Credit Referance Agency Address Link

[debtadvice2010]

I am getting concerned about what data a CRA holds against addresses.

I have received two letters one from BUCHANAN CLARK & WELLS and another from DEBT MANAGERS LTD, They both start identical;

 

“We are attempting to contact the above named person and our client’s recent investigations have resulted in your details being obtained from a credit reference agency. Your address has been provided by them due to a link with the data our client holds, as a possible new address for the person we are wishing to contact.”

 

I have contacted my landlord who says the person they want lived here some 8 years ago and was evicted for non-payment of rent and destruction of property, after only 6 months. I am getting concerned about what the CRA holds on addresses, I thought they only held data on people’s credit and why are they linking to an address that is over 8 years old.

 

Surely any DCA that is wanting this person must be aware any debt is statute barred or is there any way of finding out if she is still using my address?

Edited June 16, 2012 by debtadvice2010
Problem with Spacing

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Have you cheked your CRA files

for the link?

 

If not you need to do so, if it does show

then write to thr CRAs Data Controller to

get it removed.

 

In the meantime if the letters are not addressed

specifically to you return them unopened to the

sender.

[debtadvice2010]

I have checked my own CRA and my Partners and the only link on either is our own for stuff like joint accounts ect...

 

The letters I have received in the past were addressed to the person directly, the last two I have talked about above have come addressed to the occupier, it just seems that if original creditors such as the Halifax and Dorothy Perkins can accept the details and back off, but the DCA's are trying everything to get hold of this woman...

[sillygirl1]

Report the DCA to the OFT and Trading Standards, BCW are known on here for their phishing letters and for communicating in a misleading manner, and for breaching data protection.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Return the letters to the senders unopened.

There would be no breach of the DPA as long

as the properly addressed letters are not opened

by a third party if they are opened it is the third

party who is in the wrong.

You can write to each DCAs compliance manager

at the return address shown on the envelopes.

[sillygirl1]

Actually Brig, I had it confirmed by a post office manager that if you get letters addressed to the wrong person at your house you are entitled to open them to correspond with the sender that they have the wrong address.... it is when post is 'in transit' that it is an offence to tamper with it.

 

Once it comes through your letterbox it is no loger 'in transit' and has been delivered to the address - note the ADDRESS - and not necessarily the person to whom it is addressed.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I personall would not rely on that statement.

The letters all have return addresses on the

envelopes and should be returned unopened.

[debtadvice2010]

The DCA's BUCHANAN CLARK & WELLS and DEBT MANAGERS LTD have now both been reported to my local Trading Standards, they are going to contact them after they have done check within the council and tell them to remove the address from their database, I have also gotten hold of a letter from our letting agents (also given two Tranding Standards) who have stated that the women moved out in June 2006, they also have an forwording address that will be give upon request.

 

I have sent in copies of the letters to Equifax and explained the situation, asking them if there is such an Address link to remove it.

 

Hopfully this will bring an end to this.

 

As for opening mail I have checked with both a local Solicitor, Trading Standards also followed up with a call to Royal Mail Customer Services...

All state that the law on mail is that it can not be opened whilst in it sorting procdure, unless Royal Mail think think there is something wrong.

As for name and addresses, the law is on addresses not name, so as long as it has gotten the correct address on the letter you can open it.

However Royal Mail did state that if you don't recognise the name and there is a return address then it may be best to cover the original address up and put the words "RETURN TO SENDER" on the front of the envelope it then get sent to Southampton for re-sorting and will be officially opened by Royal Mail if needs be.

[sillygirl1]

Did I not say it was on addresses and once delivered it was okay to open post - some letters don't have the return address on them so you need to do this.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Never seen a DCA envelope with out a return address on the back.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

The simple fact of this case it is not a linked address,

just the ''last known'' address for a debtor.

A straight forward notice to the compliance manager

of each DCA stating that this person does not reside

at this address sent recorded delivery.

[debtadvice2010]

The simple fact of this case it is not a linked address,

just the ''last known'' address for a debtor.

A straight forward notice to the compliance manager

of each DCA stating that this person does not reside

at this address sent recorded delivery.

 

It might seem as if this a a last known address but this is not what the DCA's are claiming...

 

The letters clearly state that because of an address link held at a CRA then they are writing to my address as a possible new address, My concern was that she was still using my address for obtaining credit, this does not seem the case now.

 

After a bit of detective work I know that my address is one she lived at for a total of six months...

She was living in the same town (just two street away) with her monther prior to this and then went back to her monthers after being kicked out of my place, I then got a an arrest warrant for her from HULL, the court service told me that I did not have to worry about baliffs calling as they had now gotten her new address in HULL, but would not say more than this.

 

I know her mothers address cause it was on the letter from BCW, and I checked with my letting agents.

 

So we now have

Address 1: DN14 6ST

Address 2: DN14 6SQ

Address 3: DN14 6ST

Address 4: HULL

 

Over the last 5 years I have lived at my address I have told 6 different DCA's including three original creditors all but BCW have taken my word and I have not heard anything since.

 

But like I said in my last post the problem has been reported now and I hope it will now be sorted.