New to this!! But I have previous tenants debt affecting my credit score...

KKirk2708

Hi, I'm new to this whole thing and to be honest pretty embarrassed! But I'm really stuck in the middle at the moment getting shoved from pillar to post.

I have been in my rented property since July 14th 2015. My credit score is classed as 'excellent' and have never had any missed payments.
Recently I tried to open another current account with a bank to find out it got referred due to 'a payment in arrears' and because of this only qualified for a basic account with no credit - luckily I don't need any!
This obviously flagged up an issue and I am due to sign a business lease in the next couple of weeks which I am getting a loan for (last year I applied for a loan and got offered it but didn't take it as the property fell through).
I then realised my Experian has my old address on so I changed it, and over night my score dropped from 967 to 245 'very poor' and my report saying I have a delinquent account and more than 6 months of unpaid debt.

The account that it highlights is Npower, account going since 14 July. We are on a pre paid meter both Gas and Electric and I am infact in credit by about £300+. It turns out and has been confirmed by Npower that this is our previous tenants debt of over £1000 and we have been paying it off on the meter as they didn't close the account properly and with us moving in it just went through as a name change on the account.
They say we have to top up day by day of any amount and put the key in the meter and it sends a message through and starts clearing the debt in the meter.

I have put a complaint in to get it resolved and it has now rolled on to my 32nd day (supposed to be resolved in 28 days). I have consistently said is there not any circumstances that it can get pushed forward as I am due to sign a business lease and I can't get credit because of an issue that really isn't my fault and has been confirmed that it is not my fault!
I do think that because I don't kick and scream on the phone I have just been pushed around, but my problem is that I am struggling to delay the lease signing much longer and I am afraid that I am going to miss out on a potentially life changing opportunity because of this issue.

I should have thought to check before, but unfortunately I didn't. My question is, does anybody know a way that I can get this pushed through once and for all as I am really struggling for time now, and why can't my Experian score change now that it has been confirmed that it is my debt?

(Sorry if it's not very clear, I am not the best with words!)

DCFC79

Your credit score is classed as excellent only as far as the credit ref agencies, in fact your excellent rating could be different with the other 2 reference agencies so as you see the scores given aren't worth bothering with.

They cant/shouldn't attribute a debt to you that belongs to someone else.

You need to learn to kick up a stink (or kick and scream ) about it.

Do you live with a partner for example who is more likely to kick and scream who you could give authority to speak to them on your behalf ?

KKirk2708

Thanks for your prompt reply. I have also checked on Noddle and it's currently at 587, but I guess I'm just going by Experian mainly as its the only one I really ever hear about.

As I tend to speak to a different person every time who are simply just picking my notes up, I have to explain everything thoroughly to them every time in hope that I will get further and I've had a guy say I really don't understand why they can't change your Experian score seen as the debt has been declared as not yours and that he was going to tell a senior member, but I haven't heard anything back from that which was the beginning of last week.

I routinely call them weekly trying to pester them repeating myself over and over but I just get thrown to a different department which can again take several days...

I know I definitely need to learn to kick up a stink but having worked in customer service before I'm torn as I've had people shout at me before when it's not really my fault! But I'm struggling to see what else I can do and I don't want to kick off and it just delay me further!

I have and he is better than me but still not quite good enough I don't think.

I'm just wondering what exactly I should be saying if I do make an angry call and what legs have I got to stand on.

molerat

Get off the phone and WRITE a proper pen and paper letter headed big and bold FORMAL COMPLAINT. The problem you have is NPower have absolutely awful CS and it is going to take you some time.#

One question, when you moved in did you contact them to get the account transferred to your name and a new key issued ?

KKirk2708

To be honest I didn't think that process really gets looked at anymore, but I guess it's absolutely worth a try and I will get it written tomorrow and sent Monday the quickest way available.

Yeah I have come across some useless ones but the more recent ones seem genuinely personal and frustrated for me and I fall into it every time...

I moved in on the 14th and I think the day after we called and got a new key issued. I thought it was my boyfriend who made the phone call but I am the account holder so it must have been me. I'm guessing I just opted for the quickest option possible and didn't think to ask thorough questions as this was my first ever move from home and I'm not experienced at all, and to be honest me being naive it'd never crossed my mind to think a tenant would leave £1200 debt on there, and my boyfriends previous at his flat was just direct debit.

Smodlet

"confirmed by Npower that this is our previous tenants debt of over £1000 and we have been paying it off on the meter as they didn't close the account properly and with us moving in it just went through as a name change on the account. "

Were the previous tenants renting from you or were they just the tenants of that property before you? If you were their landlord and they have disappeared, that is one thing but I suspect the latter in which case, why on earth would you assume their debt? If you have done so, in npower's eyes you are now liable for it, I would imagine, until you can prove otherwise. Not legally liable, perhaps but you have made it harder to prove by paying it as if it were your debt.

Were the first bills in your name, the previous tenant's name or addressed to "the occupier"? Either you are liable for this debt or you are not. Assuming (taking on) someone else's debt serves only to muddy the waters and, like mud, debt sticks, no matter whose it was in the first place.

If you give more/clearer information, you will get more help.

If you can provide written proof to npower that you moved in on a certain date, for instance council tax documentation, water bill you can show them evidence that you were not resident in the property before the date you moved in and therefore are not liable for any charges incurred before that date. Take it from an npower customer of many years, this will not be easy to resolve but it is possible and "kicking off" is not the way. If you have worked in customer services, you should already know this.

