Philips bailiff letter - not me/not our debt

[thislittlecat]

For the past few months I have been receiving letters at my house, but addressed to (possibly) an ex neighbour (although I didn't really know the person... I'm just assuming it was her name! (the house nextdoor is rented and this person moved away nearly 2 years ago)!

I keep returning the letters "return to sender/not at this address/has never lived at this address"

At the weekend I received yet another letter and accidently ripped it open with the rest of my mail.

It was from Philips Specialist Bailiff & Debt recovery Agents of Doncaster and headed "notice of intention to enter & search your premises"

I phoned them and explained the details/error..... but they won't believe me! They were down right abrupt to me. I was told that the only way I can have my address removed from their records is to "prove" I am who I say I am and not the person they address the letter to!!! They want me to send them a photocopy of my Council tax bill. - I REALLY dont want to do this.... why the hell should I have to prove myself innocent when I've done nothing wrong!

I told them I'll ring 999 if the bailiffs knock at my door and I'll also contact bbc watchdog to prove what useless, arrogant, inept company they are .... and they just replied "good" and hung up on me!

I am beyond fuming! How dare they make me prove who I am / or who I am not !! :-/

Will my address have a poor credit rating or be blacklisted in any way because of this?

[thislittlecat]

Re: Philips bailiff letter - not me/not our debt

As they wont listen to me when I tell them they've got the wrong person & address... What if they somehow get into my house?
What if they take our property?
Can they take our car?

I know all this sounds dramatic........ but really... I'm scared
It's gone 2am - I can't sleep cos this is still on my mind

[charitynjw]

Re: Philips bailiff letter - not me/not our debt

Have you read Amy's bailiff thread?

Link--> http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ad.php?t=14113

Note the important advice

If anyone should call purporting to be a bailiff, DO NOT LET THEM IN. They will lie, cajole and attempt to deceive you. You must not be taken in by any of this. They have no right of access to your house. Do not let them in to use the loo, use the telephone, or to get out of the cold. They will try anything and once they have gained peaceful access, they can break in at some point in the future. Do not sign anything that they might hand you, or put through your letterbox, you are not obliged to do this. Tell them, from an upstairs window, that they will not gain access to your property and that they must return the warrant to the council. Then tell them that they must leave or you will report them for the common law offence of trespass.

Read more at: Bailiff Guide - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[CleverClogs]

Re: Philips bailiff letter - not me/not our debt

At the weekend I received yet another letter and accidently ripped it open with the rest of my mail.

It was from Philips Specialist Bailiff & Debt recovery Agents of Doncaster and headed "notice of intention to enter & search your premises"

I phoned them and explained the details/error..... but they won't believe me!

Gosh! Fancy that!

They were down right abrupt to me. I was told that the only way I can have my address removed from their records is to "prove" I am who I say I am and not the person they address the letter to!!! They want me to send them a photocopy of my Council tax bill. - I REALLY dont want to do this.... why the hell should I have to prove myself innocent when I've done nothing wrong!

You shouldn't and you really do not have to do that; you have told those oafs that they are mistaken and, unless they can prove that you are the person they seek, that really ought to be the end of the matter.

It should be quite simple for those meat-headed bastar... bailiffs to enlist the services of someone who can read, who could then check the electoral roll for your address.

Perhaps you could write a letter to them, stating that whilst a Council Tax bill could readily be falsified and hence would prove nothing, your entry on the electoral roll would not only prove your identity but could also shew how long you have resided at that address

I am beyond fuming! How dare they make me prove who I am / or who I am not !!

They dare because they get away with it so often.

Will my address have a poor credit rating or be blacklisted in any way because of this?

Do you suppose that your house might try to obtain credit on its own behalf?

(The simple answer is "no", as credit reference agencies are not allowed to blacklist addresses.)

What if they somehow get into my house?
What if they take our property?

What if your house was broken into by a burglar or house-breaker?

Can they take our car?

Yes, of course they can. What they cannot do is to remove your motor-car lawfully, as it plainly does not belong to the person named on their warrant.

[Esio Trot]

Re: Philips bailiff letter - not me/not our debt

It was from Philips Specialist Bailiff & Debt recovery Agents of Doncaster and headed "notice of intention to enter & search your premises"

Although the letter you received will have had Philips Specialist Bailiff and Debt Recovery Agents at the top, there is no company of this name. Furthermore, it is not a trading name of any organisation in the UK.

If you search the Consumer Licence Register on the number at the bottom, you will find that the Doncaster address is not listed, and the company in the register is not the same as the letter you received, and the name above does not appear in the register.

Complain to your local trading standards, as they are acting outside of their Consumer Licence and are being devious in doing so.