Singapore Expats

We moved into our apartment at the end of July and haven't stopped receiving mail for the previous tenants. I 'accidentally' opened a letter which turned out to be a new loan agreement.

Since then I have either returned mail or passed it onto the agent so he could track down the previous tenants. It seems that they have taken out several loans under this address since moving out and now we are starting to get demand notices and people coming to the door looking for the previous tenant.

After getting a 10 minute grilling at the door the other night from a debt collector, he told me I need to file a police report. My husband feels I shouldn't have to do this as it's not our problem.

I have asked security at our condo not to send anyone asking for the ex tenant and she informed me that she knows of him and has seen him at our condo recently (2 weeks ago) driving a nice BMW (saw the HP agreement for $93k which I accidentally opened), so there goes my theory that he'd left the country.

Does anyone else have experience of this or have advice on what to do next.

Thanks.

snowqueen wrote:We moved into our apartment at the end of July and haven't stopped receiving mail for the previous tenants. I 'accidentally' opened a letter which turned out to be a new loan agreement.

Since then I have either returned mail or passed it onto the agent so he could track down the previous tenants. It seems that they have taken out several loans under this address since moving out and now we are starting to get demand notices and people coming to the door looking for the previous tenant.

After getting a 10 minute grilling at the door the other night from a debt collector, he told me I need to file a police report. My husband feels I shouldn't have to do this as it's not our problem.

I have asked security at our condo not to send anyone asking for the ex tenant and she informed me that she knows of him and has seen him at our condo recently (2 weeks ago) driving a nice BMW (saw the HP agreement for $93k which I accidentally opened), so there goes my theory that he'd left the country.

Does anyone else have experience of this or have advice on what to do next.

Thanks.

I personally think that you still ought to file a police report. It may not be a problem now but sooner or later, these 'harassments' are going to increase as the problem/loans pile on slowly.

I don't think your husband would fancy receiving stacks of letters of demand notice and also unsolicited visits from debt collectors.

A police report is a waste of 90 minutes of your life. All the cops want to do is keep the crime statistics low by not reporting crime.

Return all mail marked 'Tenant moved' and return to the PO.

IF anyone does harrass you file for a PPO using a private solicitor.

(PS - if you actually know a police person personally it can help, the most effective police work seems to be done on the basis of personal favours).

There is nothing you can report to the police so far. You are not a party to report the previous tenants debts and even if, the police would be interested only if this was a fraud or other criminal activity. Visits of debt collectors are also no offense of any type. Only if they start to harass or threaten you or move closer to stalking, you will have a reason for reporting.

x9200 wrote:There is nothing you can report to the police so far. You are not a party to report the previous tenants debts and even if, the police would be interested only if this was a fraud or other criminal activity. Visits of debt collectors are also no offense of any type. Only if they start to harass or threaten you or move closer to stalking, you will have a reason for reporting.

Correct. In my experience I've found that trying to help the debt collectors / banks / credit card companies locate the absconders helps wind the issue down a notch. In my case the idiot left some personal papers behind with his fathers address back in India. Well his dad now can deal with it.

offshoreoildude wrote: (PS - if you actually know a police person personally it can help, the most effective police work seems to be done on the basis of personal favours).

This might work in some country but in Singapore, the police officer will be charge.

I thing you have misinterpreted what he said.

Since OP stays in a condo, they are better off, compared to those living in HDB ..

Well, you should not fret about the previous guys' debts .. when a demand letter comes, write "return to sender / does not live here' preferably in large letters, and drop it into the post box .. just like Offshoreildude says ..

if they keep sending, it is not your headache - just keep writing 'return to sender' and drop it in the post box .. they will stop eventually, as they creditor will transfer to another lawyer / debt collector and one of them will finally get the message ..

I made the mistake of once calling up some debt collector to stop bothering me .. and guess what - the debt collector started to call me, harassing me to find out where the previous tenant moved to .. as if it is my problem to fix it .. damn the caller ID !

Head to the cops only if the debt collector gets personal !!!

therat wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote: (PS - if you actually know a police person personally it can help, the most effective police work seems to be done on the basis of personal favours).

This might work in some country but in Singapore, the police officer will be charge.

I'm not saying bribery - I'm saying personal favour without recompense where the police are little more zealous than usual. Having been the victim of it in Singapore I can assure you it exists.

offshoreoildude wrote:I'm not saying bribery - I'm saying personal favour without recompense where the police are little more zealous than usual. Having been the victim of it in Singapore I can assure you it exists.

Interesting ..

Well, in any business, if you know somebody, things move faster, or some attention is given, but, when it comes the cops here, it is not to the extent that those with influence only get assisted and others are put aside ..

Or did I miss something ?

ecureilx wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote:I'm not saying bribery - I'm saying personal favour without recompense where the police are little more zealous than usual. Having been the victim of it in Singapore I can assure you it exists.

Interesting ..

Well, in any business, if you know somebody, things move faster, or some attention is given, but, when it comes the cops here, it is not to the extent that those with influence only get assisted and others are put aside ..

Or did I miss something ?

So you saying they're equally apathetic?

BA-DUMP-BUMP.

"Thank you, thank you. I'm here all Thursdays of this month. Good night folks, don't forget to tip your waitress and have a safe drive home."

nakatago wrote:

ecureilx wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote:I'm not saying bribery - I'm saying personal favour without recompense where the police are little more zealous than usual. Having been the victim of it in Singapore I can assure you it exists.

Interesting ..

Well, in any business, if you know somebody, things move faster, or some attention is given, but, when it comes the cops here, it is not to the extent that those with influence only get assisted and others are put aside ..

Or did I miss something ?

So you saying they're equally apathetic?

BA-DUMP-BUMP.

"Thank you, thank you. I'm here all Thursdays of this month. Good night folks, don't forget to tip your waitress and have a safe drive home."

Maybe back in my country, that applies - and the common saying of ' if nothing happens, you may be not paying the right amount or the right person - find out which is wrong and fix it' ..

ecureilx wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote:I'm not saying bribery - I'm saying personal favour without recompense where the police are little more zealous than usual. Having been the victim of it in Singapore I can assure you it exists.

Interesting ..

Well, in any business, if you know somebody, things move faster, or some attention is given, but, when it comes the cops here, it is not to the extent that those with influence only get assisted and others are put aside ..

Or did I miss something ?

Are you thick or what? I'm saying... if you have a mate who is a copper - they maybe inclined to put pressure on the debt collectors on your behalf - most likely unofficially of course.

offshoreoildude wrote:Are you thick or what? I'm saying... if you have a mate who is a copper - they maybe inclined to put pressure on the debt collectors on your behalf - most likely unofficially of course.

so, in your personal experience .. somebody was influencing the local coppers to harass you is it ? that's what i am trying to figure out here ..






Most Likely unofficially . ... interesting ... pretty interesting ..

ecureilx wrote:

offshoreoildude wrote:Are you thick or what? I'm saying... if you have a mate who is a copper - they maybe inclined to put pressure on the debt collectors on your behalf - most likely unofficially of course.

so, in your personal experience .. somebody was influencing the local coppers to harass you is it ? that's what i am trying to figure out here ..






Most Likely unofficially . ... interesting ... pretty interesting ..

Yes, specifically my ex wife - a Malay - influenced a Malay cop to ring me up late at night and threaten me. Highly illegal but almost impossible to prove. The OP - should they have a friend in the SPF - could use the same tactic I suppose IF the cop is willing to risk his job.