Really Need Advice Please - Updated

Arizona

Hi
I really need some advice on a situation I have stupidly got myself into.

Basically when I first moved into my home 4 years ago I started my electric and gas payments with NPower. From the moment I got there I never had anyone come out to read the meter. My electricity bills were very small (around £20 a quarter) and after a year I decided to give them a meter reading myself. They came back to me with a bill of £700+ and I nearly died of shock. I never actually asked them for any proof since I had never had a reading and just started to pay off what I could.
However, this was a never ending battle and the bill rose to £900+ because of the newer bills going on the top.
After a while I decided to change my supplier and moved to EDF. I received my final gas payment from NPower but never the electricity one. I kept waiting for it and in the end I forgot all about it.
A year later (in April this year) I received a phone call from NPower telling me they had their final electricity payment for me and wanted £25 a month for a £925 bill. Not a massive payment I know but after a full year! I asked why it had taken so long and they said they had had computer issues and the bill had just been finalised.
I agreed to pay but afterwards my partner told me I should be paying it until I had proof of the bill.
This is where I was more stupid than before... I didn't contact NPower and instead I just left it. Now I have a debt collector (Moorcroft) phoning me at all hours and I haven't dared answer the phone yet.
What can I do?
Still ask for proof or just pay? I will pay the bill if it is all mine but I don't think it is. I have had a recent bill for a yearly estimate from my current provider and it is for £500. When I was with NPower I lived alone and now I have a partner and 2 yr old. The tumble dryer is never off!

Please help me. I know I've been silly

Tixy

Hi

Have moorcroft written to you at all yet?

If they or any debt collector write to you the first thing you should do is to write to ask them for proof of the debt. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=11570893&postcount=2

I think the problem you may have is that unless you have a written record of what the meter reading was when you switched then you may find it hard to prove you have been overcharged. But you should still expect Moorcroft to produce a copy of the bill for you to look at.

That said, depending on your financial position and if you could afford a lump sum, you may be able to negotiate to pay a reduced full & final settlement to Moorcroft to clear the debt. http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=24_full_and_final_settlement_offers

Arizona

Hi Tixy
Thanks for replying fast
Moorcroft haven't written to me yet. I had 2 letters from a different credit agency - Collections Direct - but stupidly buried my head in the sand. They have now passed it to Moorcroft who have only called me. I really don't want to speak to them on the phone cos I just don't have the confidence (which is why I didn't contact NPower when I thought about disputing this bill).
We really can't afford a lump sum. It would have to be small monthly payments because we are really struggling to keep our heads above water as it is.

KingElvis

Don't get into conversations with these people on the telephone, they will get aggressive and try and bully you.

There's a letter on here somewhere you can send them to say that you will only communicate by letter and not the telephone.

But the first thing you have to do is the "Prove It" letter so you know what you are actually dealing with.

Good Luck

Elvis.

Workie_Ticket

Collections Direct are in-house npower collections team. npower are horrible to deal with. Good luck.

Arizona

Thanks guys. I'm gonna get on it right away. I'm really glad I don't have to speak to them. I'll find that letter asap. I just turn into a gibbering mess on the phone to these people and they always manage to back me into a corner.

Really appreciate the help