Debt collection for old account

jetsetwilly_2

Hi,

Fuming this morning. Got a letter from a debt agency to chase £90 owed to Ovo from a property I moved out of in 2013. I owned the property, cancelled the electric on Sept 2nd but it was then vacant until new owners bought it on Oct 11.

I got a final bill in credit up to Sept 2nd, and was sent a cheque to cover my credit.

Fast forward Jan 2015 - I get a letter from Oreil debt collectors demanding £92.77

Having spoken to a very unhelpful Ovo (who could not discuss things with me as I now owe the debt collector, not them), I finally got them to tell me that the charge was related to the period from Sept 2-Oct 13 when the property was empty.

The bill - some was standing charge (fine, I didn't realise I was responsible having cancelled my account but evidently I am)

The rest was electricity (based on the opening reading from the new owner which is about the same as I used the previous month with 3 people living in there full time. I would happily pay a token amount for any electricity used to power the boiler clock for example, but no other electricity was being used.

The rest of the charge is the debt collection fee.

I asked why they hadn't asked me for the money themselves (if I owe I will pay). At first she says they did not have any address for me, but when I said that they had posted a cheque to me with my credit on, she admitted they wrote to me once in July 2014, but the letter was returned with a comment written on that I had moved away (utter rubbish).

The debt collector is fine, and says they will waive their charge as Ovo clearly made no real attempt to contact me.

However, I am disputing the electricity charge as my end reading (the day before we exchanged) is way off the opening reading given by the new owner.

What are my rights in terms of refusing to pay a bill I do not agree with, but without risking damage to my credit rating by allowing the debt collector to take me to court.

Thanks

Cardew

Until the new owner took formal possession of the house the bills are your responsibility. It is possible that the new owners 'fudged' their opening readings or estate agents left on lights etc


However OVO simply cannot 'wash their hands' of their responsibility. They had your forwarding address and should have sent you a closing bill; not just sold the debt to a Debt Collection Agency before notifying you there was debt to pay.


I would write to OVO heading your letter COMPLAINT and demanding that they withdraw the case from the DCA. If they refuse take the matter to the Ombudsman.