Return to Sender

I have a holiday home in Spain we purchased in 2013 and we visit a few times a year. Recently we've recieved a few letters that look like they come from a debt collection company and are addressed to a previous inhabitant. Our neighbour also said he had seen bailiffs at our property when we were away.

Can I just mark up the mail as follows (sorry I expect this is a crude translation, it came from Goolge Translate):

Devolver al remitente
No, en esta dirección

Do the local posties here actually RTS mail? If so is the above translation correct?

I'd be more worried about it affecting you, as if it's a debt on the property, you, being the owner now ,may be liable.

It's from BMW Financial Services, so looks like a car loan.

But if he's moved and hasn't told them of his new address, couldn't  you be liable?

Could they put an embargo on your house?

Don't want to frighten you, but shouldn't you seek legal advice?

When you bought the property, the Nota Simple from the property Registry would have shown if a debt was recorded on the property.  If it was not then it's not your problem.  They cannot embargo a properly which is not in the debtor’s name.

In your case (although technically I believe not legal in Spain) I would open the letter, and contact the sender, by email if possible, or phone..

I have done the same with a guy who rented our son's apartment. We have had several notices re debts  but none have come to anything.

@ElaineG thanks. I did assume any charge on the property would have been picked up when we acquired it in 2013. Car loans are usually unsecured (at least in the UK) so I don't think it will come to much.

All the same I will have a word with our solicitor here to see what they advise. As it's my last day in Spain (yep always leave the admin until the last day :)) I've marked up the mail as return to sender, back in a couple of months to see if there are any developments.