Can I protect my home if bailiffs chase me for my son’s debts?

I HAVE tried — without success — to teach our son to budget and live within his means. He is 19, works full-time on a zero-hour contract and lives at home.

My worry is what could happen if he gets into debt. Say, for example, he fails to pay his mobile phone contract and, ultimately, (if demands are ignored) this leads to court enforcement officers turning up to demand payment.

I do not have receipts for a lot of my assets and, as such, cannot prove they are mine and not our son’s.

How can I ensure I am protected and that only his assets are removed?

My other concern is that, if my son were to move, but fail to inform creditors, then any such court removal orders would be sent to our address.

Is it simply sufficient to say he no longer lives with us or would some kind of proof be required? S. C., via email. I suspect that your letter is getting sympathetic groans and nods from parents the length and breadth of the country.

As adult children fail to fly the nest, there is a natural concern that their money worries might have an impact upon us. I put your letter to experian, one of the big credit-scoring companies. It tells me that, while it may have been different in the past, today your credit score can only be affected if you’re financially connected to someone.

this means your finances being linked by a joint account or loan — so usually, only married couples or civil partners.

simply sharing an address does not count, so parents and children are unlikely to be linked.

even sharing a name or initial with your child should not be a problem, because your date of birth will be different.

Reading between the lines of your email, I wonder whether your son is not already a little down the road of debt and bill reminders are dropping on to your doormat?

If your ultimate fear is realised, and bailiffs do turn up, the most important point is that you do not have to let them into your house unless they have a court order. they can’t push past you.

If your son moves out, then pass any letters on to him and tell him to change his address with the firm. If you receive phone calls, explain that he has moved out.

You are not under any obligation to say where he has gone and, if the debt collector continues to bother you, then you should complain to the firm that is owed the money. However, your son is an adult and he should face up to his responsibilities, rather than leaving you to deal with them — and that may mean telling the debt collectors his address if he won’t do it.

If a debt collector were to put any pressure on you to repay your son’s debt, you could complain to the Financial Ombudsman.

there is plenty of information about dealing with bailiffs on the citizens Advice website (citizensadvice.org.uk) .

You can get free credit checks through experian’s creditMatcher service (experian.co.uk) or at noddle.co.uk SOME months ago, £240 was taken from my Barclaycard by a firm without my authorisation.

Now, I find the £240 arrears on my statement and, to rub it in, interest has been charged.

I have written to Barclaycard regarding the matter, but have not received a reply. I’ve called to complain, but the interest is still being added. I am 92 and housebound, and I object to being treated in this manner.

C. C., Leicestershire. WHen I contacted Barclaycard and pointed out your situation, its staff leapt into action.

After reviewing your account, it cannot find a record of you calling regarding this matter.

there are many means by which money can be fraudulently taken from a credit card.

Barclaycard is very sympathetic to your situation and did not quibble about refunding the whole amount. It will also make sure the firm cannot take any further cash from your account.

A Barclaycard spokesman says: ‘We have investigated your reader’s concerns and, after discussing the issue with him, have agreed to refund the amount in question as a gesture of goodwill.

‘We have also put a block on the card, as requested. We hope this resolves the matter satisfactorily for your reader.’

You apologise about your handwriting, because you have severe arthritis in your fingers.

I can tell you that your letter — and the thoughtful thank you note you sent — were far clearer than many I receive! WHEN my parents moved into their house in 1970, my mum didn’t want the phone in her name, so we put it in mine — although they paid the bill. My dad died and my mum’s health deteriorated over the past couple of years, so she paid a year in advance so there was one less thing to worry about.

She died in June, and I rang BT about a refund. But because it’s in my name and I’m still alive, it refuses to refund the money.

I’ve told BT we can send the death certificate and evidence to prove I don’t live there. But BT has insisted it won’t give a refund.

S. F., Hampshire. It sHOuld be a basic principle of doing business that bereaved relatives of deceased customers are treated sensitively.

If somebody at Bt had done this, you would not have had to write to me, I would not have had to call its press office and they would not have had to investigate.

It seems your mother did not actually pay line Rental saver, the scheme where line rental is paid annually in advance in order to get a discount. the letter sent that mentioned it was an error.

Bt has apologised and you have accepted a £50 goodwill gesture.