Incorrect address

[Toffeetower]

Hi everyone,
We recently moved to new house and have received a court fine for the person who lived here before us! Our daughter opened letter by mistake! Good job. It's for avoiding train fare and refused to give details..cost overall £300,it's From merseyside magistrates court code 1810,now I've rang and rang 01928 703324 over 22 times to inform them this character no longer lives here! Your put on hold for 5mins then hung up on! I've also emailed Ch-Me-fines@hmcts.gsi.fov.uk Twice providing photo evidence of my name and my address on two different letters also giving them my phone number to contact me! Nothing at all from them! My wife is worried sick that bailiffs will attend our home making her embarrassed Infront of our new neighbours,Any other ideas to try please?
Thanks

 

[Bletchleyite]

Write "no longer/not known at this address, return to sender" on any correspondence you receive that is not addressed to someone who lives there, chuck it back in a post box, and don't get involved.

This is a good general policy when you move house.

If private debt collectors turn up, tell them to get stuffed.

If Court Bailiffs turn up, you can then show them directly proof of your name/address and perhaps other documentation relating to your move, and they will go away.

(How you deal with the latter two does differ as the latter have legal rights that the former don't).

 

[Hadders]

You cannot be held responsible for the debts or fines of another person. Ideally you shouldn't have opened the letter but simply put 'not at this address - return to sender' on it and put it in a post box.

Given that the letter has been opened I'd send it back to the sender with a brief covering letter of explanation. You could send it by recorded delivery so there is proof of receipt.

 

[Toffeetower]

I agree should not have opened letter but daughter did it by mistake,on phone without reading name just saw our address :roll:

 

[telstarbox]

I had the same thing - emailed the courts service a couple of times and had no more letters after that.

 

[Llanigraham]

You cannot be held responsible for the debts or fines of another person. Ideally you shouldn't have opened the letter but simply put 'not at this address - return to sender' on it and put it in a post box.

Given that the letter has been opened I'd send it back to the sender with a brief covering letter of explanation. You could send it by recorded delivery so there is proof of receipt.

To add:
If you know the new address of the miscreant then tell them that as well.

 

[Toffeetower]

Thanks everyone, wife just didn't want the bailiffs turning up and new neighbours seeing them, quite embarrassing! You'd think th y would have courtesy to answer emails or sort their phone system out at least! Very annoying indeed! Thanks again

 

[gray1404]

Put any letters unopened back in a post box marked "not known at this address". Nothing more you can do and not your concern. In this case seal it back up and put it back in a post box marked: "opened in error. Not known at this address."

 

[gray1404]

I personally would not give a forwarding address as I would not want to be liable for any misinformation.

 

[Haywain]

If private debt collectors turn up, tell them to get stuffed.

If Court Bailiffs turn up, you can then show them directly proof of your name/address and perhaps other documentation relating to your move, and they will go away.

There is really no need to be rude to private debt collectors - likely to be bailiffs - just because they are doing their job. They cannot take goods that do not belong to the person named in the court papers, so the OP can simply explain that the person they are seeking does not live at that address.

 

[Gareth Marston]

In Addition to other advice offered there should be no problem if anyone calls as you can easily prove that you are the legal tenants/ owners by having a photocopy of tenancy agreement/ deeds/ mortgage to hand. It can all be pleasant and whoever knocks will be on their way very quickly without any need for embarrassing scenes in front of neighbours.

I say this as the chances of saving else looking for him as well as an unpaid rail penalty are probably high.