Call them when you have plenty of time (their opening hours are long enough!) and ensure you are calm. Have a drink beside you before you start as you are in for a long, long wait. Ideally, have bf within earshot ready to bring more drinks/packed lunch/hang on the phone while you are on hold while you visit the little room; I am not kidding. State your case calmly and remember, the person who answers the phone did not cause this problem. If (hah! when) they fail to resolve the issue, ask to speak to their manager. If they say s(he) is not available, say you will raise a formal complaint if they do not find you a manager to speak to, right then and there. If they don't, call complaints on 0800 316 9328 and get a complaint reference. Make a note of it. Ensure your communication with them is crystal clear and get a date when they will either update you or resolve the matter. Npower now have eight weeks before you can take the matter to the Ombudsman, and they know it. With their record for customer service, they do not need any more complaints logged against them with him.

If you still get nowhere, come back and get further advice. Best of luck.

P.S. Why am I still with a provider with such terrible service? Because every time they stuff up, I ensure I receive compensation. I would leave asking for this for a while since it seems you have not communicated effectively with them about the change of tenancy.

P.P.S. If you can, change to a credit meter, when all this is sorted out as you will then be able to access all tariffs, most of which are far cheaper than prepayment ones... but get this debt issue resolved first.

KKirk2708

Sorry I am not that clear, as I've mentioned I'm not very experienced in this area at all and not great with me words!

We are renting off of a landlord/letting agent. I got the new pre payment keys on the 15th July (the day after we moved in) and all statements get sent to my name - the account holder - since we moved in.

I have just checked through my files and I received my first statement which was my first letter on the 30th December, covering from the 14th July - 15th December and being £149.70 in credit. Sent to my name.

Mind you, if we had any letters sent to the name of the previous tenants we would not have opened it, the occupier we do.

Thanks for your patience! ��

Smodlet

Yes, I seem to recall opening letters to the occupier when we moved, as well; after all, you are the occupier. Unless the terms of your tenancy agreement state otherwise, you should be free to change suppliers. If you are in credit, there is no reason why this should not be possible.

What I am not clear about is, why are you paying for energy you did not use? Or have I got this around my neck? I want to help you and feel a little bit qualified to do so, given it is npower, but you need to help me understand the situation, hun.

Very belated P.S. Welcome to the forum, and please forgive the omission, where are my manners?

DCFC79

KKirk2708 wrote: »

Thanks for your prompt reply. I have also checked on Noddle and it's currently at 587, but I guess I'm just going by Experian mainly as its the only one I really ever hear about.

As I tend to speak to a different person every time who are simply just picking my notes up, I have to explain everything thoroughly to them every time in hope that I will get further and I've had a guy say I really don't understand why they can't change your Experian score seen as the debt has been declared as not yours and that he was going to tell a senior member, but I haven't heard anything back from that which was the beginning of last week.

I routinely call them weekly trying to pester them repeating myself over and over but I just get thrown to a different department which can again take several days...

I know I definitely need to learn to kick up a stink but having worked in customer service before I'm torn as I've had people shout at me before when it's not really my fault! But I'm struggling to see what else I can do and I don't want to kick off and it just delay me further!

I have and he is better than me but still not quite good enough I don't think.

I'm just wondering what exactly I should be saying if I do make an angry call and what legs have I got to stand on.

Don't be too bothered if your told your score is too low as only you can see it and nother one else.

Yes kick up a stink but don't be so aggressive towards the rep as it isn't them at fault, say your not happy with the service, your disappointed etc. Send them a tweet saying your not happy etc.

KKirk2708

Sorry I did not see on your first reply to the thread anything past 'if you give more information you will get more help' but I've just read it now and it gives me confidence feeling that you have experience with npower!

As I have said I am not great at kicking off, never liked doing it never will do but I believe I can be very serious when needs be. I called npower last week and was on the phone for a good 40 minutes, he was nice and he was frustated for me and he was not aware that it had a negative impact on my credit score - even though that was the only reason I ever put in a complaint!! He said he was going to speak to a senior member and I haven't heard anything since.

They've also got a bad habit which has happened to me twice now, after me specifically instructing them to leave me a voice mail and call back if I don't answer, them saying they've called and I've no notification of a missed call. I will ring days later to chase up and they say we have a note here saying we called on so and so day, which they definitely didn't and I'm left wondering and calling them out of curiosity! What if I had not called questioning, how long would they have left it?

Would I be able to threaten a formal complaint when I'm already calling chasing up a complaint? Yes i have read about the 8 weeks limit this is why I was feeling like I'm in between a bit of a rock and a hard place.

And I just hate the fact that every time I call I have a different person who is simply reading a few notes, I know it's not their fault, but I feel like it's the same as going to a doctors and having a different doctor every time. I hate that!

Also, the really nice guy who I was just on about, mentioned about sending a cheque for our credit for gas and electric which totals to over £300, and he mentioned compensation or a good will gesture too without me even probing.

We have thought about changing to a credit meter as it would be much easier, but we were told about an instillation cost and I'm not sure if we'd have to get permission off of our letting agent.

I have absolutely no idea why we are in credit on a pre payment meter, but I have spoken with relatives who are also in credit on PP meters. I did once call questioning what it is and she kind of fobbed me off and said it doesn't get reimbursed but I did mention it whilst I've been on the phone about this complaint and they've said they will send a cheque once this is resolved, so I didn't bother questioning it further!

Thanks for the welcome and thanks so much for your responses/advice!!

KKirk2708

To be honest DCFC79,
I have thought about maybe tweeting or something. I just want to make any move to push this through quicker.

I'm not bothered what my score, as long as it is enough to ensure that I can qualify for a loan, which at the moment I can't. ����

So getting my score changed it my absolute priority right now.