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

Smodlet

Yeah, sorry about that, I thought of something else to say, so edited my post, so you would not be able to see what I added whilst I was adding it, so to speak. I did not realise first drafts were visible whilst being edited but have lately discovered they are. Makes one watch what one says even more, which is why this is the closest I get to social media. Rudeness is not tolerated here.

If I have misunderstood what you wrote, I apologise. I thought you were paying a previous tenant's debt. If it is purely that their debt has become associated with your credit record due to the shared address, write (yes, some of us still do letters and send them by snail mail) to the credit agencies and tell them to amend it, providing all the proof you can. Keep copies.

If the meter is in credit, presumably you are not paying for the previous tenant's usage. I really don't understand. Either there is a credit or a debt. Best way to pay the least you can for gas/electricity? Get a standard meter and get the landlord to pay for the changeover, if you cannot persuade the provider to do so. It is not your property, so why should you? If this is not possible in your current place, next time tell the landlord/letting agent it is a deal-breaker and you will not tolerate a prepayment meter.

I apologise again for my misunderstanding and for wasting your time but, for future reference, I stand by what I said and by the advice I gave regarding dealing with Npower or any other supplier of any service. Gosh, I'm confused.

[Deleted User]

KKirk2708 wrote: »

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

No it isn't. It's about ensuring your credit file reflects accurate information. Trying to change a fictional score that no one sees and has as much significance as the colour of unicorn poop is irrelevant.

KKirk2708

It's ok I'm still getting used to this anyway, I only created my account tonight. Sorry - I saw you put rudeness is not tolerated here - was that meaning I was rude? I am very confused also and if I was there were no bad intentions there!

No I don't think you are misunderstood, I think you're on the same page, I am equally confused and it has been a bit of a whirlwind, but the debt started off at around £1200 on the meter and with our payments we've put in it has knocked down to around the £900 mark. But we are in credit and that has been confirmed. With me not having a great idea of what I'm doing anyway it doesn't help at all!

Yes I'll definitely think about changing, maybe if we stay with npower they can install one as a good will gesture after all of this palavor, just maybe.

No time wated here at all, don't apologise! :-)

KKirk2708

Deleted_User wrote: »

No it isn't. It's about ensuring your credit file reflects accurate information. Trying to change a fictional score that no one sees and has as much significance as the colour of unicorn poop is irrelevant.

Oh really, I thought that credit scores were used with credit checks. Either way, once the debt is taken off of my credit file, my score will go up hopefully around to what it was to begin with, so both kind of the same thing? I am obviously just wording it wrong, my bad! I am learning!

[Deleted User]

No. Your score bears little resemblance to how lenders will see you. Ignore it completely.

KKirk2708

Right then, no worries, going forward I will be saying my priority is getting this removed off of my credit file.

Smodlet

No, I was not for one nanosecond suggesting you were rude, you have not been! Why would you think that? I was merely illustrating why this is the closest I get to social media where, as I have heard, absolutely anything goes! It can get bad enough on here, on some threads. You have been perfectly courteous. Thank you.

So, a few of my marbles are still intact and you are, in fact, paying off someone else's debt? If this is the case, you should not be and what I said before stands.

Your letting agent (may they all rot in hell, they are worse than landlords, some of whom are decent) appears to have misled you. Why was he/she giving you prepayment keys in the first place? Unless I have that wrong as well. Whatever the state of the gas/electricity account the minute before you signed the lease, is nothing to do with you and not your liability. If you have paid a chunk of it off, npower owe you this money... is this the credit they say they owe you? More confused, now. Please respect the marbles, there are not many left, at my age.

KKirk2708

Oh that's good then, I don't know maybe I miss understood it, I was very tired last night and a bit unwell!

Yes we have been paying off someone's debt, on our electric meter there is now £900 and something debt on there, before being £1200+ in debt and I have been told that we are owed £300+ in credit (£60 credit on gas too).

Absolutely, we have had a bit of an experience with these letting agents to be honest, so I just try and avoid them as much as possible - even though we are I believe good tenants, not awkward nor unreasonable!

My letting agent didn't sort our gas and electric fobs out for us, we did that. As far as I'm aware I don't even think they had any idea that the meter was in debt. Not sure if they should have checked that though as a formality? I'm not sure what they have to check in the property before signing contracts with new tenants.

No it's fine, I've just explained to my boyfriend that I've posted on here and said I don't always know the answers to people's questions about my case, and he isn't sure either. It is all very much mind boggling.

Smodlet

Then I would suggest you have two choices: You can either get yourself unboggled and deal with the situation as I have recommended, or you can keep on paying the debt... personally I can think of many things I would like to spend £1200+ on rather than making npower's CEO rich with money I do not even owe.

Your first question was concerning your credit record: Another reason to resolve this issue with npower, I would have thought. This is not your debt but only you can deal with it. It is not the LA's responsibility, the account is in your name. Unless it is in joint names with your bf, only you are liable. What if you lost your job and could not pay the debt which, as far as npower could care less, is now in your name? You would be the one who would end up in court, whose stuff the bailiffs would take. You must have a tenancy agreement with a start date on it; there's your proof!

Aquamania

KKirk2708 wrote: »

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!)

Sorry, it's not really very clear.

A debt is applied to a named individual, not an address.

So are you saying you have exactly the same name and date of birth of the former tenant who built up the debt?

:huh: