Warning and advice about LCS Utility Investigation Civil Enforcement Debt Recoveries

i think that lcs are not very good at finding where people are !!

for example i had receiced a letter address to me which came to my tenants address which was for gas/elect used at my old address (about 7 days of use) meters were off and my ex decided to cancel his direct bedit so it generated a small bill for 7 days - they couldnt trace my ex so they passed it onto me the other home owner and didnt know my new address so it went to my tenant -
Despite me having told British gas my new address and updated them on the meters on a regular basis - my solicitor and various others eg estate agents ect - i have several other accounts with british gas - eg boiler cover - so they know where i was !!!
the bill was for 6 pounds i kindly left on the boiler to protect it from frost for 7 days hence a bill of 6 pounds plus a bill of 15 pounds to trace me - as if they didnt know !!
sadly they billed ME and not my ex - men seem to get away with these things dont they ? they billed me as a new resident in the property where i no longer lived for a six day period even though i was (and paying British gas ) for a whole year at the new address - sadly the British gas got a bit mixed up with it i think but ive been onto them today and sorted it out ive also paid the debt on my card althought i have no money to pay it really am shocked as how they didnt now where i was and they sent to the TENANT at a totally different address ???
Alos the new owner for the seven days after i no longer owned the property didnt give an elecrtic meter reading only gas grrr so it messed it up a bit

I would advise anyone to take pictures of the meter readings before they move out it sometimes helps a bit - and dont cancel the account until exchange of contracts has gone throgugh, i think my ex cancelled the account BEFORE the exchange as he was owed a lot of money from british gas as was paying direct bedit he cancelled 10 days prior to exchange - hence a stupid bill which came to the ex wife !!
omg
also their number for LCS is 0844 - so expensive to call but easy to pay on the phone - as this was a relatively small amout was ok but its the PRINCIPLE which wasnt right as they sent a letter to ME and not to my EX !!

after spending all day on the phone to british gas fro 11 until 8pm many times and having a 55 minute call time wait at the complaints dept - i actually got hold of the original paperwork now the ex cancelled his direct debit on 16th - contracts were exchanged on the 18th - when i called up with the final meters on 24th they had only moved up one notch for gas electic stayed the same becasue i put the boiler onto frost protection - so for one notch of gass they changed 23.90 assuming someone had moved in and out in 6 days (me) i know when i called them with the final meter reads on 24 they said that the account had already be sorted and was cancelled at it was all ok and they had the final meter readings which were the same aprart form the one notch of gas - that becasue the ex called them on 18 to cancel and the bill arrived giving him a lot of money back as he was paying a full wack on an empty house.

im mortified as to how they did it - but the nice lady at british gas complaints seems to have got it it hand now - this is the 4th time i have had to complain to british gas about different matters. this biling was on the old system so there was no daily service charge for a switched off service - unlike some of the newer accounts when you pay a daily charge even though your not using - having had a word with br today as well they say that you can actually have your meters taken out when the property is empty and you dont need anything on - i think they have had to do that due to the number of complaints - they will be charging us for air next. No problem with unitied utilities here or the council tax - althought the council tax did send a cheque addressed to my ex to my new address even thougth the bill had been in my name and i had paid it myslef - so not sure if they need their heads examining on that - i also got a lettter addressed to my ex to my new address for a survey even though this property doesnt belong to him at all -
i would also be careful if you want to change gas supplier as it takes them weeks to change over in the meantime your innundated with having to give meter readings and letters from the previous suppliers begging you to change back to them - this is what i did and they changed back but it went wrong and i got double billed - had to sort it with e on and british gas higher complaints dept - absolite headace - that was 3 yrs ago.

I have just received a letter from LCS asking for a UTILITY INVESTIGATION. I did not realize (until I found people talking about them here) that they were debt collectors.The letter was so vague, I sent the following reply via e-mail :-

Hello,

I have received a vague and rather threatening letter from a "Kelly Jackson" asking for details of owners and previous owners of my property. My mother always warned me never to talk to strange people and this seems very strange to me.

I have to refuse, on this occasion, to give you any information until you send me a full overview of what exactly it is you want from me and why you want it. Until then, I will send no information to you.

What is a "Utility Investigation" ?

Why are you investigating it?

Why do you need names of previous owners?

What do you do that my utility suppliers cannot do?

If this is an investigation, why are you putting Mastercard, visa, delta and maestro logo's on your letter?

I'm not sure who is in charge of writing these letters but perhaps they could do with some more training. The letter reads like a cheap scam to me.

For your information, the reference no. is xxxxxxxx

I am sure you understand my position. I will not even telephone you.

I look forward to receiving your large information pack in the post.

Many thanks



unfortunately, my full name was sent with the e-mail. I guess I will now begin receiving nasty threats, etc. I previously lived at my parents house and since living at my new address I have a totally clean record. I actually headed the e-mail "Phishy..." because I suspect this to be shot in the dark by them. Time will tell i guess...