British Gas Demanding Money! For an account thats not mine!

Icey34

Hey guys!

Firstly i apologise if this is in the wrong place im brand new to this!

Well the problem is as follows...

I move into a new house in September, 2014 (Student), and had paid half rent to this point. The initial set up of bill was difficult, but all the bills except one went though a flatmate, with BG unaware of us the other tenants, as far as they were aware they were dealing with one person.

Around Xmas, I get an letter through addressed to me (My name on the address section spelt incorrectly), but when fully examining the letter it referred to a Mr Ward. Further more the account was for a business, with the property being residential. Finally to top it off, the address itself was wrong. My current address used to be for two buildings, and how has been combined into one. My landlord states around 2 years, to her knowledge.

I sent an email demanding to know why my name was on the paperwork, with not reply.

Yesterday I get a demand through for £738 for electricity, from Moorcroft Debit Recovery Limited. Annoyed I contacted them asking what was going on and why my name was on the account. I told them I had nothing to do with the account, and asked what it was for.

They told me the following: It was for a 2 month period for that address (which I know doesn't exist as the address number stated was 21, the property is now listed for 21-23). The man on the phone told me he would look into it for me, placing the account on hold for 30 days.

I then moved to British Gas, who largely fobbed me off, saying his colleague will call me monday.

The issue is i'm extremely worried about my credit rating.

I know they know nothing about me, and cant spell my name correctly, and have no fixed address for me. I just cant help to worry if they do track me down. Yes I was in the property at the time, however the electricity bill isnt down to me to sort out, and I am clueless how they know I live in the property....

Anybody out there got any ideas!!?

Nada666

Icey34 wrote: »

The issue is i'm extremely worried about my credit rating.

I know they know nothing about me, and cant spell my name correctly, and have no fixed address for me. I just cant help to worry if they do track me down. Yes I was in the property at the time, however the electricity bill isnt down to me to sort out, and I am clueless how they know I live in the property....

Anybody out there got any ideas!!?

Yes, it is. You were a tenant and are responsible for energy bills and are responsible for sorting out disputes.

You have not actually said the bill was not correct. It is entirely possible for a bunch of students to spend £350 of electricity in a month.

Even if this is not the case you were responsible for establishing the actual opening read when you started the tenancy - do you have a note of those?

And if that is not the problem and it is all an older bill from out-dated database that has not been corrected with the current set-up again that is still your problem to sort out.

spiro

All tenants are jointly and severaly responsible for the bills. If one student out of say 4 puts the accounts in his name, collecgs the money from the others but doesn't pay the bills and you all move out the supplier will chase the first tenant they find for 100% of the bill. It is then up to that person to recover the money from the others.

If the bill is accurate or you can't prove it's wrong you'll have to pay.

naedanger

Icey34 wrote: »

Hey guys!

Firstly i apologise if this is in the wrong place im brand new to this!

Well the problem is as follows...

I move into a new house in September, 2014 (Student), and had paid half rent to this point. The initial set up of bill was difficult, but all the bills except one went though a flatmate, with BG unaware of us the other tenants, as far as they were aware they were dealing with one person.

Around Xmas, I get an letter through addressed to me (My name on the address section spelt incorrectly), but when fully examining the letter it referred to a Mr Ward. Further more the account was for a business, with the property being residential. Finally to top it off, the address itself was wrong. My current address used to be for two buildings, and how has been combined into one. My landlord states around 2 years, to her knowledge.

I sent an email demanding to know why my name was on the paperwork, with not reply.

Yesterday I get a demand through for £738 for electricity, from Moorcroft Debit Recovery Limited. Annoyed I contacted them asking what was going on and why my name was on the account. I told them I had nothing to do with the account, and asked what it was for.

They told me the following: It was for a 2 month period for that address (which I know doesn't exist as the address number stated was 21, the property is now listed for 21-23). The man on the phone told me he would look into it for me, placing the account on hold for 30 days.

I then moved to British Gas, who largely fobbed me off, saying his colleague will call me monday.

The issue is i'm extremely worried about my credit rating.

I know they know nothing about me, and cant spell my name correctly, and have no fixed address for me. I just cant help to worry if they do track me down. Yes I was in the property at the time, however the electricity bill isnt down to me to sort out, and I am clueless how they know I live in the property....

Anybody out there got any ideas!!?

Some more information is needed.

Were you a tenant of the property during the period covered by the bill? (Ignore the fact that they have given the property the wrong number.)

If you were then do you still have a copy of the tenancy agreement, and if so what does it say about the responsibility for paying utility bills?

Basically if you were on a tenancy agreement, covering the period when the bill was accrued, then it is highly probable that you are jointly and severally liable for the fuel. This would mean that the supplier can hold you liable for the full amount.

If you were a tenant then there is still the possibility that the bill is for the part of the property that you were not renting. Therefore even if you are potentially liable (i.e. were on a tennancy agreement) you should seek confirmation that the bill is for the part of the property you were renting, especially given the bill is apparently for a business.