nPower debt from ex-boyfriend.

MrWillyWonka

I'm posting here on behalf of a friend who is in a bit of a pickle so advice would be appreciated.

Long story short, she had a boyfriend who was living in a flat but she never lived with him. He did not have a debit card so she lent him her debit card details so that direct debit for electricity with nPower could be taken out and he would pay her cash. Later they split up (rather messy) and she canceled the direct debit.

Since the cancellation of the direct debit he continued to live in the flat and has recently moved out but in that time he never paid nPower (ignored all letters) and now currently owes nPower around £500 (they eventually cut off the electricity and installed a top up style meter).

My friend is worried that because she signed an agreement with nPower and that her debit card was used, that nPower will now start looking to my friend for the £500 debt even though she never used any of the electricity. Where does she stand and is she liable because she signed the agreement?

Any help appreciated.

energysavingexp

yep they will come to you for the dosh

Mugget

Was her name actually on the bill / account or was it just the payments coming out of her account? If she is not named on the gas or electric account she is not liable if she is named on it she will have them chasing her for money as well as its in her name

DUTR

MrWillyWonka wrote: »

I'm posting here on behalf of a friend who is in a bit of a pickle so advice would be appreciated.

Long story short, she had a boyfriend who was living in a flat but she never lived with him. He did not have a debit card so she lent him her debit card details so that direct debit for electricity with nPower could be taken out and he would pay her cash. Later they split up (rather messy) and she canceled the direct debit.

Since the cancellation of the direct debit he continued to live in the flat and has recently moved out but in that time he never paid nPower (ignored all letters) and now currently owes nPower around £500 (they eventually cut off the electricity and installed a top up style meter).

My friend is worried that because she signed an agreement with nPower and that her debit card was used, that nPower will now start looking to my friend for the £500 debt even though she never used any of the electricity. Where does she stand and is she liable because she signed the agreement?

Any help appreciated.

From what you describe, she just signed for the bills to be taken from her account, not the actual responsibilty for the bills, on her statements it should show, eg debit £xx for exBFs account.
If she agreed with the supplier to be the actual account holder then she will have to pay the arrears and put it down to experience.

Cardew

Utility companies will(understandably) get involved in third party disputes.

Whoevers name is on the account is liable and she will be chased for the £500. They don't even know who is living in the house.

Her best bet is to sue the ex-boyfriend in the Small Claims court. It is much simpler than people think, and places like Citizens Advice might help her. If the case is as clear cut as you state, she will win.

HalloweenJack

who`s name is on the account? eg what name was on the bills? if its her`s she`kk have to pursue her ex through the court - if its his and she was only supplying the means to pay the bill , then she can tell npower to chase him not her (not her account)

chanz4

then landlord will prove it if not, but normaly it is the named on the account.

stclair

It will be the persons whos name is on the actual account/bill is libel for the debt.

MrWillyWonka

Thanks for all the useful replies.

Yes my friend is the named account holder rather than just responsible for paying the bill which as suspected makes her liable. She has already contacted her exBF landlord to see if the deposit for the flat has already been refunded and whether it can be given to my friend to pay for the bill. However it turned out that the landlord didn't even know the exBF had moved out so she is liable to keep the deposit (£580) for upcoming rent for the next couple months plus certain repairs. Worse still my friend actually paid for the flat deposit with her own money which means she is actually left over £1000 out of pocket.

I have mentioned the suing route at the small claims court and she said she is more than willing to do that but pointed out that he has lots of debt , lives on benefits and owns nothing and has recently moved in with a new girlfriend. Which means suing the exBF wouldn't result in anything?

Secondly, should she write to nPower explaining the situation and getting the landlord to prove that she never lived there and find the new address of the exBF to pass onto nPower? Or is it best to wait until nPower contacts her - or is that inevitable anyway?

She accepts the experience of it but it's a lot of money to be out of pocket by.

HalloweenJack

there is an npower rep thats posts here - BUT as said they wont get involved in third part disputes and are really only interested in the person who`s name is on the bill


but

talk to npower

chanz4

If she can provide his tennancy and the landlord confirms, they will change it.