LCS Debt Recovery / SSE Southern Electric

mrbedhead

Hi all, Hope I've posted this in the right place.

I've been receiving letters addressed to the 'Legal Owner' from a debt recovery firm called LCS chasing £120 for SSE Southern Electric. Thing is, I've never dealt with SSE.

They're actually asking for payment for electricity between July 2012 and Feb 2013 - so they've left it a while. But more importantly, I didn't own the property for the whole of that period - I bought the property in October 2012 and it lay empty and powered off until Jan 2013 when I started using EDF.

Would like some advise on where I stand with them.

Thanks in advance!

Carrot007

1. Your dates overlap, are they right.

2. You can't just start using a supplier you always owe the incumbant supplier at least standing charges. unless it was really main fuse pulled like the old days, and even then I'm sure the incumbant has to re-energise you first.

dogshome

When you aquired the property, did you advise the encumbant supplier of your occupancy and the meter readings a.s.a.p.
This is mandatory As soon as you move in and even switch on light you are useing power supplied by that company which must be paid for, and you are in a 'Deemed' contract with that supplier.

Seems likely SSE were that supplier, and even whilst the house was 'powered down' standing charges would still have accumulated.

Contact SSE and ask for copies of the outstanding bills, then supply details of your move to EDF if the bills run beyond that start date

mrbedhead

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I didn't know who any of the previous suppliers were as the place was a repossession when I bought it.

If I owe the money I'm more than happy to pay it but I don't like the idea of paying for energy that I didn't use.

dogshome

Can understand the lack of info. when buying a repossession
If you are in this situation again, Google 'Who supplies my Gas/Elec' this gives the phone numbers of the National Data base for Gas meters, and the Regional one's for Elec meters - They will tell you who the supplier/s are for that particular property

mrbedhead

Thanks Dogshome. This is my first property so I was a little green when it came to things like this.

I always thought that a new owner wasn't liable for the previous persons bills, so thought I was OK as long as no energy was used. Now I know.

They've sent another letter offering a 20% discount on a settlement amount so I might just pay that. It's not exactly an earth shattering amount of money.

davidgmmafan

If the letter is addressed to the legal owner let them sue the legal owner. I seem to remember that, one of the reasons why companies are so keen to get names correct, is they can't take 'the occupier' or other generic names to court.

Or make some sort of goddwill gesture, pI'd only deal in writing though if you take this route, if a company has bought the debt chances are they will settle for a percentage of the debt.

undaunted

You are not liable for a previous occupiers bills. You would be liable for consumption between Jan - Feb 2013 (assuming that as you say no energy was used between Oct 2012 and Jan 2013 & there were no standing charges applicable at that time).




They cannot sue "the legal owner", "the occupier" etc, they must name the person and applicable period(s)

Bigphil1474

Maybe you could advise them that you bought the property in October and therefore in good faith you'll pay half of that amount (about half the period quoted). You might not owe it at all, but it might get them to go away.