Npower / Telemessage - Urgent advice sought

Will_d

My sister lived in London for a few years before moving to Singapore late last year with her job. Some people she knew (I think) remained in the flat after she left.

She paid her final Npower bill for her rented flat in London and informed the company that she was moving abroad. Even though she settled accounts, my sister provided my parents' address for any further post - not that she was expecting any.

Since then, Npower has been sending increasingly threatening letters to my parents' house, though addressed to my sister, demanding payment of an outstanding bill .

When my parents have tried to explain to Npower that the bill is neither their responsibility nor my sister's, the company simply refuses to engage with anyone but the account holder.

My sister has tried to contact Npower as well from Singapore, but the message isn't getting through.

Today, a dreaded 'Telemessage' letter arrived. It ordered payment of the account's remaining balance forthwith, or else Npower would either send round debt collection agents or issue a County Court Summons, or do both.

My questions to the good people reading this post are:

1) How can my parents/sister resolve this matter definitely, especially given the geographical (i.e. phone call cost) factor?

2) Can any debt recovery action/summons be enforced against my parents?

3) If Npower does indeed press the red button, will any subsequent debt recovery effort leave a black mark against my parents' address?

My thanks in advance for your advice.

GingerBob_3

Will_d wrote: »

My sister lived in London for a few years before moving to Singapore late last year with her job. Some people she knew (I think) remained in the flat after she left.

She paid her final Npower bill for her rented flat in London and informed the company that she was moving abroad. Even though she settled accounts, my sister provided my parents' address for any further post - not that she was expecting any.

Since then, Npower has been sending increasingly threatening letters to my parents' house, though addressed to my sister, demanding payment of an outstanding bill .

When my parents have tried to explain to Npower that the bill is neither their responsibility nor my sister's, the company simply refuses to engage with anyone but the account holder.

My sister has tried to contact Npower as well from Singapore, but the message isn't getting through.

Today, a dreaded 'Telemessage' letter arrived. It ordered payment of the account's remaining balance forthwith, or else Npower would either send round debt collection agents or issue a County Court Summons, or do both.

My questions to the good people reading this post are:

1) How can my parents/sister resolve this matter definitely, especially given the geographical (i.e. phone call cost) factor?

2) Can any debt recovery action/summons be enforced against my parents?

3) If Npower does indeed press the red button, will any subsequent debt recovery effort leave a black mark against my parents' address?

My thanks in advance for your advice.

NPower again. What a surprise.

I don't know the answer to 1).

For 2) and 3) the answer is no.

Contact the parasites (sorry, debt collectors) if they are named and ban them from your parents' property.

Raise a formal complaint with NPower.

For future reference, never provide a forwarding address to utility companies when moving, and settling any debt. Never at any time give them your phone number.

Will_d

GingerBob wrote: »

Contact the parasites (sorry, debt collectors) if they are named and ban them from your parents' property.

Raise a formal complaint with NPower.

For future reference, never provide a forwarding address to utility companies when moving, and settling any debt. Never at any time give them your phone number.

Many thanks for your input.

My parents have tried (and will continue to try) to contact Telemessage to tell them they're barking up the wrong tree. Up to now, their lines have been constantly engaged. How convenient.

chanz4

1) How can my parents/sister resolve this matter definitely, especially given the geographical (i.e. phone call cost) factor?


If your sister is still responsible for the flat she is liable , if however she has moved out ask the letting agents to send them the new occupiers tenancy. I suspect your sister hasn't moved out officially?


They would be following the law regarding dpa only speaking to the acc holder.


2) Can any debt recovery action/summons be enforced against my parents? No it would just be a mailing address

3) If Npower does indeed press the red button, will any subsequent debt recovery effort leave a black mark against my parents' address?


No such things as black marks against addresses, they would likely install a pre-pay at the supply address or disconnect

ihateyes

Will_d wrote: »

My sister lived in London for a few years before moving to Singapore late last year with her job. Some people she knew (I think) remained in the flat after she left.

She paid her final Npower bill for her rented flat in London and informed the company that she was moving abroad. Even though she settled accounts, my sister provided my parents' address for any further post - not that she was expecting any.

Since then, Npower has been sending increasingly threatening letters to my parents' house, though addressed to my sister, demanding payment of an outstanding bill .

When my parents have tried to explain to Npower that the bill is neither their responsibility nor my sister's, the company simply refuses to engage with anyone but the account holder.

My sister has tried to contact Npower as well from Singapore, but the message isn't getting through.

Today, a dreaded 'Telemessage' letter arrived. It ordered payment of the account's remaining balance forthwith, or else Npower would either send round debt collection agents or issue a County Court Summons, or do both.

My questions to the good people reading this post are:

1) How can my parents/sister resolve this matter definitely, especially given the geographical (i.e. phone call cost) factor?

2) Can any debt recovery action/summons be enforced against my parents?

3) If Npower does indeed press the red button, will any subsequent debt recovery effort leave a black mark against my parents' address?

My thanks in advance for your advice.

NPOWER are a disgrace, if your daughter has any documentation confirming final bill amount or recipt confirm final bill paid... raising a small claim, wll get them off your back.

dogshome

Hmmm - As often reported here, a 'Final Bill' from n'power isn't Final - They have a habit of issueing a further Final Bill which is sometimes justified and some times not.

The big question is that did your sisters Lease end as she moved out of the flat,
or did it still have time to run during which 'friends' moved in.?
If it was the latter and and the friends did not register their occupation with n'power, I'm afraid your sister was still responsible for the bills after she left

I would suggest that you get a letter from your sister authorising you to act on her behalf, then enclosing this, you write to n'power explaining the circumstances and demanding that they cease all harrisment of your parents, and also provide you with copies of all previous correspondance, including both of the Final Bills

Will_d

Thanks for all your advice guys.

If there's a further development, I'll post an update.

pablakeman

Just to contribute to this, I shall be contacting the Ombudsman. I have received a similar letter and am pretty sure they aren't allowed to do this.