unexpected letter from Rossendales

[cottonbud]

i moved address from a HA property at beginning of feb this year, sending the keys back via special delivery, new tenants have since moved in. I didnt owe any utility bills or council tax on this property and even recd rebates. I had paid 4 weeks rent in advance and gave the correct amount of time to send back keys, as per phone calls to the HA,who told me what i should do. i have heard absolutely nothing from anyone and today some 8 months !!!! later i receive a letter that says "we have been asked to re-establish contact with you on behalf of the above named client (HA) the terms of your agreement with the client may have obliged you to advise them of any changes of address so they could maintain contact with you. Information we have received suggests that we are writing to your current address and that your previous address was:" there is no address given !!! IF i were to owe anything then surely i should have received a letter from the HA and not from some company i have never heard of and don't like the forbidding tone, some 8 months after i left, the property was left in good state of repair as i had taken pictures before i left.

[factor-fiction]

Have you spoken to the HA (housing Association?). Maybe they owe you money.

[sandyRoe]

Why not contact the Housing Association to find out whats going on?

[cottonbud]

thank you and no i havent, the reason being that from what i researched on this Rossendales company isn't very comforting and they usually get involved when there is an outstanding debt owed to the company they are working on behalf of,as the debt has been passed to them. To me 8 months is far too long to suddenly get a letter.

[factor-fiction]

Had you notified the HA of your new address?

[THECORBYLOON]

Rather than being concerned about this company's reputaion or the time delay, why are you not contacting the HA to see why they believe there is an outstanding debt?

[cottonbud]

yes stupidly i did, wish i hadn't in all honesty, i must admit im tempted to just send letter back with "not known at this address" but, i suppose these people can trace through electoral roles etc.

[tonywiltshire]

Housing Associations (HA) do not usually go directly to debt collection companies with an alleged debt they normally try to collect the debt themselves as debt collection companies will charge them for work carried out at their instruction, Rossendales are a well known debt collection/bailiffs company. It sounds more likely that the collection company has made an error which an enquiry to the HA will establish, who should then instruct the collection company to take the correct action, you may even get an apology.

[cottonbud]

thank you tony, i know for a fact i owe no council tax, parking fines, or any utility bills and as i thought normally companies send you letters explaining any costs owed and they will forward those debts onto an agency if no action is taken, but the letter i received from Rossendales shows no breakdown of any money and is the 1st thing ive heard from anyone for 8 months

[factor-fiction]

I can't see what more we can say now until we know the outcome of your call to the HA (or Rossendales)

[cottonbud]

thank you all for your advice, will let you know "if" i summon up the courage to phone, or i may just deny getting the letter - as it wasn't signed for there is no proof it actually was delivered to me, but as it isn't a demand for payment or final notice and see if another materialises

[DTCwordfan]

I would be more positive and call your ex HA. If there was a debt, real or mistaken, it could impact on your credit scoring......and they may owe you money.

[vodkancoke]

If it were me, and I knew I had no outstanding bills etc, I would just phone them and explain I got the letter and ask what it is for. Why deny receiving it? It won't do you any good at all. It was probably meant for someone else and they have sent it to you in error.

[themas]

I cannot for the life of me understand why you don't just pick up the phone & ring the HA. If there is any question of an outstanding debt - even if it is (as you believe) incorrect - then it will not go away & you will just prolong the problem by not doing something about sorting it out now.

You could get an unpleasant visit from someone working for Rossendales (quite likely at an inconvenient time of day or week).