Harrassment by debt collectors re Scottish Power

ChrissyCamberwell

Join Date: Jan 2007
Post Count: 4
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I'm constantly being harrassed at work by a company called Leeds Consultancy Services who were given my contact details as forwarding details for the previous tenant in my flat who skipped without paying their gas bill. Luckily they are not actually chasing ME, but him at my work address....but no matter who I speak to and how many times I speak to them they seem to refuse to accept that I am nothing to do with this person.

My details were passed to them by Scottish Power who I have had an apology from but I cannot get LCS to stop calling me. They are driving me insane!!!! I last got a call from them yesterday about an outstanding elecricity bill which was passed to them on 7th July by Scottish Power, even though I had been assured by SP that I would not be hearing from them again. Apparently the first contact was for the GAS BILL so this is a new case.

What can I do? I'm going mad!!!!


Thanks,

Chrissy

hippyadam

First off, never call always write! (& keep copies).

Tell them that you have already clarified this issue with Scottish Power RE the gas (include copies of any documents supplied by SP or the ref number etc)

Clearly state you aren't the droid they're looking for & that if they dont stop harassing you immediately you will report them to both the OFT (who they have to be licensed by to collect monies) & OFCOM (for abuse of the telephone system).

gingergirl21

Hi there

I work at a solicitors and am training to be one (slowly). As a bit of fun and to expand my experience, I decided to take on NPower who were harrassing us constantly about non-payment of a bill. The bill we were not paying was incorrect and so we had informed them that we would pay, but only when a correct bill was issued.

The bottom line is that the Protection From Harrassment Act states that it is deemed harrassment once the harrasser is aware that you consider it to be so and it wrongly continues.

I have copied and pasted the important part of my letter to them. Below. Following this, I continued to get letters and phonecalls and so at this point I sent them a Letter before Proceedings (this is basically notifying them that you intend to make a claim in the Civil Court for Harrassment). This soon shut them up and they offered me £50 in compensation although this was not accepted. I would have continued with this, but they seem to be ignoring the fact that we ever owed them anything and we have now switched so I am happy with that outcome.

Useful wording below. Obviously adapt it to your needs

A letter was sent to you dated 23 October 2007 (copy enclosed). This letter stated that if the writer was to receive any further correspondence from you threatening to take legal action for non-payment before the correct bills are received, a claim would be made under the Act.

Since this letter:

1. no correct bill has been issued on account number [ ]. A chaser letter dated 26 October 2007 was received. A further letter dated 20 November was received. A letter from a debt collection agency has now been issued to the writer threatening Court Action (copies enclosed).

2. an incorrect bill has been sent to the writer on account number [ ]. Two final reminders have also been sent to the writer for this account (copy bill and letters enclosed).

The s1(1) of the Act states that a person must not pursue a course of conduct-

(a) which amounts to harassment of another, and
(b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other

The writer gave you notice that they considered incorrect bills and correspondence chasing payment would amount to such a course of conduct. Despite this, incorrect bills and numerous threatening letters are still being sent to the writer.

The writer has been forced to telephone and write again to the Company to try to resolve the matter for fear of Court action, and is experiencing anxiety as a result of the Company’s continuing course of conduct.

The writer hereby gives notice that unless:

1. the Company immediately ceases to send further correspondence amounting to demand for payment of inaccurate bills including further incorrect bills, demands for payment from the Company, or demands for payment by third parties such as debt collection agencies; and

2. the Company compensates the writer () for anxiety caused up to the date of this letter in the sum of £[ ]within 14 days of the date of this letter

the writer will begin legal proceedings without further notice.