Stopping bailiffs for previous tenants chasing parking ticket

[tiredTraveller]

I'm not sure if this is exactly the right forum for this question, so feel free to move it if I'm wrong.

 

I moved into a house last April and as sometimes happens I found a whole stack of debt collectors letters for the previous tennant, most of which were dealt with very quickly and politely with a few phonecalls.

 

Then there's the Newham Council parking ticket...

 

They instructed a bailiff around april/may and I called them, giving them our council tax details so they could confirm the debtor is no longer at the address and they apologised, returning the debt to the council.

The council then instructed Whyte & co. to chase it with the same address details, who requested tenancy agreement info to prove we are the current occupants, which I did and I asked them to notify the council of the problem as they were the second agency to chase this debt. They said I'd have to do that myself.

I contacted the council via email, who replied via letter that they only ever instructed one company of bailiffs in September (implying that I am lying), and that they cannot accept my assertion that the debtor doesn't live here because he's not notified the DVLA of his new address, and all they can suggest is proving myself to the bailiffs.

 

I've done that twice now, and I get a sneaking feeling if this doesn't get stopped soon I'm going to end up having to do it at least once more and I'm getting annoyed with it - it's not my job to do their legwork because they've lost track of someone owing them money. I also get the suspicion that they might be in breach of the data protection act here as they have been asked to correct data held on 2 separate occasions (although only once by me personally) and have refused to do so, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

 

And ideas what do I need to do to stop Newham council repeatedly sending debt collectors and bailiff threats?

[unclebulgaria67]

Bit difficult this, as you are a third party, so each time you will just have to tell people that the person they are trying to contact does not live there. I can't really see any alternative and you will be hassled until the previous tenant is located.

 

Each time you receive anything for this tenant, you should just return the envelopes marked ' no longer at this address'.

 

Perhaps if you can get something in writing from the landlord or letting agents confirming that you are now resident and that the previous tenant Mr F Bloggs moved out on x date, you can send this to any persistent company who contacts your address. When you write to companies/councils who are annoying you, always write to the compliance/Data Protection manager.

[DonkeyB]

Do you live in Newham? If so, contact your local councillor. You’ll be amazed at what people will do for votes.

[tiredTraveller]

I actually live in Kingston and I'm not aware of ever having been to newham

[DonkeyB]

Well, you won’t have been – it wasn’t your car!

 

Sent you a PM with a useful contact in Newham.

[DonkeyB]

If that fails, contact the Newham Recorder. They like a good council-bashing story.

 

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/home

[42man]

Tell them unequivocally that you have made more than a reasonable attempt to resolve the matter and if you have to write again or get distressing visits from bailiffs you will invocie them for £20 every time you have to write. And if you do write to them again remind them of the high court case of Ferguson vs British Gas

[DonkeyB]

Ah, Ferguson v British Gas. I just had to remind someone about that... yup, I had to remind British Gas...