Are Sheriff's Officer's questions lawful?

[Bang!]

We were sitting in a friend's side garden today having a drink waiting to go out.

 

Another of us arrived and as he was getting out the car, a guy in a bad suit came up and asked "Does John Smith live there?" - pointing to a house across the road.

 

Friend explained he was not from the area and suggested he asked the friend I was sitting with - and we could hear everything that had been said.

 

The guy then came up to me and said "I have a parcel for across the road, do you know who lives there?"

I suggested if he had a parcel it would have a name on it, to which he said "It's documents not a parcel",

and I asked why he had forgotten the name "John Smith" he had asked about at the gate,

and asked if he was a Sheriff's Officer - to which he replied "yes".

 

I was fairly sure SOs were not permitted to ask third parties about those they were looking for and asked him.

To which he replied he was required rather than permitted,

and it was necessary as he had to be sure the person lived at the address before his document was served through the letter box.

 

Is this true?

[dx100uk]

sounds more like a spoofing DCA to me?

 

sherrif officers have no need to 'pull' the parcel trick [that's a favorite DCa trick]

 

as for serving papers thats crap too.

that they 'must' confirm with 'someone' they live there - garbage!

 

dx

[Bang!]

Thanks.

 

I had thought of that too, and the bad suit and skinhead did suggest DCA.

 

However, there was no hesitation in his reply to my later questions re SOs compared to fumbling over the initial issues - so he got the benefit of the doubt on that one.

 

But the original question as a general question still stands. Can SOs identify themselves as such then ask third parties questions on who they are seeking?

[maroondevo52]

The Inland Revenue seem to think it's ok for them to do the same sort of thing, is this in Scotland ?

[Bang!]

Yes - down in Glasgow to be specific.

[tomtubby]

If a complaint was made to the company that employed this person they would respond by saying that the officer can make discreet enquiries only to confirm whether Mr Smith lives at the property but they are NOT supposed to discuss details of the debt.

 

Interestingly, there were very minor amendments made to the National Standards for Enforcement Agents in January and one of the most important was as follows:

 

Enforcement agents must not act in a way likely to be publicly embarrassing to the debtor, either deliberately or negligently (that is to say through lack of care).

[maroondevo52]

As tomtubby says, I don't think there's a lot you could do about them making enquiries as long as they don't discuss details of the debt.

 

You could always ask the question here.......

 

Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers

 

11 Alva Street

Edinburgh

EH2 4PH

Tel: 0131 225 9110

 

I had the Inland Revenue write to my next door neighbour asking if I still stayed at my address, I've been here 18 years and never hid the fact. I phoned them to find out what the score was but no one could give me an answer ???

[Bang!]

I am a great believer in the 'rule of law' - in that what applies to one applies to all (within reason).

 

So a letter to my neighbour would open the challenge to send one to the employee/their boss/the head of the department/the head of the organisation's neighbour - citing the letter to my neighbour being the authority for my doing the same.

[maroondevo52]

Bang, I think that phone number for the Alva Street address I gave you is 'bumf', here's how to make a complaint to the Society of Messengers_at_Arms and Sheriff Officers......

 

http://www.smaso.org/images/COMPLAINTS.pdf

[Bang!]

Bang, I think that phone number for the Alva Street address I gave you is 'bumf', here's how to make a complaint to the Society of Messengers_at_Arms and Sheriff Officers......

 

http://www.smaso.org/images/COMPLAINTS.pdf

 

Cheers.

 

it was a curiosity thing and not a complaint - but I will call them for a definitive answer.

 

I can call them near the end of the month as I am off again soon and behind schedule.

[maroondevo52]

I just called them and was told there's no one available to come to the phone at this moment

[Bang!]

I just called them and was told there's no one available to come to the phone at this moment

 

Thanks - its lunch time I guess.

 

Did you thank the nobody who answered the phone?

[maroondevo52]

Thanks - its lunch time I guess.

 

Did you thank the nobody who answered the phone?

 

I hung up before they could finish their message