Debt Letters for Someone Else at Your Address: What to Do (UK)

Why do these letters arrive?

It is more common than people expect. Letters usually come for:

• A previous tenant or owner who moved out and left debts at your address
• A family member or former partner who used to live with you
• Someone with a similar name or address to yours
• A person whose details were used by someone else, which can be identity theft

What to do with letters addressed to someone else

Treat them as private mail that belongs to someone else.

1. Do not open them. They are not addressed to you.
2. Write "not known at this address" on the envelope, cross out your address, and put it back in the post. Royal Mail will normally return it to the sender.
3. Do not throw away a pile of letters if you can send them back instead, because it helps the sender learn the address is wrong.
4. Keep a note of the sender and the dates, in case it continues.

Write to the sender

Returning letters can take a while to work, so also write to the company. Keep it short and factual: say that the named person does not live at your address, give the date they moved or say you do not know them, and ask the company to remove your address from their records and stop writing to you. Keep a copy.

Do not pass on a forwarding address for someone unless you are sure they agree, because that shares their personal information. Debt collectorsDebt Collection in the UK: What You Need to KnowUnderstand how debt collection works in the UK, what debt collectors can and cannot do, and how to protect yourself if you are being chased for a debt.Read more → may try to find them, but that is their job, not yours.

If the person is a family member or lives with you

If the person does live with you, give them the letters unopened and encourage them to deal with them. You are not liable for another adult's debts just because you share a home, unless you share the debt, for example on a joint account or as a guarantor. Our guide to debt letters and joint debts explains the difference.

If a collector visits or calls

If someone visits asking for the person, you can say they do not live there, and that you will not discuss anyone else. You do not have to let anyone in, and you do not have to give out information. Collectors must not harass you or pressure you to pay a debt that is not yours. If it continues, complain to the firm and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and see our guide on collectors who will not stop calling.

If the letter is addressed to you, but the debt is not yours

That is different. Write to the company, say that you dispute the debt, and ask for the original creditorHow to Deal with Creditors: Communication and NegotiationPractical advice on communicating with creditors, negotiating affordable repayments, and understanding your rights when dealing with the companies you owe.Read more →'s name, a statement and a copy of the agreement. Check your credit reportsCredit reportA credit report is a record of your borrowing and repayment history, held by credit reference agencies and used by lenders to assess you.Read more → for accounts you do not recognise, and report identity theft to Action Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101. Our guide to debts you do not recognise has the full steps.

Sample letter to the company

You can adapt this short wording:

• "I am writing about your letter dated [date] addressed to [name]."
• "[Name] does not live at this address and I do not know where they now live."
• "Please remove my address from your records and stop writing to me about this account. If you hold any of my personal data in connection with this matter, please confirm what it is."

What not to do

A few common reactions can cause problems.

• Do not open the letters or read them out to others. They are private.
• Do not pay the debt to "make it go away". It is not yours, and paying may be treated as taking responsibility.
• Do not confirm personal details for someone else over the phone.
• Do not ignore a letter addressed to you that you think is wrong, because you may need to dispute it.

Tenants, landlords and letting agents

If you rent, letters for a previous tenant are worth mentioning to your landlord or letting agent, who may be able to tell the sender the person moved out. If you are a landlord or agent, you can return letters in the same way, but you should not give a former tenant's forwarding address to a third party unless the tenant agreed.

How long should it take to stop?

Returned letters and a clear message to the sender usually stop the post within a few weeks, although different companies hold the same address in different systems. If new senders appear, repeat the steps. If the post for the previous occupant never stops, tell Royal Mail and ask whether a redirection or return option applies, and keep a record in case you need to complain.

Check your own credit file

If your address is linked to someone else's debt, it can affect your own applications. You can check your file for free with the main UK credit reference agenciesCredit reference agencyA credit reference agency is a company that collects information about people's borrowing and sells it to lenders. The main UK agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.Read more →. If you see an entry that is not yours, ask the agency and the lender to correct it. If money is tight, talk to a free adviser before you agree anything. Citizens Advice, MoneyHelper, StepChangeStepChange Explained: What It Does and How It WorksWhat the debt charity StepChange offers, how its free debt advice and debt management plans work, who it suits and what to expect when you contact them.Read more → and National DebtlineNational Debtline: How It Works, When to CallWhat National Debtline is, who runs it, what it can help with, how to get free advice by phone, webchat or online tools, and what to expect.Read more → will not charge you, and they can negotiate with creditors for you. Use our priority debts guide to work out what to pay first.