Previous owners still giving out our address over a year on and we're getting their bills??

[ConnorTraceptive]

We moved into a house 18 months ago and obciously you expect to get a bit of mail for the previous owners but we're still getting some. Usually I just return to sender now, but there has been a couple of occasions when I've opened stuff by mistake and it's been invoices that are clearly overdue.

Today I opened something not seeing that it was for previous owner and it is an invoice for storage but what concerns me is they took up this storage 4 months AFTER they moved so why the hell have they not given their new address.

Not sure what to do now. Should I just return the letter or should I inform this company that they've been lied to and how can I stop anymore invoices coming our way?

It is illegal to open post addressed to someone else.

I'd stick with the return to sender strategy.

Yes I know it's illegal but it was an accident and I don't feel bad about it. In fact I think I'm right in thinking that the letter belongs to the person who sent it and if I was a small business being shafted I wouldn't be upset that someone else opened it, I would want to be told. Also I couldn't return it with having opened it to find return address

technically yes it is illegal to open post addressed to someone else but if its done accidentally, not deliberately thats different. Bearing in mind the previous owners moved 18 months ago you wouldn't expect to stil get stuff for them. I had this a few years back with my ex husband that had moved (been thrown out!) years before. I suddenly started to get lots of post for him and for around a year I returned to sender but the problem continued so started opening post (accidentally of course) and was horrified to find that there were lots of debts and letters threatening CCJ's and bailiffs attending my property etc. I would write to experian and equifax, the main 2 credit reference agencies and inform them that this person is no longer at your address (send a copy of office copy entires which you should have got from your conveyancing solicitor when you bought the place) and request they note it on their files. Also write to the storage company and set out that the previous owner has not been there since that time.
Sadly, it appears that the return to sender strategy just doesn't work and in fact one credit card company I spoke to actually admited they ignored them as assumed that the person was just ignoring the debts and they didn't believe he had moved!

We had this. We rented a house and found that the previous tenant was still getting post and applying for credit there. He had CCJs, bailiffs coming round, the whole lot. We contacted all the companies but it got ridiculous and stressful so eventually we moved out after 6 months.

Agree with mumoverseas, write to credit agencies with proof that this person no longer lives at this address, and write to the various companies in a similar vein.

Good idea about writing to credit agencies. I will also contact this company. At the end of the day this invoice is for a small business so I think they'd appreciate knowing

I think you can get a notice of dissociation put on your credit record in case someone gets confused and thinks you are the same person (credit is based on person not address). So it's worth contacting experian and equifax. Do you have a new address for the old owners? Write and tell them to quit it otherwise you'll seek legal advice, that should fox the little buggers!

we still get stuff (including the bank calling) for previous owners, 3 years after they left
bank & utility statements, they have changed address on some stuff but not on others

i usually return to sender with UPDATE YOUR RECORDS PLEASE scrawled all over it
i used to forward it to them but after 6 months and the memory of an oven that took 2 days to clean i stopped..

they seem lazy rather than swindlers but i dont get it at all....

I thought about sending them a little noe along the lines of

Dear Mr Howsen-Schmowsen (or whatever ridululous name it is)

It would appear that you've have struggled to catch up on your finances since you moved over a year ago and consequently are a little behind on the bills. In the spirit of Christmas I have given you a little helping hand and passed on your new address to those who are awaiting payment. I'm sure you can expect a seasons greeting from them soon.

Wishing you a debt free 2009

Yours Mrs C Traceptive

PS Don't Drink And Drive

Yes I thought lazy at first but looking at this letter it would appear this service was aquired four months after they moved so I'm concerned that they are deliberately taking the piss out of smaller business's who are unlikely to chase them for a couple of hundred quid IYSWIM?

I'd register with the MPS and put their name down as no longer resident. It takes a few months for it to really hit though.

I know how you feel -I'm still getting bits and pieces for my landlord even though he moved out in June and I doubt he was there much before that. I had his gf on the phone querying how much post he had as he was expecting something (I'd actually slung it back in the post with 'moved away' written on it)!! I really think 5-6 months is enough time to get your post redirected or addresses changed and certainly after 18mo.

We still get mail for the people who moved out 6 years ago!! Nothing we've tried works, it still comes, mainly from debt collection agencies

ConnortTraceptive always try and pass on a forwarding address to the company or the solicitor who dealt with the sale on their behalf or the letting agents details.

Be aware that some postoffice staff stick those "return to sender" stickers over the address you provide on the envelope especially if they have a grudge against the company so I always write it in big letters so that little sticker won't cover it!

I wouldn't write to the previous people directly, never give them a heads up

DaisyMooSteiner provide a copy of the sale letter from your solicitor (you can black out amount you paid for it etc) the company then know you are genuine or suggest they contact your letting agent/landlord for confirmation that you are the new tenant.

I moved 2 years ago, and even though I have updated my address, and paid for postal redirection, there are companies that sell on your details and you still get post. I spend loads of time on the phone trying to track down the mailing lists I am on and get my name removed, but this doesn't always work. As we are overseas this is complete pita.