Debt Recoverer demanding £1116, in 7 days.

Poker_Pro

I received a letter on the 27th of November stating:

'We have recently undertaken an investigation into utility supply to ....... between 28/04/2008 and 05/03/2009....... led us to believe you are responsible for the consumption of this supply.'

I left the flat around May 2007 and travelled for 18 months abroad. I then moved to my current address in November 2008.

I do not have any documents from the time I rented the flat and I have no proof that I moved to another property, becuase I was travelling. I don't know the name of the landlord or letting company.

If I can't prove that I moved out of the flat in 2007, they told me it will go on my permenant credit record.

I know I should have kept the documents, but I was too busy sorting out my travelling plans. I assume I forgot to tell scottish power I was no longer living at the flat and this is why I have been sent the bill.

Please help!

AndrewLondon

Have you phoned the utility company? I've had a similar issue and I just phoned them and they sorted it over the phone in seconds.

macman

So what do you believe you owe them from x until you moved out in May '07? Did you not take a final reading when you left?

Poker_Pro

AndrewLondon wrote: »

Have you phoned the utility company? I've had a similar issue and I just phoned them and they sorted it over the phone in seconds.

Scottish Power have passed the debt on to a collection company, I don't think they will want anything to do with it now.

macman wrote: »

So what do you believe you owe them from x until you moved out in May '07? Did you not take a final reading when you left?

I am sure I paid my bills when I was staying there and that I owe nothing. The period of usage for this debt starts from a year after I left the flat. I must not have told Scottish Power that I was leaving (so no final reading) and that may be where the problem started.

glider3560

Ask the Debt Recoverer to prove that you owe the money. Have they said what will happen after 7 days?

If it goes to court, they'll be asked to prove you own the debt.

Poker_Pro

glider3560 wrote: »

Ask the Debt Recoverer to prove that you owe the money. Have they said what will happen after 7 days?

If it goes to court, they'll be asked to prove you own the debt.

I did. They said the debt had been passed on by Scottish Power.... and the circle of blame continues.....

After 7 days she said the debt will go on my credit record for 6 years, obvious scare tactic but it worked!

anniecave

Have you contacted Scottish Power regarding the account that was yours? Eg if you are being chased for a debt from 08 to 09 and you moved out in 2007 then that would imply that there is a previous account that should be or is in your name for the period you were there? I would ensure that account is paid off first of all.

Debt companies and energy suppliers are quite quick to send threatening letters, but not so quick to follow up with them. Can you prove in some other way you weren't living there? Eg do you have your plane ticket out of the country? and your ticket back in? Or can you show them some copies of bank statements showing rent going out for some months, then stopping? Receipts or documentation from where you were abroad?

Legally they have to prove you were living at the property, and that would be quite difficult for them to prove if you weren't.

Also I'm not sure how your credit rating can get affected, unless they get a court judgement against you, and that's not likely to happen in my opinion.

I would be tempted to ensure your account with SP is actually paid off, then do nothing about the debt collectors, but keep an eye on your credit report just in case.

Scottish_Power

Hi Poker Pro

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

There are a couple of things I would suggest you do here to get this matter resolved as quickly as possible. Firstly, do as much research from your side as you can, i.e. confirm details of who you rented the property from, try as best you can to confirm exactly when you moved out of the property. I would then call SP to explain the situation and try and arrange for the account to be closed to the date you moved out. The final meter reading may need to be estimated based on accurate meter readings that were obtained when you occupied the property. You should highlight that you are in dispute with the amount you are being chased for and ask that a hold be applied to the debt recovery while the account is investigated. You are better to speak to SP and get the account amended rather than speaking with the debt collection company.

You may be asked to put your details in writing so that we have written evidence from you requesting the account be closed to a specific date. This would be requested because you are unable to provide a tenancy agreement showing the relevant dates you occupied the property.

If you want me to look into this for you then send your details and the relevant information to the email address held in our profile.

Hindsight is a fabulous thing but I'm sure that this will help you close all relevant accounts in the future when you vacate a property.

Hope this helps and I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Premier_2

Poker_Pro wrote: »

... I don't know the name of the landlord or letting company....

Have a look at your bank satements, or request copies if necessary. That might remind you of who you paid rent to

Poker_Pro

Premier wrote: »

Have a look at your bank satements, or request copies if necessary. That might remind you of who you paid rent to

I tracked the letting agency down and he shredded the documents, apparently

But he did give me the name and address of the landlord at the time I moved out.

I think it's likely that I did not even have a Scottish Power account when was at the property and that they are just coming after me because I lived there once before.

Poor record keeping skills I know, but sometimes you end up learning the hard way :cool:

Premier_2

Poker_Pro wrote: »

I tracked the letting agency down and he shredded the documents, apparently

...

That was rather silly of them. They would need them for up to 6 years should the tax man come a knocking.

Perhaps if you were to raise a claim for recovery of all the rent you can prove you paid via bank statements but they have apparently no evidence of providing any property might get them round to buying lots of sticky tape! :rolleyes: