Any Legal Brain Boxes On Here?

[shaunyg]

come home today to find a letter addressed to my ex whom i've been split up with now more than 2 years and usually any mail that arrives i open it and let her know what it is because she use to get alot of junk posted here, she officially moved in for month (long story), however this mail was from a debt collector for Vodafone for an outstanding balance of over £200!

she's longer registered as living here and has not been for about 2 years. to this she is now playing dumb and just saying she isn't with voda anymore blah blah and seems to be ignoring it. i've heard from her sister that she has got herslf into abit of debt and is out of the country and therefore ignoring it!

my question is this, since its addressed to here but she no longer is registered as to living here the bailifs cannot come here to collect? i've phoned the company and told them the story and they have just said that they will file it! the contract she took out with voda was with her previous home address but change the mailing address when she moved here!

anyone give any advice?

much appreciated

[btmaldon]

You are not responsible for somebody elses debt. The fact that she lived there for a period of time does not make any difference as she does not own any part of your home or anything kept there.

I suggest that you return to sender any further mail anotated "Does not live at this address" and avoid getting involved in any further communication with any company involving your ex.

Should debt collectors or similar turn up, you only have to tell them that the woman they are trying to recover from has not lived at that address for two years. You do not need to explain your relationship to them.

[shaunyg]

thats pretty much exactly what i wanted to hear, cheers

[stef123]

send the letter back, not known at this address.

[cyb]

You are not responsible for somebody elses debt. The fact that she lived there for a period of time does not make any difference as she does not own any part of your home or anything kept there.

I suggest that you return to sender any further mail anotated "Does not live at this address" and avoid getting involved in any further communication with any company involving your ex.

Should debt collectors or similar turn up, you only have to tell them that the woman they are trying to recover from has not lived at that address for two years. You do not need to explain your relationship to them.

Good advice, and the only thing I can add to that is unless you have written permission DON’T open anymore of her mail, just write on it as suggested ‘does not live here anymore’ and stick it back into a post box.

[jeebowhite]

Everythings been covered basically! The only time you are responsible for the debt is if your name was part of the account, or if you had a marital status (which you didnt) that sometimes means they have a right to chase you.

I put the Mrs name on a bank account, so its now a joint, and I have taken a loan out for my new car. Should anything happen to me (I hope dearly that it doesnt!), I think she may have some responsilbity to the loan, because its now affiliated with our joint bank account to which she is a named co-owner.

So unless you had a joint account with Vodafone, they have no right to threaten you at all :)

[shaunyg]

thanks for the reply's guys! when she moved out she was getting alot of junk while she supposedly change her address and was therefore agreed (verbally) as we were still friends at the time, that i would open any mail and let her know what it was etc etc

[johnH]

as others have said...if bailiffs do turn up, you may have to prove that she does not live there, by showing a tenancy agreement or the likewise.

In the past i have dealt with a phone company regarding a debt of £240. basically i got 2nd phone on contract with o2 for my dad, with the understanding of he will pay it. well i went away (with the forces) for a few months, came back found letters from them saying i owe them money. obviously to-ing and fro-ing to my dad telling he has to deal with it. in the end i got slapped with a default on my credit file (lasts for 6 years), i got hold of the £240 of my dad and paid it off, so atleast it shows no balance remaining or settled on the file. moorcroft in the mean time got hold of the debt and contacted me.

in fairness that company were pretty good, they do everything by phone and will not come out unless exeptional circumstances occur. but your ex is better getting this sorted sooner than later as she will most likely be slapped with a default...and from personal exp...no one and i mean no one will touch her for credit....getting deeper and deeper into debt.

I have a mate (works for royal mail) said...even with verbal agreement, dont open any mail that does not have your name on it. he also said by opening it, sending it back saying does not live here is an invite to say she does and your lying.

also for info, you cant really hide from debt collectors. they have a legal 6 financial years to claim back any monies owed. within that time they will get updates regarding your credit file, in specific your address you put down. ie you go to currys and want that mega tv on finance, you give them details (your address), then it goes to say experian/call credit/equifax, it is recorded and the bailiffs can get that info (for a fee) that you end up paying.

i hope this helps

[shaunyg]

thanks for the info, there is now a second letter from another company, not opening this one, just sending it back 'not known at this address, return to sender' prob wont be the last but i'll just keep sending them back.

the ex is now working abroad and is now ignoring me so i doubt she wants to get it sorted, as long as i dont get no grief from the bailifs etc or the debt is not down as being owed at the this address then i'll just keep sending them back, her own stupid fault if she ends up defaulting on them and cant get no credit when she back in the country

[bottletree]

I keep on getting mail for people who lived in my house 9 years ago. They left 1000's of £'s of debts to npower, mobile companies and so on. I always wrote on the letters "addressee has gone away". I still get the odd one or 2 from a debt collector in Glasgow of all places. Had no trouble from baillifs or the like in all my time here.

I work for Royal Mail and when we get these letters back from the customers saying, the person has left blah blah, We send them back to these solicitors or debt collectors and they know then the situation.

[shaunyg]

I keep on getting mail for people who lived in my house 9 years ago. They left 1000's of £'s of debts to npower, mobile companies and so on. I always wrote on the letters "addressee has gone away". I still get the odd one or 2 from a debt collector in Glasgow of all places. Had no trouble from baillifs or the like in all my time here.

I work for Royal Mail and when we get these letters back from the customers saying, the person has left blah blah, We send them back to these solicitors or debt collectors and they know then the situation.

thanks! i've started writing on them and posting them back, but now i'm googling the company on the envelope and getting the customer services number and giving them a ring as well, hopefully stop it all together but we will see!

[johnH]

just a little info. debt isnt owed on the address and they no longer "black list" addresses. it follows that persons credit file so it follows the person and not the address.

however if you live in a small street and everyone misses payments all the time and have rubbish credit ratings, then the risk for creditors is predicted higher and thus reducing your chances of credit. quite similar to car insurance...if loads of people claim their car was stolen or vandelised, it then puts your area on a higher risk and costing you more.

i hope that makes sense.

EDIT: if i were i would sign up for the free trial on experian and check to see if your in any way linked to her. if you find record you can get this corrected for free by a form they can direct you to. same goes for equifax. i would do this to "disown" any finance who creditors may chase you for her ignorance...highly unlikey but there is no harm in playing it safe.

[shaunyg]

just a little info. debt isnt owed on the address and they no longer "black list" addresses. it follows that persons credit file so it follows the person and not the address.

however if you live in a small street and everyone misses payments all the time and have rubbish credit ratings, then the risk for creditors is predicted higher and thus reducing your chances of credit. quite similar to car insurance...if loads of people claim their car was stolen or vandelised, it then puts your area on a higher risk and costing you more.

i hope that makes sense.

yeah that makes perfect sense and nice to know that they dont black list addresses now, thanks for that B)

[jeebowhite]

I agree with JohnH, Definitely do the free trial on the likes of these credit references. I did one recently before getting my new car on Equifax, its really easy to use, and you can see in plain simple terms who is doing what with your finance! just make sure you cancel the trial ASAP once you have the information. I printed out every page on their the day I signed up, then cancelled it immediately after! it just stops you getting caught up in the "oh sorry sir, we thought you wanted to extend your contract with us..."