paying DCA not in my name

cruebaddon

Hello all

My ex-girlfriend moved out of our joint-mortgaged house back in August.

By October I had finished changing all house related bills to my name and switching the direct debits to my account. I then canceled our joint account.

Up to January 2013 our electricity and gas had been with British Gas. This was in the name of my ex-girlfriend.

Upon canceling our joint account in October, a letter was sent to my house from British gas. It said they'd notice the direct debit had been canceled (a result of closing the joint account) and asked for payment of a final bill. Note that the direct debit hadn't been used since January since they were no longer our supplier.
I wasn't opening my ex-girlfriend's mail at this point so I didn't realise I'd received this letter.

A month or two later Moorcroft debt recovery got in contact but wouldn't tell me what it was about because the debt wasn't in my name. I had to give them my ex-girlfriend's details and leave it at that.

Simultaneously to all this I started the process of switching the mortgage in order to take her name off.

My ex-girlfriend eventually got in contact saying she wanted me to pay the bill or she wouldn't send the form to take her name off the mortgage.


Now ... I've talked to British Gas and I think what probably happened is they sent the final bill to her and she either got confused or ignored it without telling me. I was confused too when I worked everything out as I didn't understand how a final bill from January for something we'd been paying by Direct Debit could still be owed in October.

I'm willing to pay this off.

However, I've read many terrible things about DCAs. I've followed the advice I've read and never talked to them by phone.

My question is: how am i best handling this? Pay British Gas or Moorcroft?
In either case I intend on sending a letter to both asking for confirmation the matter is settled.

All advice is appreciated.

FireWyrm

Deal with British Gas. You are going to need your ex-GFs co-operation in order that they will speak to you. If she wants you to pay the bill, she can co-operate with you and help sort it out by ringing BG and giving them your name as a registered owner of the account.

On the other hand - it IS her debt and not yours. You could tell her to pay it. If she wont take her name off the mortgage, she does understand she is jointly and severally liable for any debts pertaining to it doesnt she?