Npower debt - but not mine!

pixie___2

Didn’t know whether to post this here/in utilities/elsewhere, sorry if it’s in the wrong place

Me and my co-tenant keep receiving final reminders and letters from npower and debt collection agencies addressed to “the occupier”. This is despite us phoning npower a couple of days after we moved in to our student flat (three months ago) and explaining that the debt did not belong to us (and even faxing over a copy of the tenancy agreement to prove this).

I have two questions:

1. As the majority of the letters are addressed to “the occupier” rather than a specific individual, could this debt be marked against us as the current residents if it isn't resolved?

2. Is there a template letter I can send to npower to tell them to stop sending letters/getting debt collection agencies to send letters? It feels somewhat like harassment now and I'm fed up of paying to talk to them on the phone when they clearly don't listen.

Thank you for any help

fatbelly

Second point first ... don't phone them. It is a waste of your money. And if they trace your number they'll harass you like mad.

The debt can't be marked against you on the basis of your address alone. My feeling on this one is that you have informed them (repeatedly) of the position. With many debt collection agencies, as you'll know from other posts on this board, it seems that contact just encourages them.

I'd probably mark the envelope 'no-one here of that name' and put it back in the post.

If the letters start coming in your name then you'll need a prove-it letter

nPower

Hi pixie__

I am an npower company representative and hope the following information can be of help to you.

Firstly, I'm sorry to hear about your problems with the previous occupier's energy account and I'd like to reassure you that any debt will not be marked against you - your credit rating will not be affected.

It sounds as if the tenancy agreement may not have reached us (or the previous occupier hasn't told us they've left the property and not left a forwarding address, so we're still sending out the bills addressed to 'the occupier').

We have a free customer services number - 08451 201 453 - please give us a call and we can sort this our for you.

Best Wishes
Sally at npower

mizzbiz

I had this exact same problem with npower - unbelievable!!!
I phoned so many times and faxed my tenancy agreement over three times, to no avail. I even had the forwarding address of the previous occupant given by my landlord and when I tried to give it to Npower, they told me "we'll find that out for ourselves".

They clearly thought that I was the previous occupant, despite all evidence to the contrary, including gender!!!! I even said, do I sound like a 'mr ....' to you and the lady I was speaking with that day told me I could be his live-in partner. I lived there over a year and got no further forward with nPower. They were rude, obnoxious and unhelpful. I gave them everything they asked for so it's their fault they were unable to resolve it. Useless.