Letter from Debt Recovery agency for ex tenant's debt

[ramesh046]

We had a tenant (relative of my wife from Overseas) who has now gone back. Today I rececieved ltters from Vodaphone and O2 stating that she owes about £1500 in toal for bills not paid in 2 weeks. How that happened I do not know.. The girl tenant has same surname as us.
Now where do I stand? Would it effect me or our credit reference if not paid by her??. She has as I said not in UK aymore

Thanks

[ubasses]

To start with I would send copies of the Bills back to them with a covering letter advising them that the addressee has now given up their tenancy and returned abroad, along with their address and that you have forwarded the original bills to them. Then send the originals to the tenant asking them to settle, if they have genuinely forgotten about them there should not be a problem

[factor-fiction]

If it's a relative of your wife I'm surprised that she has the same surname as you.
Anyway, you may need to check your credit record to see if the relative is shown as having a financial association with you or your wife
Also, send the bills back to these companies and explain what has happened. Or foward them to your relative and say something like "please sort this out as it is making like difficult for us"

[factor-fiction]

Sorry ubasses- your reply wasn't there when I started typing

[ramesh046]

Thanks for the replies(very quick i must say) My wife is able contact her by phone.Now should I phone Vodaphone and the Debtt Recovery firm telling them that she is no longer here and that we will forward the letters to her abroad? Should I tell the facts to the agencies? and that I am not at all responsible for tyhe debt of a tenant?

[mrs_overall]

No. Tell them the facts, give them her address and let them do the chasing.

[ubasses]

You could phone but I always think it is better to follow up in writing and even send it guaranteed delvery, keeping records. Always hope they will be efficient and quickly sort it but if not you will have a bit more clout. Your wife should certainly contact her relative by phone and ask her to resolve it quickly telling her that you have advised the companies of her address because of the problems it may cause you, she will understand.

No problem factor often happens with longer replies especially if you type as badly as me.

[ramesh046]

Ubasses,
It is difficult to type when one's hand is shaking with fear.
many thanks you all. I will let you know how it progresses

[pretty_snowdrop]

The debt is the relatives problem so it shouldn't be logged as adverse on your file. However as already mentioned you may have problems with associated adverse if you have a banking/financial relationship with them. A tenancy agreement isn't classed as a relationship so hopefully everything will be fine.

[themas]

You say you received letters. Do you mean they were addressed to you rather than to the tenant? If so, I fail to see how this has happened - how did they get your correct name & address? Also, they should not be notifying someone other than the debtor that there is a debt - it contravenes the OFT guidance on debt collecting practices.

The debts are nothing to do with you - you do not have any responsibility for them. Vodafone & O2 must sort it out direct with the debtor.

[ramesh046]

Thank you all. Bottom line from your answers is that I am liable for the debt.
I have forwarded the tenants overseas details with the mobile no to the collectors. Thats the least I can do for causing so many problems to us.
I wonder if they will bother

[bednobs]

i dont know what answers you were reading but to me they say you are NOT responsible for the debt!

[pretty_snowdrop]

I agree with bednobs. You are not responsible for the debts. Your tenant is!

[factor-fiction]

I'm sill not clear why the tenant has the same surname as you if she's a relative of your wife

[pretty_snowdrop]

Good point that factor30!

[redcrx]

how long was she living with you?

[tamborine]

The debt is not yours. Return letters to sender marked as 'Not Here' and return all future correspondence not addressed to you.

You only need worry of unpaid service bills, gas/electric etc as they could be cut off if there's no satisfactory explanation.

[Eve]

It could be a common surname, especially in certain cultures.

Did she live with you or rent a separate property - if separate did the letters come to your home or the one the tenant lived at? Are the bills in her name? If so then, unless you have signed anything like a guarantor agreement then it's her debt. Who are the letters addressed to?

It's a big sum, what period do the bills cover, it suggests a while if debt collecters are involved. Possible there might be other debts too unless there could be any kind of fraud involved, people running up bills on a stolen phone/details etc... If this could be the case the tenant needs to sort this with the phone companies urgently!

[ramesh046]

OOPS!!! I meant to say that I am NOT liable for the debt
About the surname, we do have common surnames in general. The letters were addressed to the tenant who used my address for the fraud purpose before returning abroad. She was living with us without rent(my wife insistance) No other financial was involved. Good riddance but has left a bad taste in mouth. Never let relatives let with you esp free