Previous tenants my address

[O'Reilly]

I have rented my home for 14 months and during this time I get more mail for the previous tenants than I do for myself. The window envelopes show Final demands or some are addressed in red ink. All mail I return to senders- exception being of 3 accidentally opened in error. These letters I have returned with a letter of apology. I have had bailiffs on my doorstep and have had to prove I am not the previous tenants and I am frightened that one day I'll come home to an empty house because a bailiff has taken my furnishings to pay a debt that I did not create. It seems pretty obvious that the previous tenants still use this address for loans etc and I can't stop it! Yesterday I had a bailiff call with regard to a collossal unpaid gas bill and he (and his partner) took some persuading to believe I was not the person who had run up the actual bill. Last month I had a policeman on my doorstep ready to take me to Court to answer to a shoplifting charge....I mean the previous tenants are obviously still giving their old address, and that unfortunately is now my own. So ...........enough is enough. Should I see a solicitor who can warn the previous tenants to stop using this address? I am getting blacklisted through no fault of my own and I do not owe anyone a bean. How can I stop these people from using this address because they are seriously going to give me ulcers at this rate

[Peter Pedant]

I have had this happen to me two or three times when I moved house, and so it is necessary to put the clock back to zero each time you move.

That is you write to everyone - a sort of standard letter will do, saying that you are new and you have no relation to the old tenants.
And get the meters read - I even photograph them - and write saying you are new, read the meters and you have no intention of paying someone else bill.

Bailiffs, I have had a knock at the door and they said, John Smith and I said 'No.'
- actually I hesitated and said - say again.
and they said John Smith?
and i said Definitely not.
and closed the door.

In terms of coming back to an empty house (are in Scotland the law is different) someone has to let them in. Your children/partner arent that gormless are they ?

IN terms of civil warrants for arrest and so on, the bailiffs have to have the warrant on hand [because it can always be discharged by paying up.] and so basically it should not be a real problem if they have a warrant (or debt thingey) for Way-Leen Sprot and you can show you are Leticia (call-me=-lovely) Lovelace.

Twice I have written to the Gtr Manchester Police and said politely - please be advised that I peter pedant am now the occupant of 1 Paradise View, and have no relation to my predecessors whom I understand were convicted of serious drugs offences and are now in Strangeways.

oh, the second time it was firearms.

Employ a lwayer to do this - yeah you can at �200/hr but there is nothing you can't do yourself is there ?

[innocenti]

First of all, credit is against a person and not an address so you will not be blacklisted.

Keep on sending back the letters marked "Not at this address" and it will eventually get back to the companys.

As for baliffs, a baliff can only take goods from your home if you have let them in and you have signed a walk in possession order. If you have not signed an order they cannot break in and take your goods. As long as you can prove to the baliffs that you are not the person they are after they will not pursue it anymore and will certainly not break into your house. And if you know where the former tenants live give the baliffs their new address.

Just keep ID on hand to prove who you are and keep sending the letters back.

As for a solicitor, yes you can send them a letter but I dont

[innocenti]

Cut off in mid flow....

I dont think it would do any good sending a solicitors letter. If they are that dishonest then they wont take any notice of it.

[O'Reilly]

Thank you both for your help and advice. I really was worried that I'd come home and find my house empty so I'll continue to forward letters back to sender. For the record Peter, just to answer one comment - no my children/partner are not that gormless - I don't have children or a partner. I am 65 years old, particlly sighted and totally deaf and I have to answer my own door and try and see/understand what the caller wants.

[innocenti]

If it helps you could try the CAB who will advise you and could maybe draft up template letters for you. And I hope you dont take offence, but I am sure Age Concern will help you aswell.