Help! Partner ex is having debt sent to my house!

[Gooseygoosey12345]

Ok so, unbeknownst to my OH his "lovely" ex wasn't paying the council tax while they were together (over 5 years ago!). So he got sent a letter from the council to our address saying he owed them money. After speaking with the council they agreed that he would pay half. So that was all fine, she had to pay the other half.
Now I'm getting letters to my house with her name on saying that debt collectors are chasing her for the money. I've spoken to them twice already to say that she doesn't live here. They asked for a forwarding address which was on the letter that they sent! I was told I'd get no more letters.
I've now received a "Notice of Enforcement Agent Visit". I am absolutely fuming!
What can I do?

Phone up the debt collectors and tell them again. Also phone the council and tell them (again).

If they turn up, DO NOT LET THEM IN. You do not have to allow them in.

Thank you, have done that again! Will get OH to do so as well. I certainly won't be letting them in and will have ID to hand to prove I am not her!

It would do no harm to also check your credit file if that's something you don't do regularly.

Thanks cozietoesie. Luckily I get updates if anything changes and check it at least once a month. Will keep an extra close eye.

I used to work in Council tax. It is a joint and severally liable debt. There is no her half and his half. If she won't pay they will go after him and if they don't know where she is but knows where he is they will go after him.

As Silly has already said the council don't care about him paying half and her paying half..they just want the whole debt paid. Therefore if she doesn't pay her half they will continue to pursue both parties till the full debt is paid. Any letters addressed to his ex shouldn't be opened by you, mark them as not known at this address and put them back in the postbox to allow the Post Office to return to sender

They weren't opened by me, I'm aware that you shouldn't open mail addressed to others. His name was on it too.
After speaking to the council he was told that half of the debt would be passed onto a recovery company in her name alone, but they've put it in both. I'm even more annoyed that her name could be associated with my address! She's in a lot of debt. What's even more frustrating is she fraudulently claimed tax credits, he's had to pay back half of that because she did it in his name too! One thing after another.
(OH has decided to just pay CT to get rid, but it makes me so angry, she's such a leech. I could go on about this woman but I shan't)
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, helps to have a rant sometimes!

Silly and lady

From what you're saying, then, the OH could end up having to pay 'her' half as well?

There is no her half. There is one debt and 2 people are wholly liable for it. Until the debt is paid they will both be chased. If the council know where he is but not her they won't waste time trying to find her as he is wholly liable. It's only if he drops off their radar they will resume their search for her. If you know where she works you can ask them to do an attachment of earnings on her wages, but then it depends if the deductions are worth it for them (they can take a percentage based on take home pay).

British gas did agree to half each when pushed when u binned my ex!! Put the suggestion in writing with no phone number. They don't want the hassle of keep writing to you so just agree it seems! Did your oh have a financial severance done? Stops you being responsible for the others debts after divorce. Only costs about £35.

So, bottom line, he's likely to have to pay up? (Especially given that it sounds as if they've transferred the debt to a recovery agency.)

They weren't married, just living together. He's paid it now anyway it's just so frustrating. More so because the council had promised that if he paid half of it up front that they would not pass his name or address onto the recovery agent. I just don't understand why they'd say that if it were untrue! I will be making a complaint about it.
Funnily enough she doesn't work, and never has. She isn't the sort of person who's likely to take any responsibility for her mistakes!
Hopefully that's the end of it now.
Does anyone know if her name will be associated with address because of this? And if so how to prevent any further hassle from her debt. Thanks for all the help!

Well that will hopefully get shot of it, PITA though it is. You said that you already check your own credit file regularly etc etc - but does he check his own? That might be a useful thing to do.

Her name won't be associated with your address. Council Tax debt doesn't appear on your credit file at all.

Unless you have third party authority to discuss your partners account, they will just ignore your complaint as replying to it will breach his data protection (unless their reply is just in general terms, not about their specific case).

Yes, my understanding is that the OP is fairly safe on that front, although it behoves her - as it does everyone - to be prudent and check things regularly. I was just a little more concerned for her OH, given that his 'ex' might know his personal details etc and - if she's not ......honourable - might 'misinterpret' certain financial issues. Keeping a weather eye on financial details is a good idea in general as well. I wish more people did it.