Bailiff sent to collect 5p rent from 80 year old senior

A debt collector turned up at an 80-year-old woman's house demanding rent arrears - of 5p.

Grandmother Alice Nelson has lived in Marsh Green, Wigan, for 45 years and has never been behind in her payments.

But that didn't stop her receiving a visit from a Wigan and Leigh Housing debt collector insisting she pay the 5p he claimed she owed.

They have sinceapologised „unreservedly" for the upset. The whole incident is said to have terrified her.

After the visit Alice's family went through their mum's receipts and discovered that because of a small error she did in fact owe the 5p which she handed over to the debt collector. But there had never been no warning letters before the bailiffs visited.

Mrs. Nelson's daughter Julie Foster, 45, from Rosley Road, Hawklewy, Wigan, said:"We couldn't believe it. I received call from my mum who sounded completely terrified. She didn't know who this man was knocking on her door - he could have been anybody. We didn't know if it was a joke or whether he was trying to get into her house to steal something.

"I spoke to him over the phone and he explained he'd been sent around to collect my mother's arrears. I couldn't understand it as my mum had always been up-to-date with her rent in the 45 years she has lived there.

Anxious

"We're all just stunned that someone would be sent out to collect such a small amount."

The whole episode left the pensioner frightened and anxious.
Julie said: "The worst thing about it was how terrified and worried my mum sounded on the phone. What would you do if a man turned up unannounced and wanted money from you? My mum has a lot of pride and is now worried about what the neighbours will think.

"But it was a mistake made on someone's part - not my mother's - for some reason. We're all just stunned that someone would be sent out to collect such a small amount."

Wigan and Leigh Housing manages and maintains council homes for Wigan Council. It is owned by the council.

Peter Gee, chief executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing, said: "We hold our hands up. This was indefensible and we apologise unreservedly to Mrs Nelson for the upset it has caused her.

"We were visiting a number of our tenants to try to clear their arrears, and not just this lady. But commonsense should have prevailed in a case involving such a small amount and she shouldn't have been approached like this.

"We will learn lessons and make sure it doesn't happen again."