Debt and Court proceedings

[puternut]

I moved to my present address in Nov 2007.

Ever since day 1 I have been getting letters addressed to various members of the previous owners family (but mainly a son and a sister) who as far as I can tell moved on some time before I even knew them.

I recently had a brown envelope - with no return address on the outside - stating that a credit agency would be taking legal action (court) to recover a debt (�13,000 plus) owed to a bank but which they had taken over.

I have returned all previous correspondence if there has been an return address. But if no reply address I have phoned company and they seem pretty suspicious if I have opened letters not addressed to me.

Two questions -
i) Should I contact the debt collectors, bearing in mind I do not know the named persons new address
ii) can this be turned on me in any way as regards credit rating or action by bailiffs etc.

Thanks

[factor-fiction]

Debt collectors have probably come across lots of people who falsely claim that the debtor has moved out. There's no harm in telling them, and you could send some proof that you have taken over the property. And you could threaten to charge them with harassment if they continue to write to your address

[dzug]

You don't need a return address - just mark it gone away return to sender and it becomes the Royal Mail's problem, not yours.

You are acting illegally in opening mail not addressed to you.

[gilf]

Personally I wouldn't open anything not addressed to me and as dzug suggests just stick it back in a post box with return to sender not at this address on it.

However opening somebody else's mail is not strictly illegal, definitely not a black and white matter. If it has been addressed to your property and by opening the letter you are not acting in a manner to do damage to the person then you have done nothing wrong. However as suggest I'd err on the side of caution and just send it back.

I'm in a similar situation to yourself, we just mark it and send it back, we have had the odd balif but they are fine if you explain they no longer live there. Make sure these people are no longer registered at the address and that you are, that should help deal with any problems in the future.