Previous owner still using my address

[Cindereleanor]

I've owned and lived in my house for over two years and have received a fair amount of mail for the previous owner. For a while, fine, back in the box, rts.

But, increasingly I've realised he is using my address as his own still. Some months ago he re-taxed his van to this address. Since then, I've started opening letters and have called companies etc but it hasn't stopped. I have had savings accounts, credit cards, statements, all sorts.

This morning I received a letter thanking him for opening a new store card and asking him to sign and return the application form. This is totally taking the piss, it's fraud surely!?

There is a 'previous address' which I think is probably his current one on this application form, and what is probably a current phone number. I called the new card company but was yet again fobbed off telling me to return to sender.

So, how do I stop him doing this? It is infuriating and I'm worried about him using my address in this way.

Definitely fraudulent but you can only really keep returning to sender, writing 'not known at this address' on it. As long as he doesn't get hold of any of the post to your address.

Sorry sent too soon! I meant he shouldn't be able to get credit cards or use your address as ID as long as he can't get the post arriving ..

Yes it is fraud and reportable to the Police. A neighbour of mine had a similar problem.

Thanks. No, this is a normal secure terraced house with no porch or anything, and I'm often home when the post comes so there is no worry there. I hope it is true that he won't succeed anyway, but I do wonder.

The thing with returning mail, which I always do, often with increasingly irrate a note saying how long ago he moved out, is that so many companies just don't pay attention. Barclays, Natwest, trade accounts, tesco credit card (he managed to redirect his clubcard vouchers though!), catalogues - they all keep coming despite me returning them. Obviously I know there's nothing else I can do but grrr it's annoying!

x-posted. It only occurred to me today that fraud is in fact a crime, and as such is reportable to the police. It seems quite petty though, and I'd feel a bit daft, I doubt if the police would be interested in my annoyance?

It's a big issue - it shows intent to defraud. He is knowingly providing false information.

I have the same problem. I get court baliffs here looking for him all the time.

I have to prove my identity and my partners whenever the court baliffs turn up. It's horrible.

Oh no Patrick, how horrible. That's is my big fear, baliffs knocking. It must be hard to just take it in your stride - and why should you have to! The brass neck of these people makes me unreasonably angry.

In the old days of snail mail, we got frequent letters for the former owner after the 3months redirection was over, begging him to get in touch. One day we had a postcard asking us to ring them, DH did. And told him where he had moved to (up the road). (We also had a CCJ against him at that point) That worked.