Debt Collectors chasing my daughter

Pat_Meister

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place. I tried to post in the CAB forum but was unable. Any help would be appreciated.

Several weeks ago I started receiving mail for my daughter who no longer lives at this address. The mail is from EOS Debt Collection for their client EDF. They say EDF are chasing her for a debt incurred at an address where she lived when she was at university.

EDF have never contacted her to say that she has a debt.
She has never signed any contract with EDF (her room-mate dealt with all of the bills and they were all in the room-mates name and the bills were settled when they moved out)

EOS are threatening to put in a bad credit rating for a debt that she does not have.

Can EDF chase my daughter for any debt imaginary or not when her name wasn’t on the contract?
Can EOS ruin my daughter’s credit rating for an imaginary debt?
What would you recommend would be her course of action?

The_Boss

How long ago was the alleged debt?
Depending on your response, asking them to send a "proove it" letter may help your daughter.
You can tell them to bog off, but then they can adversely mark her credit file (note that she doesn't have a credit rating or score).

Thrugelmir

Pat_Meister wrote: »

EDF have never contacted her to say that she has a debt.

How can you be sure that they haven't tried prior to passing the debt over to a DCA.

Has your daughter requested proof of the debt?

GingerBob_3

My first question would be how did EDF obtain your daughter's name and address? Any ideas?

The_Boss

GingerBob wrote: »

My first question would be how did EDF obtain your daughter's name and address? Any ideas?

Surely from having accounts with linked addresses.

happy_bunny_2

Request proof of the debt then take it from there.

GingerBob_3

The_Boss wrote: »

Surely from having accounts with linked addresses.

Apparently everything was done in room mate's name. If this is the case they shouldn't have the daughter's name and address at all. Has the parasite been looking for links on electoral role etc, just so they can chase someone?

harveybobbles

Send the Prove It letter.

sourcrates

Available here :




https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247

Pat_Meister

My daughter was totally unaware of anything until I called her after receiving a letter at my home address. She doesn't even live here. I can only presume that they contacted the leasing agency and requested the names and addresses on file of the guarantors on the accommodation.

She hasn't received anything to this address from EDF so EDF passed on the alleged debt without attempting to contact her. She hasn't signed anything either - and to top it all off all bills were paid before they moved out.

I will get her to send a "prove it" letter to EOS but with from this address as I don't want them getting her current address. Thank you all for your help.

BitterAndTwisted

EDF have likely got the information from the landlord of the property they rented. The landlord is unlikely to know which tenant's name the bill was in unless final demands were sent to the property.

Is your daughter certain that the final readings were given and the bill settled? It could be that no final readings were made or that the supply continued but the name of the next tenant/s was not provided, consequently any usage after they left the property were added to their account. The landlord certainly wouldn't want to have to pay for power supplied to someone else.

Still, the debt is in your daughter's name at your address at the moment and they don't know where she is or what she calls herself. As you know debts are attached to people not addresses, so the danger of a CCJ is minimal at the moment until they can find her and serve the court documents.

Your daughter needs to send her "prove it" letter as soon as possible, and request copies of EDF's bills and the period the charge covers.