E.ON and LCS

teffers

I completed on, and moved into a property on 22.04.16.
Previous owner was with E.ON so took my start reads and and opened an account with E.ON.

After a few days E.ON started sending letters to 'The Occupier' at my new address for an amount owed.

I contacted E.ON and advised I was the new owner and I already had an account. I was advised to ignore the letters. The letters continued and began to threaten DCA etc.

I called them again and they re-affirmed I wasn't responsible for the amount. They then asked if I had a forwarding address, all I had was the solicitor details from the contract. I gave them these and heard nothing back.

Fast forward to Friday and I receive a letter, addressed to me, from LCS (quick research confirms they locate people who don't pay their utility bills), asking me to get in touch urgently.

I call E.ON this morning and they tell me, yes, they've passed the o/s account to LCS but assure me not my name or details. I escalate my complaint at this point as something here is wrong.

Eventually I'm told by E.ON that because I ordered my BT phone line a week before completion (the property was empty with no live line) and this was dated 14.04.16 (supply wasn't connected until the 27th) then the DCA believed I was being dishonest about my move in date.

So my point:

How have LCS (the DCA) managed to legally access MY credit report for a debt that wasn't mine ? and how have they done this without E.ON first providing the details required to obtain that access ?
I'm talking full access required to see start dates of accounts etc.

Any light that can be shed would be great as the next step is the Ombudsman.

System

I would repost this on the energy forum as E.oN has reps that will respond. Confirmation of your completion date should get these sharks off your back.

Note: you cannot go to the Ombudsman until you have given E.oN 8 weeks to resolve your complaint.

teffers

Thanks I'll re-post it there.

I've been through the E.ON complaints procedure and they offered me £17 in compensation.

I've rejected this as I want to get to the bottom of what has happened and how my details have been shared etc.

E.ON have said they will escalate it to the Ombudsman.