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DELUGE OF DEBT-CHASERS

UNMERITED BILLS: Richard and his partner Li Yuan

Monday February 8,2010

By Maisha Frost

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AT FIRST glance Richard Cooke appears a very popular chap; mail keeps pouring through his letterbox and there is a regular stream of callers knocking on his door.

But the attention could not be more unwelcome because it all comes from debt collection agencies, not seeking out

Richard but drawn by his address.

Since moving into his house in South-east London last year he reckons he has had hundreds of letters and calls

from creditors threatening court action or offering discounted repayment terms.

“There’s more than £220,000 of money outstanding linked to my address,” the 53-year-old oil company manager complained to Crusader.

“I’ve regularly been woken up late at night and in the early morning and found collectors seeking debtors with tens of

different names. Most of them are obviously fictitious and if it wasn’t so disruptive it would be almost comical. I’m amazed someone calling themselves Mickey Mouse could be considered worth chasing and able to secure credit.”

The property had been previously repossessed in a bankruptcy action. He said: “I expected some bother but

nothing could have prepared me and my partner Li Yuan for this. Is there some central agency I can advise that I

own the property and there are no defaulters here any more?”

Last year The Financial Ombudsman received hundreds of complaints from wrongly pursued people.

Credit reference agency Experian confirmed “someone’s credit worthiness is based on themselves, not their address”.

A spokesman said: “Mr Cooke’s record will not be affected by what’s happened. If he has sent back the letters

clearly explaining who he is but continues to be contacted, he should definitely go to the Ombudsman. But there is no

central register to prevent it.”

Richard’s idea for a list was welcomed by the Credit Services Association. Its spokesman said: “We’ve been calling for it for some time. It’s a difficult area because of data protection.

Only 40 per cent of residents appear on the electoral roll, so looking there is not always effective.

Mr Cooke will need to keep returning the mail, showing clearly he is the occupant.”

A spokesman for Scotcall, one of the agencies that has contacted him, said: “It is not possible to put a warning flag on a particular address because our searches are by name. All the time multiple names are linked to Mr Cooke’s address he may be contacted. Over time, however, it will cease.”

Richard has come up with his own deterrent; a warning poster on his front door flagging up his council tax payment.

He says: “We still get callers but they don’t knock any more. The peace is wonderful.”

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