Debt for company using my name

[ConfusedOwl]

Good Morning, I recently received a debt enforcement letter for a large sum of money for National Non Domestic Rates, for a company the letter that claims Im trading as.

I have never heard of this company and have nothing to do with it, my only connection is I lived above the listed property for the debt, as a tenant in a flat.

I contacted the council issuing the debt, and explained my situation, they said they'd put the debt on hold, look into the matter and contact me for more information and proof to back up my claims.

I was never contacted by them again, and now the debt is no longer on hold, and I'm receiving messages telling me to pay or enforcement agents will be sent out.

I'm quite stressed as I have nothing to do with this debt, but feel like they're trying to force me to pay it, without giving me a chance to properly provide me evidence and dispute it.

Any advice with how to get this out of my name and sorted would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks.

[echat11]

Hi Confusedowl

Welcome to LB

Difficult, but try not to worry.

Send (you could email them to get things moving) the following letter to the Council and enforcement company, in your letter state that you want the matter returned to the Council for resolution. Make sure you get Proof of Postage.

You can attach evidence with the letter.

https://nationaldebtline.org/get-inf...iability-debt/

[ConfusedOwl]

Hello, thank you for the advice. Since posting this morning, I have managed to contact the council in question and from their report, it seems like my previous landlord used my signature from my residential letting contract to lease the commercial lot out in my name without my knowledge, starting said business in debt. They have advised me to contact the landlord and obtain either an admission that it wasn't me, or proof of the lease agreement, and ask for proof of me paying rent for the commercial property.

Any further advice would be greatly appreciated, Many thanks.

[ConfusedOwl]

Just as a follow up to my last post, I am still struggling to find any contact information for him or the company he traded as, while he was my landlord.

[echat11]

Isn't this a fraud carried out against you? Shouldn't you report this to the police and get a 'crime reference' number?

Report it online via Action Fraud.

'it seems like my previous landlord used my signature from my residential letting contract to lease the commercial lot out in my name without my knowledge,'

As soon as you've got that, you can provide that to all parties concerned.

You don't need to go 'hunting' for the landlord.

[ConfusedOwl]

My only issue is I don't have any proof it was fraudulent, it was done whilst I was still living there, I don't yet even have a copy of the letting agreement. The only discrepancy there is, is that the email and phone number my landlord gave the council for me was not mine.

[echat11]

My only issue is I don't have any proof it was fraudulent, it was done whilst I was still living there, I don't yet even have a copy of the letting agreement. The only discrepancy there is, is that the email and phone number my landlord gave the council for me was not mine.

Send the dispute letters, then start to gather the evidence, send a Subject Access Request to the Council -

https://legalbeagles.info/library/gu...ccess-request/

[ConfusedOwl]

Going to send the emails off first thing Monday morning when I'm not working, with the Subject Access Request, could I request a copy of the commercial letting agreement that had been forged?

Many thanks.

[echat11]

Going to send the emails off first thing Monday morning when I'm not working, with the Subject Access Request, could I request a copy of the commercial letting agreement that had been forged?

Many thanks.

They are saying you signed the commercial letting agreement, make your request a 'general' one, don't be specific about the information you want.

[ConfusedOwl]

Got it, your advice and insight has been incredibly useful so far, thank you.

I was just wondering, is Action Fraud the same as the police, or should i report it to them separately??

[echat11]

Got it, your advice and insight has been incredibly useful so far, thank you.

I was just wondering, is Action Fraud the same as the police, or should i report it to them separately??

They are the same. You just need to report it to Action Fraud.