Suing Powergen over recurring incorrect billing - legal advice

alex69

I've been having nightmares with Powergen for years. Essentially every 6 months to 1 year we receive a note from debt collectors asking for an ever varying amount - typically in the region of 400 pounds. The matter has been solved with their managers over and over a number of times and I have more than one letter stating no amount is due and please accept our apologies etc. Essentially the account they try to bill has actually never existed but for some reason they linked with our address (our supplier was british gas).

Now *even after we moved* we've received yet another
of these asking for 400 pounds. I have had enough.
Every single time I need to spend hours on the phone
going through incompetent CS advisers who do not listen to what I say and debt collectors who keep saying we'll have bailiffs at our door by the end of the week.

Once again they have now admitted they have made a mistake and apologised offering 40pounds compensation. Energywatch say they cannot investigate the matter as it began before they were set up.

After having asked for 3 hours of missed income for the latest event (at least the 5th in succession over 4 years) and this being rejected by them I am considering to initiate small claims court proceedings for 4 hours of missed income which corresponds to the amount of time I had to dedicate once again to this.

Thank goodness we were not on holiday otherwise in their incompetence they would have really sent down someone to break down our door and take things away.

Incidentally does not all this amount to harassment? Has anyone seen the police about this? I cannot believe they get away with all this and I am sure we cannot be alone!
What gets to me is that surely their savings in their billing department by crap it needs to be resolved by us at our expense. It can't be right.

Thanks in advance.

espresso

alex69 wrote: »

I've been having nightmares with Powergen for years.............

So why haven't you changed providers then?

:rolleyes:

alex69

We've not been with them for over 8 years now. The meter they are trying to bill does not actually exist as they admitted themselves.

espresso

Surely that can't chase any monies owing from that long ago now!

alex69

espresso wrote: »

Surely that can't chase any monies owing from that long ago now!

No they don't. They try to chase money from 2005-2006 (even this varies from time to time) a time when we hadn't been with them for years! It still does not deter them sending matters to debt collection agencies with no warning.

londondulwich

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997, (PHA '97),

(1) A person must not pursue a course of conduct—
(a) which amounts to harassment of another, and
(b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.

Should a multi million pound organisation sending debt collection threats to an individual recognise that it would be percieved as intimidating?

Maybe this link will be helpful:

http://www.payplan.com/debt-library/bailiffs-harrassment.php

alex69

Thanks for this - will pursue.