13/02/2009 19:44

To trace HER.

Sorry!

chickenfortea · 13/02/2009 19:47

meant slash through the address on the envelope

handbagqueen · 13/02/2009 19:48

The baliffs will keep coming to your house until you provide them with proof its your house, like a council tax or utilities bill or a tenancy agreement. Once you have provided this to them they will stop hassling you, if you have her address give it to them.

Returning the letter does no good as they still will come to your house until they have evidence that it is your house.

Just been through this with a mate of my Dh who lived here for 3 months 4 years ago.

Janos · 13/02/2009 20:10

If they are given an address where she is then surely they are going to chase that up rather than keep persecuting the OP? That's just common sense!

wotulookinat · 13/02/2009 20:25

I found that sending the letters back didn't work,, but phoning the companies direct did - although I had to give my name to do that.
If I were you, I would give them her new address so you get peace.

Jux · 13/02/2009 20:52

We've been here 3 years and still get the odd bailiff looking for people who were here 20 years ago () or who only used it as an address but didn't actually live here. On the whole I can't help them, but generally wouldn't if I could, tbh.

Babieseverywhere · 13/02/2009 20:59

I agree with wotulookinat. I send loads of letters 'return to sender' and still got loads more letters/phone call/visits in return. In the end I opened the letters and rung the companies involved and explained I was not the person they were looking for and I had no idea where they had moved to and the letters stopped...yeah

Jux · 13/02/2009 21:00

I've just clicked the link

Jux · 13/02/2009 21:01

Wrong thread sorry

Janos · 13/02/2009 21:17

Babieseverywhere, that's nuts isn't it? You'd think they would get the message.

Babieseverywhere · 13/02/2009 21:30

TBH All the companies I spoke to were polite to me and I never heard from them again

Janos · 13/02/2009 21:46

Oh I misunderstood babies everywhere....thought you meant they were still trying to contact you?

Sorry, must have left my common sense somewhere tonight!

Hawkmoth · 17/02/2009 23:38

The last three houses I've lived in have been bombarded with bailiffs' letters, until I opened them and made a few calls. Always a bit scared they would actually knock on the door if I'm honest!

I also put back in the post, but get MORE pissed off when they come back with my scrawls on them!

PlumBumMum · 17/02/2009 23:40

I would give address and have done, I too have opened letters and rang and this def works
good luck

FairLadyRantALot · 17/02/2009 23:56

well...I think uk should put something in place similar to germany, when you move, you got to officially de-registre from previous residence and re-registre for new one...without it, you can't do anything...i.e appply for accounts or anything...
because the debt at address thing is rubbish...not just the situation op is in...but if you ever want to get credit for anything and your house is "blacklisted"....houses don't go out and get into debt it's people that do it....

5inthebed · 18/02/2009 00:00

We had similar problem with bailiffs at a previous property. Make sure your name is on voters role for property, and half the bailifs will stop coming.
And as others have said, worth opening the post and calling the companies that she doesnt live there, and passing on her address IF they ask for it.

NorthernLurker · 18/02/2009 00:07

I accidentally opened a debt agency letter many years ago at a house we'd just moved into and I certianly rang them and told them her new address. She ran up the debts not us - why should we be put to the unpleasantness of being hassled when we knew her address?

dilemma456 · 18/02/2009 09:03

Message withdrawn

Nabster · 18/02/2009 09:05

Just write forward to and put them in the post box.