Lived in house for two yrs, and now recieving lettors from creditors.

TokochickUK

Brought the house in the beginnning of 2005, previous owners passed away and daughter came back from france to sell house. We understand they had accounts with British gas, and before we axchange contracts all meter readings were passed onto to companys for gas and electric, we still did not move in for another 3/4 months. We went with another supplier and everything was fine, then the first letter arrived for previous owners daughter with outstanding bill for BG due to incorrect meter readings THEY HAD GIVEN BG THEMSELVES. We had no forwarding address and so took the letters to estate agents, who were happy to deal with forwarding them. This stopped after 6 months as estate agents had finished with them. so told me to call BG myself. I did call and have had to call at least a dozen times since due to this outstanding amount, Last week I had another letter for them from a bailiffs company saying expect a visit!:eek: I called BG again and was told details would go through to homecare and would all be sorted. Today I recieved another letter and so called the company only to be told take it up BG, I called BG and was told due to the process in place it would have to run its course which could take X amount of months, but when it finally got to the right department they would realise their mistake and the letters and stuff would stop. The guy also then said and WHEN not IF the bailiffs show up its ok, I can refuse them entry and give them ID and they cant touch anything!
Im scared stupid, I have two toddlers, and am 35wks pregnant I do not want big burly strangers on my doorstep demanding payment:eek: even though i can tell them to go away, I dont need this on top of other stuff. How can I get them to stop? The letters, the visit expected? Its been two yrs now. thanks in advance x

Cardew

Write to BG - don't call them - explaining as above and send it recorded delivery.

anniecave

Do you still have copies of the correct meter readings? Or can you get them? Make sure you include these in the letter to British Gas. They will need them to get the account correct.

Are the demands for gas and electric, or did you pay a correct final bill for one and not the other?

If a letter to BG doesn't produce a response within three weeks, then complain to energywatch.

Gas and electric companies often threaten to send doorstep collectors or bailiffs, but often don't actually do so. If anyone turns up for the previous owner, show them ID and they will go away. If they turn up with your name and you dispute the value, give them the details and again they will go away.

All the best in getting it sorted.

TokochickUK

Thanks for your replys,

Will write letter first thing monday and send via proof of postage route.

The bills have never been in my name but as said after forwarding them on for the first 6 months to estate agent with phone calls saying old owners no longer here, then trying for another 6 months to send them back to BG unopened again along with phone calls each time. I opened one to see why they kept coming through. We had the gas and electric put back on by our own supplier long before we moved in, so have not had any bills from BG for us. We have a record of all readings from each month (dh is accountant and likes to make sure his numbers add up:p )


Its just stressfull, and more than a little frustrating given how long it has been going on for, and now with bailiffs ready to knock on my door..

I dont need this x

But thanks again for advice x

BexTech

Don't let it stress you or worry you, the debt isn't yours, so you have nothing to worry about, just chill out and take it all in your stride.

Farway

Do not rely on proof of posting, spend a few bob and go recorded delivery

You want proof of receipt not posting, if push becomes shove they can and will say they never got your letter and you can not prove otherwise

BexTech

I had letters in the past from debt collectors for previous people who lived at my address, I don't owe them the money, it's not my debt, so I'm not going to any expense sending them letters or letters back, I just shred them and forget all about them.

They go away eventually, and if they do come around we have proof of who we are.

tripled

If you give BG the correct readings then they can amend the accounts.

What name are letters with threats of baliffs coming in? If it is the previous owners daughter, you shouldn't be opening them but putting them back in the post box marked 'return to sender'.

olly300

BexTech wrote: »

I had letters in the past from debt collectors for previous people who lived at my address, I don't owe them the money, it's not my debt, so I'm not going to any expense sending them letters or letters back, I just shred them and forget all about them.

They go away eventually, and if they do come around we have proof of who we are.

It's an offence to tamper with someone elses mail.

It also costs nothing to write return to sender on a load of mail and putting it through the post box.

In addition shredding the mail doesn't stop it coming putting returned to sender on it continuously gets rid of it. (I've lived in a house where they throw away other people mail for 2 years, when I spent 6 months putting returned to sender on allt eh mail the volume of mail decrease dramatically.)

BexTech

olly300 wrote: »

It's an offence to tamper with someone elses mail.

It also costs nothing to write return to sender on a load of mail and putting it through the post box.

In addition shredding the mail doesn't stop it coming putting returned to sender on it continuously gets rid of it. (I've lived in a house where they throw away other people mail for 2 years, when I spent 6 months putting returned to sender on allt eh mail the volume of mail decrease dramatically.)

Yes, it is an offence, hence I never open them to find who they are from if no return address or call them up.

However no ones going to know when you shred them.

Returning it rarely has an effect, unless it's royal mail returning it themselves as undelivered and will have their stamp to say so. Writing "Not known at this address, return to sender" mostly doesn't work because anyone can write that, even the actual person who has the debt.

Not worth wasting time and effort writing on the envelope and going out your way to post them, they stop in the end anyway no different to wasting your time posting them back.

TokochickUK

tripled wrote: »

If you give BG the correct readings then they can amend the accounts.

What name are letters with threats of baliffs coming in? If it is the previous owners daughter, you shouldn't be opening them but putting them back in the post box marked 'return to sender'.

Dh called and gave meter readings over the phone when contracts where exchanged, He also faxed a copy of meter readings to them and within 3 months of us buying the house BG sent around a meter reader who also took the lower readings back.

The letters are in the previous owners daughters name, the reason i opened the letter a yr ago was after 6 months of continuing to take mail to estate agent and them telling me no more, I did the return to sender for a further 6 months, but still the letters kept coming,after a yr I opened one and gave them the first phone call, was thanked for my time and told it would be sorted.. as you can tell its not.

I know its not my bill or in my name, but its my house, i have two young children and 35 wks pregnant and as much as we see the nice bailiffs on tv, there are some not very nice ones as well. I have got council tax bill and driving license by the door for when they arrive.

Im just saying after a dozen calls, and all facts being given to them I dont think its fair that I should have to wait for the big burly men to arrive at the door, Its not MY mistake. I should not have the stress from it .

But thanks all for replys xx