Neighbour using our address.

[djgordyp]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the best section for this thread, so I apologise if it's not.

At the moment I'm considering ringing the police to get their advice on this matter.
Recently we have been receiving a few letters for the people next door to us i.e their names, our house number. There have been a couple for the lady who rents the house. My partner said one of them looked like it was a medical certificate for the child they had recently. The other was a plain white enevelope with a handwritten address on it. A couple of letters have been for her partner and appear to be from the same sender. The second of these arrived yesterday.
My partners daughter opened it by mistake as her first name starts with the same letter as this man. It turns out that it was a bill from a local shop. I know that my partners daughter has essentialy broken the law by opening the letter but it was a genuine mistake. I have good reason to believe that the local housing authority aren't aware he is living there.
The first thing I intend to do is go to this shop on saturday and bring a rent statement with me and inform them of the correct address. My worry is what this man will do when he finds out (he's not the sort of man to mess with). edited
Maybe better to wait for the debt collectors to call.
I will hold off contacting the police until someone here can offer some good (as alway) advice.
This is the last thing I need on top of worrying about my own debts.

[stardust_john]

I would just return the bill to the shop, explain accidental opening and say not at this address. Dont get too involved directly if they are not nice people. The store could have got the house number mixed up and simply re bill it! ps I'm no expert myself so more views will come shortly

[djgordyp]

Unfortunatly my partners son put the letter through the neighbours door this evening. Luckily it was one of those envelopes that's easy to reseal.
It's very unlikely that both the shop and the LHA got the number mixed up. This smells of fraud. By the way thanks for replying so quickly.

[stardust_john]

I know its easy to say but try not to worry. My neighbours a bully asked me if they could Knock down council wall on drive divider. I said no and they got the heavy mob and did it any way, looked like something out of crime story bashing with bailiff entry tools. They asked me to clean up the bricks and I told them where to go. Thing is the council didnt do anything, I think they were in shock. They also bash away with the base on the stereo when they are not working and moan like hell if my tellys on late as they say they can hear it. Telly wasnt on they were just trying to intimidate me so I visited the nearest store and bought a massive stereo and theyre a little more careful about the noise now. I blasted their ear drums So we both consider each other now, about time.

[djgordyp]

Trying not to worry at the moment john. I find good rock music helps on that front. Listening to Kid Rocks new song on youtube at the mo. It's a real classic.
Just hit replay for the third time

[stardust_john]

Pendulem full belt worked with next door

[ScarletPimpernel]

From the reference edit, are you in NI?

[djgordyp]

yes. Just hoping they don't realise the letter has been opened.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I'm aware of previous identity theft by individuals edited. I think your idea of letting the shop know that they've made a mistake with the address is a good one.

A call to PSNI may be useful, not just because every bit of intelligence on criminal activity helps, but because there will be a record (get the officer's shoulder number), which can be useful if you are later contacted by DCAs.

[gyzmo]

could it just be a simle mistake? I'm forever getting my parents address wrong (even though I lived their for a year) and have been know to get my own address (of 8 years) wrong as well. Where's my coat.. I'm getting checked for mad cow disease

[barracad]

The simple solution is if you receive any more mail for them, don't hand it over, simply endorse the envelope as 'not known at this address' and pop it back in a posting box so it gets returned to the sender.

[djgordyp]

Originally Posted by barracad

The simple solution is if you receive any more mail for them, don't hand it over, simply endorse the envelope as 'not known at this address' and pop it back in a posting box so it gets returned to the sender.

That sounds the simpleist idea. There is no return address on the envelope. I assume then the PO will have the authority to open it to find out the address?. The next one for him probably won't be for another month.
I think I'll just let the matter sit for a while.

[barracad]

Depends on the type of mail - if it's business mail and there's no return address, Royal Mail will most likely destroy it.

Some mail gets opened and returned to sender that way but I believe that is just stamped mail.

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Originally Posted by barracad

The simple solution is if you receive any more mail for them, don't hand it over, simply endorse the envelope as 'not known at this address' and pop it back in a posting box so it gets returned to the sender.

Sound advice.

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Originally Posted by barracad

Depends on the type of mail - if it's business mail and there's no return address, Royal Mail will most likely destroy it.

Some mail gets opened and returned to sender that way but I believe that is just stamped mail.

If I may, should a business not state a return address on their envolope they will almost certainly frank their own mail, which in itself indicates business mail, and the frank print reveals the unique number of that particular business, thus, traceable and returnable.

Simply circle the franking imprint and write 'Return.'

[djgordyp]

In the case of the letter that was opened, it is just a small local retailer wko probably don't think it necessary to include a return address.