help for my dad

soolin

The basic story is that my dad lives alone and is getting more and more unable to cope with things generally. It turns out that over the past 4 months he has signed up to 7 different suppliers for gas and electricity.

I think I have managed to track down who currently holds his gas and electricity contracts, but is there any way I can stop his services being switched again? Dad claims not to have signed anything and whilst I know that some companies are a little lax in how they sign people up they did have his full bank details are were taking direct debits (up to 3 companies in one week) so he must have done something.

I will eventually be getting power of attorney, but that is going to take a while and even then I'm not sure how I can work that in with these utility companies. Meanwhile I was going to write to all the companies that ahd rpevious direct debits to say that any further switches will be cancelled.

We did have another problem as well, but hopefully that is now solved. One of the gas bills was set up in an entirely different name and paperwork in that name has been going to the house and dad has been sending it back to the company. I have spoken to that company and they won't tell me where this other name came from, but say they had documents to say this person lived at the address, but they assured me that a note has now been placed on the account that this Mr Black does not live at the address.

Any suggestions on what best to do now would be appreciated.

Soo

Mr&MrsSkint

I don't think that there is something that you can actively do to stop utility companies selling and I have to say that the problems of the past don't seem to have been completed eradicated.

What I would be inclined to do is to write/contact Energywatch and copy in the MDs of the Retail businesses concerned (if you have any problems with this get in touch and I can help). This should stop any further action. Writing to the top will get the right result for you.

Cardew

Perhaps the best idea would be to get the Utility accounts(once you have established who they are with) put in your name and sent to your address(with different account numbers if possible).

After all this could happen if you had left the house unoccupied.

Or get all bills, still in your fathers name, sent to your address.

tripled

Even if you are handling the bills, there is nothing to stop a rep signing your daad up in the supermarket or whatever, to be honest there is very little you can do I'm afraid. The only thing I could suggest is keep a small outstanding balance on the account - if there is always a fiver outstanding, you father's provider shouldn't send red letters (not worth it) but would probably object to a changeover going ahead. Not the most scientific approach, but it's the only thing I can think of I'm afraid. Also sign his phone line up to that BT thingabob that stops sales calls, and also TPS.