Warning and advice about LCS Utility Investigation Civil Enforcement Debt Recoveries

Even though it has been 5 months since I had this bad experience with LCS. which has caused me a lot of distress. As I was worried that I would be taken to court or that they would send bailiffs round and take away my furniture. And the leters I got from LCS were very frightening and caused me a lot of worry.

But I was lucky that I am with the council who were very helpful and gave me the letter that British Gas and LCs wanted to prove that I had moved out of my old address on 6th December 2009. And once LCS saw the letter they were satisfied that I was not the person that owed the dept and closed my case.

But what worries me is-what if I had not been with the council at my last address,and I had been with a landlord who sold the property and had gone to ground and I did not know where to find him? What would have happened to me then? As some people are with private landlords and letting agencies,who sell the property and go to ground. Indeed at my first flat I had,the landlord sold the property and the letting agency is not there any more. But that was long before I was with the council and I thankfully did not have any problems then.

But thank God I was with the council when this problem with LCS happened and so I was able to get that letter from them to prove that I was not living at my previous address.But now I am thinking of moving again,but I may have to get a private flat. But because of this experience I with LCS and British Gas-I am worried that the same thing might happen to me again.

And one of my worries is that what if it does happen again? Or it happens to some one else who is with a private landlord who sold the property and gone to ground,and so they CANNOT get a letter from the landlord to prove they are not living at their old address?What happens then? As British Gas never told me my account at my old address was still open.I only found out 18 MONTHS LATER when they sprung it on me out of the blue,though LCS a third party.

But it should never had happened to me,if my account at my old address was still open by their mistake. They should have just told me 18 months ago when I first moved into my new address. They should not have gone behind my back to the depts people. There was NO NEED FOR THAT. All they had to do,was just tell me then,18 months ago themselves. And I would have got the papers or any other information British Gas asked me for there and then. And they could have just closed that account at my old address as it should have been closed.

But instead they never told me a thing,they just went behind my back to LCS the depts people-without giving me a chance to even explain to them their mistake. And I did give them a final meter reading the day I moved out of my old address. And they told me at the time they did close my account and they did send me the final bill for my old address. Which said I was in credit. What happened to me was wrong and even though it has now been sorted out. What about all of the distress it has caused me? I wish I could sue British Gas for what they did to me. It is not right.What they did was cruel and spiteful.Going behind my back to the debts people and all for nothing.

Now because of all this I am afraid to move house now in case British Gas do it to me again. Barbara.

As you know I have been very upset with what British Gas have done to me. So much so that it has effected my mental health. As I am worried that the same problem could happen to me again the next time I move home.

So I decided to take the matter higher and complain to the Head Of Complaints Department at British Gas. I spoke to one of the managers and I told him what had happened to me with British Gas and that they went behind my back and put LCS onto me. And that although it is now sorted I was not happy as British Gas should not have gone behind my back to LCS in the first place. The manager already knew my case and about my previous complaint. Which was to the complaints department, but not with the head of complaints department.

I told him I was able to prove I was not living at my last address because I was with the council. And so I could get a letter from them to prove I was not living there. But I told him that one day I might want to get a private flat with a landlord. And what if I was in a position where the landlord had sold the property? And two years later they,British Gas come to me claiming I owe money for a previous address I no longer live at and I cannot get a letter from the landlord to prove I am not living there? What then? I told the manager that I was considering going to the energy ombudsman about the way I have been treated. As I did not want British Gas to do it to me again.

What the manager told me next was very reassuring,he told me that if I could not get a letter from the council or landlord to prove I was not living at my previous address,they would accept my tenancy agreement at my current address or something else.

That made me feel better and he also advised me that what happened to me was very rare, and that I was the unlucky one it happened to. And he also advised me that next time I move,I put it in writing the date that I moved out and include the final meter readings. That way they have a letter from me and not just a phone call which can go unrecorded.

But what made me feel even better was that he told me British Gas are sending me a compensation cheque for £50. And I got the cheque in the post for £50 from British Gas on Friday with a letter of apology.

So I feel better knowing that I don't have to get letters from my previous landlords to prove I am not living at my old address. And the manager even said that even if they took me to court, the court would find out that I was on benefits and that I was not living at the old address. As you cannot hide from a judge. So LCS would loose in court.

So I have got the cheque and it is true that my bills with British Gas are very low for both my gas and electric. Which is why I do not want to switch. As if I join another energy supplier they may charge me more money for my duel fuel.

So because British Gas have said sorry and that £50 does help. This time I will give them the benefit of the doubt. But if it happens again. Then I will have to think about changing my energy supplier. Barbara.

I have also recently received a letter from LCS claiming i owe them £714.02 for a british gas bill of an address ive never lived at. I experienced the same as you regarding speaking to the company. I found them persistant and rude and started asking questions and providing proof of tenancy agreement and bank statements which i obviously dont feel comfortable giving them my bank statements. They said they investigated it and said the information i gave and what they have match and that i was living their and need proof otherwise. I contacted british gas several times and didnt really help me and all they said was they've sent the debt to a debt recovery company and when i asked which company he didnt want to tell me, and when i asked him can you not send them proof that my name is not registered with them on that billed address the guy said it has nothing to do with us and that i have to send them proof.
I think this company is scamming people have stolen details of customers. I help this helps and the company is LCS (Utility investigations civil enforcement debt recoveries)
1st floor west wing, town centre house, the merrion centre, woodhouse lane, leeds, LS2 8LY