Energy Debt Management, red letter. Help

cashcow_4

I used to have lodgers in my house that pretty much abused the place and left me with many outstanding bills. They weren't official, so all the bills etc. are in my name. Stupid I know, but it was my first house and I was young etc.

Anyway, I was left with an electricity bill of over £800 so I went on a meter to pay it back bit by bit as well as my on going electricity bill.

This is expensive, but it's the only way I could afford to pay the bill back at the time.

I have been happily paying this off for the last few years and now owe £400. I was happy to keep paying it, but I got a letter from NPower saying they wanted it settling. I spoke to NPower and they told me it was a new policy that large debts were to be paid off asap instead of allowing us to pay them off over time like I was doing.

I was asked by NPower to allow their staff in to change the meter from taking £2 per week off my electricity balance to £20 per week! I explained that this was too high and that I couldn't afford those amounts as I only put about £10 per week on the meter as it was (which even then is expensive, but it's paying my debt off and also paying the slightly higher price of the electricity).

I didn't set a date with them while I tried to find a solution and then I received a letter from Energy Debt Management with the following title

Urgent. Your electricity supply may be at risk.

The letter stated that my account had been passed to them for immediate collection and I had to contact them within 7 days otherwise they would start debt collection procedures against me. This would mean people coming to my house etc. and also the possibility of my electricity supply being cut under the right of entry act 1954 and electricity act 1989.

Being slightly concerned about my credit file and currently trying to clean it up I called Energy Debt today to discuss this with them.

I got put through to the token meter collections team and gave them my reference number etc. The person on the phone then explained to me that it appears I was paying my debt via a token meter and had been doing without any problems. He then said that as I had contacted them within the 7 days stated in the letter he would make a note of it on my file and no further action would be taken.

I then asked "what about the outstanding amount?" to which I was told I should just keep paying it off on the meter as no further action was required.

I then read the letter to the person on the phone and he said not to worry as he had made a note on my file that I was paying it off and everything was fine and that they would take no further action etc.

Now this suits me fine. I am happy to pay off this debt and these payments mean I am not stretched and have been this way for a couple of years. The only thing that worries me is that from what the letter states is that I should be paying the full amount, where as this person on the phone says not and told me to forget about it now I've contacted them.

I took the person on the phone's name for referrence as well as the time and date of the call.

It seems that the company is happy for me to continue paying as I was doing, but is there anything further I should do following this call where they told me that?

trafalgar_2

Yes,you need to get this in writing as you only have the telephone conversation as proof and if the operator hasn't logged it and confimed ........then it may not be officially approved.

Send them a letter asap detailing all that has happened and reaffirming that you were paying the debt and had been doing so (therefore ,you were conforming to the contract to repay the debt that you had agreed with them)and ask them to confirm 'in writing' that this agreement is to continue.

send it recorded/registered so you have proof and keep copies of all you send ,that way if anything goes wrong you have proof that you were dealing with it.


You've done the right thing but you must get something on paper to safeguard yourself.:D

cashcow_4

Thanks.

I suspected this, but didn't want to write to them in case they said that was wrong and made me pay it, although I think I will do so now.

It's been a while since the call and I've heard nothing since, so I am hoping what the person on the phone said was correct. Fingers crossed as it's much more managable this way.

roger56

Do get written agreement. Write a letter confirming your telecon with their operator. Include full detail of what you believe was agreed - include a call reference. Request written confirmation. Send your letter signed for, its good piece of mind and you can track it via the Royal Mail web site - you get track and trace details when you pay for the "signed for" posting (http://www.datacall.co.uk/couriers/royalmailtrack.htm)
Npower then have no excuses such as the letter did not arrive. They must respond, you can prove your letter arrived.
If all fails and they continue to issue warnings advise Npower you will put in a complaint to EnergyWatch if they do not response properly to your efforts to sort the matter.

EnergyWatch expect you to try to sort things first before investigating any complaint.
Go here for info:
http://www.energywatch.org.uk/help_and_advice/how_we_can_help/make_a_complaint/index.asp

cashcow_4

But what if I write to them and they turn around and say that this information given to me was incorrect and they want the full balance still?

Is there anything I can do in this situation?

roger56

They can't really demand the balance in full in one hit if you state why you are having trouble paying and are offering a reasonable solution.
They will try to help, but can only do so if you explain your situation.
Keep written records. For phone calls ask for a call reference - insist on some way of proving you made the call. Ask for you records to be updated to reference the call.

Good luck

roger56

Try here for some comfort:
http://www.npower.com/At_home/Customer_service/Billing_and_payment/Payment_methods.html

Go to the bottom of the page for the Payment difficulties bit.
Talk to them and ask for help

And I believe they will need a court order to enter your property, no-one can just enter. No court order, do not let debt collectors in.

Try the CAB for help if you can't get any further with Npower
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/in-too-deep

markokeeffe

Correct, in order to gain access to your property they will need a warrant from the local Magistrates Court. You have to receive at least fourteen days notice of this application, and I think it very unlikely that any District Judge or Magistrate would grant a warrant in this case. Trust me - I got told to go away when I applied for one in London on Thursday when there was a query on the meter readings supplied and the restaurant owed £11,000.