Debt collectors letters

[LosGibertyisacelebration]

Morning everyone.

I bought my house in 2019 from a couple whose names I obviously know. I have in the past 3 months received around 10 letters from a company with my address but in the name of someone different and not either of the names of the people we bought the house off. As far as I know there was no-one else living here with the couple when we bought the house although they could have recently moved out etc.. the surnames of seller couple and guy on letter are different (so not children of couple I don't think) the couple had lived here for 25 years and never rented it out.

After sending the letters back to the company unopened with "no longer at this address" written on the envelope I opened the most recent one because I googled the return address on the envelope and it's a debt collection agency. I double checked I was allowed to open it and it's not illegal or anything (I'm certainly not attempting to defraud anybody etc!)

The letter talks about a debt of a few thousand and that they're now at the stage of sending a doorstep collection agent out. What would be the best course of action for me to take? Should I try calling them and explaining? I imagine it's a popular trick to try and delay debt collectors though so I'm not sure if they'd even take me seriously. Or should I wait for a bailiff to turn up? If so what should I do at that point?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give!

It's likely that bailiffs will appear on your doorstep. If you get all your ducks in row in regard to proof of Identity, length of time your have been at the address etc, they will log it all and hopefully get the address taken off the correspondence. You won't be held responsible for the debt that is nothing to do with you x

Call them but they may still send a collection agent. I had one turn up for previous owner, I just showed my council tax bill at the door and that was that.

I had the same and I called the agent and advised they didn’t live at the address, I told them my name and when I moved in, he apologised and added a note to their system, letters stopped, heard nothing since, this was a year ago.

You could call them and offer to send proof of ownership and identity.
my friend had this issue and she kept a council tax bill by the front door. I think she sent all the letters to the vendors solicitor that dealt with the house sale as well to pass them on.

Thank you all for the advice. I gave them a call and they could not have been less helpful or interested! Wouldn’t let me finish a sentence, asked for the name on the letter , said ok and hung up on me so I guess I’ll wait for someone to come out and hopefully it will be a better interaction face to face 😁I will definitely gather council tax bill and solicitors letters from when we bought the house so it’s ready. Thanks!

Hello - Just dropping in here quickly to say that we’ve got a Q&A live in Money Matters about debt with debt charity Stepchange. No question is too stupid - so don’t hesitate to ask the experts about any aspect of debt or managing money worries.