Debt Recoverer demanding £1116, in 7 days.

DVardysShadow

Personally, I would write [recorded delivery, keep copy] and deny it and tell them to prove it and to produce all evidence associating you with the account.

You do have the benefit of living somewhere else for part of the period claimed. You should mention in your first letter when you left the premises and that you moved to your current address during the period claimed. Don't be too specific until they have declared their evidence.

Premier_2

The evidence is simple.

The OP opened an account with the energy supplier.
The OP failed to close that account when he left, so is responsible for all energy recorded as consumed unless or until a new account has been opened by someone else for the supply. (or the OP can prove he had left the property)

Poker_Pro

Premier wrote: »

The evidence is simple.

The OP opened an account with the energy supplier.
The OP failed to close that account when he left, so is responsible for all energy recorded as consumed unless or until a new account has been opened by someone else for the supply. (or the OP can prove he had left the property)

That's what I first thought, but it's not the case. SP said I opened the account (in question) in March 2008...... when I was travelling in Australia......

Fire_Fox

You need to start dealing with this in writing by recorded delivery: never ever speak to debt collectors on the phone. Ask again for proof that this debt is yours, there may be template letters on a sticky on the Debt-free Wannabe board to help you do this. Debt collectors have to be able to prove debts or they are unenforceable - it's for them to liaise with SP. As others have said, get your bank statements together as you should have proof of which energy providers and letting agents you paid and when, as well as evidence of you withdrawing cash or making payments abroad.

Premier_2

Poker_Pro wrote: »

That's what I first thought, but it's not the case. SP said I opened the account (in question) in March 2008...... when I was travelling in Australia......

but you previously posted

Poker_Pro wrote: »

...
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.

So either you never paid any bills or SP made a mistake regarding the opening date of the account, one they could easily clarify if they checked back on payment records.

... or perhaps March 2008 was the date they finally had proof who was using their energy for the period May 2007 and before, and with no one having closed the account, or opened a new one for the supply address, you would still be responsible.

Scottish_Power

Hi Poker Pro

It may be worth a chat with the landlord to see whether he kept his own record of who occupied the property and meter readings for relevant dates.

The other query I have is in relation to you saying that SP told you the account was created in March 2008 yet you moved out in May 2007. You need to speak to SP and ask for the full period we are billing you for and then take it up from there. If we are billing you for a period that does not relate to a time when you actually lived in the property then explain this to the agent and ask that your name be removed from the account.

However, by the sounds of it you did live in the property and use electricity without setting up an account and paying for it. The debt collectors have been able to locate your details from their searches so I would address this matter directly with SP and get the accounts corrected as soon as possible.

I would be amazed if neither the estate agent nor the landlord held any details of tenants within a property when we are only looking at a period just over 2 years ago.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Poker_Pro

Update:

Thanks for all the help. I found a copy of the tenancy agreement at my parent's house and I emailed the relevent pages to the debt collection agency. Since then I havn't heard a thing from them, which has got be a good thing!

I believe what happened was the person who moved into the flat after I left used letters that were still being sent to me to set-up an totally new account with SP. Then they used this account for a year while not paying a single bill and closed it when they moved out, leaving the debt in my name.

The lesson learnt is make sure to forward all your post when you move house :T

Ypaymore

Poker_Pro wrote: »

I believe what happened was the person who moved into the flat after I left used letters that were still being sent to me to set-up an totally new account with SP. Then they used this account for a year while not paying a single bill and closed it when they moved out, leaving the debt in my name.

In that case might be worth getting a credit report on yourself,as your identity might have been used to obtain credit cards etc.

gemstars

Ypaymore wrote: »

In that case might be worth getting a credit report on yourself,as your identity might have been used to obtain credit cards etc.

Good advice - I'd get onto this straight away if I were you.