Fare evasion but they don't live here anymore

[Haywain]

I think the OP may be worried about bailiffs and the like causing problems if South Eastern employ them.

That can't be done without court action and, unless I have missed it, we have seen nothing on the forums over the years to suggest that this is done by any TOC.

 

[AlterEgo]

Repeated letter sending is harrassment - let's not dismiss this

No it isn't, if they are not even addressed to you.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That can't be done without court action and, unless I have missed it, we have seen nothing on the forums over the years to suggest that this is done by any TOC.

Debt collectors can certainly be sent without court action - while these aren't legally "bailiffs" (so you can just tell them to get lost) that's what most people call them and do tend to be the less professional, more thuggish ones. As you say it's not an approach often used by the railway, though, they prefer to prosecute.

 

[island]

Cross out the address on the letter, write "return to sender - not known at this address" on the envelope, put back in post box.

Job done.

 

[alxndr]

Debt collectors can certainly be sent without court action - while these aren't legally "bailiffs" (so you can just tell them to get lost) that's what most people call them and do tend to be the less professional, more thuggish ones. As you say it's not an approach often used by the railway, though, they prefer to prosecute.

In my one instance of being involved with debt collectors, they first wrote to inform me that the debt had been passed to them to collect. I spoke to them on the phone, explained the circumstances, and they responded that although they were not able to close the case without speaking to the company which had sent them after me if I could provide them with evidence they would speak to them and suggest that they do so. They were pleasant enough and I never heard from them again after sending over the evidence.

I can't guarantee that all companies are the same, and I'm sure they're not, but debt collectors don't always immediately mean someone trying to barge in your front door.

 

[Gloster]

Cross out the address on the letter, write "return to sender - not known at this address" on the envelope, put back in post box.

Job done.

Unfortunately that is not always the case. Some organisations, particularly those trying to get money out of you, do not pay any attention to such returned letters. To a certain extent one can understand why: if a person who does owe money, etc. could simply stop the demands by just sending back letters, it would be a lot easier to dodge ones debts. Some companies will accept a reasonable explanation of the situation from a householder, but others seem to be unwilling to do anything unless they are supplied with a new address for the miscreant.

One further problem. The niece appears to be sixteen years old, so not on the electoral roll, but does she have the same family name as the original poster? If she does, then South Eastern may assume she is part of the family in residence.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unfortunately that is not always the case. Some organisations, particularly those trying to get money out of you, do not pay any attention to such returned letters. To a certain extent one can understand why: if a person who does owe money, etc. could simply stop the demands by just sending back letters, it would be a lot easier to dodge ones debts. Some companies will accept a reasonable explanation of the situation from a householder, but others seem to be unwilling to do anything unless they are supplied with a new address for the miscreant.

You can just bin the letters and tell any debt collectors who show up to go away. They will ask for your details but there is no reason why you would need to provide them; they have no right of entry or of anything else. If they force entry that is trespass, and if they touch you in any way to do so then that's assault.

Court Bailiffs are different, but they would prove that that was what they were, and they are much more professional. If they showed up, you'd want some evidence that the person didn't live there.

 

[Deafdoggie]

You can just bin the letters and tell any debt collectors who show up to go away. They will ask for your details but there is no reason why you would need to provide them; they have no right of entry or of anything else. If they force entry that is trespass, and if they touch you in any way to do so then that's assault.

Court Bailiffs are different, but they would prove that that was what they were, and they are much more professional. If they showed up, you'd want some evidence that the person didn't live there.

All true, but even high court enforcement officers can't force entry into a residential property. That said, you are best still engaging with them. They also don't turn up unannounced, they will write to say they are coming.

 

[satinstaller]

Send them a letter advising of your terms and conditions of receipt of further letters at your house which they will be deemed to accept if they send any more. This will include charges such as 100quid for receipt of a letter another 100 for return. Send it to their legal dept. Same law applies to them engaging in bothering you further as when you accept Amazon's terms and conditions. Been done many times

 

[AlterEgo]

Send them a letter advising of your terms and conditions of receipt of further letters at your house which they will be deemed to accept if they send any more. This will include charges such as 100quid for receipt of a letter another 100 for return. Send it to their legal dept. Same law applies to them engaging in bothering you further as when you accept Amazon's terms and conditions. Been done many times

Fanciful.

 

[SickyNicky]

Send them a letter advising of your terms and conditions of receipt of further letters at your house which they will be deemed to accept if they send any more. This will include charges such as 100quid for receipt of a letter another 100 for return. Send it to their legal dept. Same law applies to them engaging in bothering you further as when you accept Amazon's terms and conditions. Been done many times

I would be very interested to see any similar documented cases where this has been successful.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I work at a local authority and we had a fella who said he'd invoice us £10000 every time we wrote to him about a particular issue. Funnily enough we continued to write to him and haven't yet paid any of his invoices.

 

[Typhoon]

I work at a local authority and we had a fella who said he'd invoice us £10000 every time we wrote to him about a particular issue. Funnily enough we continued to write to him and haven't yet paid any of his invoices.

Why am I not surprised. This is a serious matter and deserves to be treated seriously, the OP appears to be doing so.

Clearly anyone can take whatever approach they like when faced with official correspondence like this but the danger with adopting a belligerent or immature approach one is that the recipient acts accordingly when a more co-operative response may result in them being more conciliatory response. In this case asking when the niece was taken into care, by whom and whether there is any paper work to support it.

 

[WesternLancer]

I work at a local authority and we had a fella who said he'd invoice us £10000 every time we wrote to him about a particular issue. Funnily enough we continued to write to him and haven't yet paid any of his invoices.

He needs to take you to the Local Govt Ombudsman.

 

[island]

Send them a letter advising of your terms and conditions of receipt of further letters at your house which they will be deemed to accept if they send any more. This will include charges such as 100quid for receipt of a letter another 100 for return. Send it to their legal dept. Same law applies to them engaging in bothering you further as when you accept Amazon's terms and conditions. Been done many times

This gets thrown around a few Internet forums, and is completely unenforceable at law.