77hil

We keep getting final gas and electricity bills to "Dear Customer" to our address. These are for bills that pre-date our tenancy. AGL in NSW told us to just ignore them but today another one has come from a debt collection agency threatening legal action.

Must have happened to some of you guys. How did you resolve it? I won't get the bailiffs round trying to nick off with my TV will I?

Wendy

Either call the collection agency and tell them that the previous tenants have moved out or give them to your landlord/agent and ask them to do it.

77hil

We're in the process of contacting the collection agency now.

I contacted our letting agent months ago about these "Dear Customer" bills and they actually posted them back to me.

TiddlyPom

Ring the collection agency and say 'Bring it on, assholes ... if you think you're hard enough.'

That should do it.

77hil

That sounds like an expensive retort!

At the end of the day we have all the relevant evidence to get them to bugger off. Just wondered if something similar had happened to others?

TiddlyPom

Yes we had it. Had the local sheriff turn up to check our house too, as the previous owner had run off owing lots of dosh. Once we had that visit, there wasn't much bother. A few phone calls... luckily they'd left their relatives number in the phone so I just passed that onto the debt people.


I'm partly joking about the retort. Only partly because if you don't get firm with debt collection services, then they'll just continue to harrass you and that's painful when it's not your debt. And they can't collect a debt from you made by someone else! It's just not possible so don't worry.

When you speak to them, tell them the previous tenant doesn't live there any more, give them the RE number whom you rent from, and tell them not to contact you again.

NedKelly

Unless your name is Mrs Customer I wouldn't worry.

TiddlyPom

What he said.

77hil

My name might be Mr Customer!

TiddlyPom

Change it immediately.

mbike

We have just had this in the UK with the last tenants leaving bills of £250k [http<://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:britishexpats.com/get/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif] . The landlord said "bin all correspondence" but they just keep chasing you. We opened all the mail and spent a Saturday morning (free calls) phoning up the debt agencies telling them to cease and desist. Usually they have bought the debt off someone else and are just following the only address provided. They will put a search on the previous tenants if the landlord Managing agent has a name.

We also contacted Experian credit agency here in the UK to disassociate the previous tenants name from the address as this is also how they get the contact. Not sure if you could try the same over there.

Incidentally, were you provided with meter readings when you commenced the tenancy? This is the usual way of getting rid of them?

If all else fails contacts the ombudsman here
http://www.ewon.com.au/contact_us/10.html