Bailiffs Gonna Come Knockin'

[Limited]

Okay, heres the situation. I live in a rented house along with 2 of my friends. We've been here since September and we are going to live in here next academic year (Sept 09 - June 10).

We often receive post that is for the previous tenants. We usually throw it away if it looks unimportant. However if something comes looking rather important, we open it up due to us being nosey buggers and b if its important they might need the info.

I opened a letter today, from a phone company (3), a previous tenant owes them some money. Problem is, the company 3 has now passed the debt on to a bailiff company, so the bailiffs have paid the debt. Now they are going to come knocking asking for the money plus their fee.

Obviously we have nothing to do with the matter, but them coming and knocking on our door is a fucking pain and also I belief they have laws to come in and take stuff. We need to let them know asap that we are not who they think we are.

We plan to email them letting them know the situation, and to let our landlord know. Problem is they dont really have any proof they the girl doesnt live here. So they will come knocking, but even after that, how can we prove she doesnt live here? Show them the contract?

So does any one have any advice? Not sure if America has bailiffs, basically they are like repo men (I believe so)

[SnaFuBAR]

yeah, they can't just come in and take shit without proving it's her residence. The landlord would be able to clarify the situation that the bimbo doesn't live there anymore.

[FluffyDucky™]

Lmao are you serious, call them up straight away and tell them, how stupid can you be. I'd be like OMG WTF RING RING BITCHES! LOL... Stuff emails, I like direct contact, you do much more that way.

[Heathen]

Act like you never got it and when they come a-knocking, act like a total cock. Don't ALLOW them to do what they want to. If you aren't in the wrong, then what are they gonna do? Sue you? Then you win and wee for you.

[Limited]

Well were going to ring out landlord tomorrow morning, letting them know whats up and see if they have any advice what to do next.

Probably ring up the debt collection people letting them know she doesnt live here, they will still want proof so we might have to send them a letter showing the contract or show them it when they come to door.

[p0lar_bear]

If the letters weren't addressed to your names (despite the address), or to "Resident", don't do anything, since opening a letter not addressed to you is a federal offense.

[Kornman00]

If the letters weren't addressed to your names (despite the address), or to "Resident", don't do anything, since opening a letter not addressed to you is a federal offense.
But hes english :confused:

[Limited]

If the letters weren't addressed to your names (despite the address), or to "Resident", don't do anything, since opening a letter not addressed to you is a federal offense.
Well technically it is.

"Postal Services Act 2000 Section 84

A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, opens a postal packet which they know or suspect to have been delivered incorrectly."

Usually we just throw it all in the in, but according to US law (which might be the same over here)

"Whoever, without the authority opens or destroys any mail or newspaper package not directed to him shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year or both."

[ICEE]

This is what I would do: burn the letter. If you already opened it, theres no way your going to seal it back up and prove that you didn't see it. Burn the letter, you never got it, and you shouldn't have gotten it anyways because it wasn't for you. That OR, forward it to the person who needs it. If and when the bailiff shows up, explain the situation and be ready to prove that she doesn't live there anymore. I'm sure stuff like this happens frequently.

Edit: on second thought, burning someones mail might be a worse offense than reading it, and with my traceable advice to do so, i suppose its possible you could be caught.. Granted I have no idea what the law is there.

[klange]

Brit law seems to say that if you have a reasonable excuse (in this case, it was one of a number of other items sent to the person who no longer lives at the address and was deemed of high importance, etc. etc.), so you should be fine there.

Don't know about the rest.