Debt that not ours

[Deleted User]

pappa_golf wrote: »

are they allowed to enter a property that is owned/rented by someone else , and force fit a key meter when there is a contract meter in place with a different company and a trace of payments


ie: is the warrant (entry) on the property or is it served on the PERSON who lives there?

Yes, how else do they go into rented council houses and other rentals. The debt is against the person.If the person refuses to pay the prepayment meter is the preferred option for all suppliers not debtors courts.If the person refuses to allow the meter to be replaced then its a locksmith and warrant and other costs which get added to the prepay meter for repayment between £3.50 and £16 a week depending on size of debt. They wont need a warrant of entry for an exterior box but the power has to be shut off from inside I would have thought. If occupier wont comply to that then maybe they would have to enter. There is no point in stopping them because its all going to be extra on your debt. You could go to court and contest the warrant of entry.Most people dont turn up for these and Magistrate has an easy time signing the warrant. I think if you turned up he would nt allow the warrant.
EDF are also District Network Operators as well as suppliers and they do own the electric meters which may well be marked on the meter. Mine used to say "property of Y.E. B. (yorkshire electric board ) on the meter itself.

Cardew

Airwolf20721 wrote: »

When they move in was southern power, they change to EDF. Thing is meter outside the house so no need to get in the house... All Scottish power are saying they do believe Mr xxxx lives there. So on that ground they going for a warrant to change meter.


And no not a wind up to other people.


Yes they email PDF of last billing address but they accusing parent of taking over the property and MR xxxx lives there.

It seems Scottish Power believe that this is a scam to escape payment of a debt and your parents are involved in the scam. By the number of posts on MSE it is a fairly common occurrence; i.e. tenancy is handed from fellow tenants Mr A to Mr B with the aim of voiding any utility bill debt owed by Mr A.


In fact we have had posts from people who think it is lawful(and advocate) for the energy account to be in the name, say, the father, and run a big bill. They then transfer to the mother and run up another bill - then to son etc.


Bear in mind that if a pre-pay meter is fitted, the aim will be to load the £700 debt onto that meter which will be paid back at £x a week; i.e. your parents will be paying back the £700.


If the facts are exactly as you say, get a solicitor to write to Scottish Power and be represented at the court hearing. It should be easy for them to prove that they were not living at the address until April 2015 and they will probably be asked to state in court that they have no knowledge of Mr xxxx. If the court accepts your parent's explanation they should have all expenses paid.

SwanJon

Airwolf20721 wrote: »

When they move in was southern power, they change to EDF. Thing is meter outside the house so no need to get in the house... All Scottish power are saying they do believe Mr xxxx lives there. .

So your parents have never been supplied by Scottish Power at this address?
Was there a final bill from Southern?
Are there current bills from EDF?

Each of these would have a Meter Serial Number on it to show which meter they are billing. This should match the meter serial number on the meter itself (near a barcode).

Check that the Southern/EDF bills match the meter in the property.

Ask Scottish Power to check which meter they are chasing for and compare it with the above.

If Southern/EDF don't match the meter in the property but ScottishPower does your parents are going to need to recover the money paid to Southern/EDF and use it to pay ScottishPower.