Eon won't stop sending threats about a bill that is not mine

Wantingtobesolvent

We keep getting letters addressed to 'the occupier' about a bill that pre-dates our ownership of the property we live in. I have called Eon several times to try and stop them sending us increasingly threatening letters, now at the stage of threatening debt collection agencies. I do not want my name associated with this bill because that can make things more complicated and given my experiences with Eon that is a distinct possibility.

Eon told me they will stop sending these threats because the bill is low so they'll write it off. Now, they're telling me they won't, because I don't want to have my name associated with this bill. It seems to be impossible for them understand that I am not complaining about my own bill, I just want them to understand that 'the occupier' at the period of time they refer to is not us. Given that it is a final bill that should not be hard to understand. I don't see why I need to go through security for a bill that is not mine, and then have linked records. And if I am not an Eon customer, then that would not even be an option.

I could just bin the threats because they don't relate to our energy use, but because correspondence is addressed to 'the occupier' and that's us, I don't think that is a good solution at all. Therefore, every time Eon send another letter, I feel stressed and threatened. I would complain, but it is not easy to complain, as this will again involve going through security, with my details, about a bill that is not mine.

Needless to say Eon will never get my business again.

Spies

If its not addressed to you by name, I wouldn't worry about it. If they do send debt collection agencies, explain the situation to them and send them back with their tail between their legs.

discat11

Let them send debt collection people at their cost if they want to.
A debt has to be assigned to a named person, if the debt isn't yours then it doesn't matter if the whole world knocks on your door to collect the debt, it isn't your concern and you are not liable for it.

I would switch supplier since EON are showing you utter contempt by chasing a bit after earlier acknowledging it wasn't your debt.

Throw away all letters or send them back marked 'no such person at this address'.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Wantingtobesolvent wrote: »

We keep getting letters addressed to 'the occupier' about a bill that pre-dates our ownership of the property we live in. I have called Eon several times to try and stop them sending us increasingly threatening letters, now at the stage of threatening debt collection agencies. I do not want my name associated with this bill because that can make things more complicated and given my experiences with Eon that is a distinct possibility.

Eon told me they will stop sending these threats because the bill is low so they'll write it off. Now, they're telling me they won't, because I don't want to have my name associated with this bill. It seems to be impossible for them understand that I am not complaining about my own bill, I just want them to understand that 'the occupier' at the period of time they refer to is not us. Given that it is a final bill that should not be hard to understand. I don't see why I need to go through security for a bill that is not mine, and then have linked records. And if I am not an Eon customer, then that would not even be an option.

I could just bin the threats because they don't relate to our energy use, but because correspondence is addressed to 'the occupier' and that's us, I don't think that is a good solution at all. Therefore, every time Eon send another letter, I feel stressed and threatened. I would complain, but it is not easy to complain, as this will again involve going through security, with my details, about a bill that is not mine.

Needless to say Eon will never get my business again.

Good morning Wantingtobesolvent,

I'm really sorry about the problems that you're having with this, I do understand that it's stressful and frustrating.

In this sort of case we would advise you to return the letters to sender as they're not addressed to your name.

It sounds like the bill is for a period the property may have been empty before you moved in, as when customers move out they would normally contact us with their final meter reads and forwarding address.

If you did have any information about who owned the house before, you can provide this to us. We do rely unfortunately, on customers letting us know about moving in and out, if they don't we don’t have any information of where else to send the final bills etc but I know this isn't you, as it sounds like you've given all the correct information when you moved in, so thank you for this.

It does sound you've now changed supplier? So I'm sorry that it's made you feel this way.

If you do have any information about the previous owner, or maybe it was a letting agent, then please let us know.

Thank you

Helena

Wantingtobesolvent

Helena, well 'in this sort of case' nobody gave me this advice, and rather than telling me that Eon can stop sending these letters, you seem to think it's ok for Eon to keep sending correspondence to 'the occupier'. The occupier is me, so of course I open the letters. The fact that Eon would like to bill 'someone' for standing charges but no energy use seems to make them think it's ok to start sending threats of debt recovery agencies.

These letters don't state anything about the possibility that the current occupier may not be liable for the final bill from a previous account. This must happen frequently, with no information about how to sort this. It would be oh so easy to include a 'what to do if this is not your bill' section and to set something up in your systems, but clearly that will not bring in any money so I doubt Eon would show any interest in this.

In my case, Eon have the name of the previous customer at this address and the date they moved out. I would not want to give Eon any details about previous owners even if I had it. You seriously think I am going to assist a company that is so unable to deal with anything that does not involve payment to them?

I will of course return any further correspondence but it is bizarre that no human seems to be able to override the system and that it is impossible to get someone to take action when I try to be collaborative and sort this out. It seems that Eon is quite happy going on lucrative fishing expeditions - I suspect that many people will pay up at the threat of debt collectors.

giraffe69

I would not want to give Eon any details about previous owners even if I had it.

Then you get what you deserve.

Enterprise_1701C

What is the previous occupier has skipped with every intention of avoiding paying the bill?

I personally would give them all the details I had of that person because it would hopefully mean that they would stop bugging me!

[Deleted User]

Wantingtobesolvent wrote: »

Helena, well 'in this sort of case' nobody gave me this advice, and rather than telling me that Eon can stop sending these letters, you seem to think it's ok for Eon to keep sending correspondence to 'the occupier'. The occupier is me, so of course I open the letters. The fact that Eon would like to bill 'someone' for standing charges but no energy use seems to make them think it's ok to start sending threats of debt recovery agencies.

These letters don't state anything about the possibility that the current occupier may not be liable for the final bill from a previous account. This must happen frequently, with no information about how to sort this. It would be oh so easy to include a 'what to do if this is not your bill' section and to set something up in your systems, but clearly that will not bring in any money so I doubt Eon would show any interest in this.

In my case, Eon have the name of the previous customer at this address and the date they moved out. I would not want to give Eon any details about previous owners even if I had it. You seriously think I am going to assist a company that is so unable to deal with anything that does not involve payment to them?

I will of course return any further correspondence but it is bizarre that no human seems to be able to override the system and that it is impossible to get someone to take action when I try to be collaborative and sort this out. It seems that Eon is quite happy going on lucrative fishing expeditions - I suspect that many people will pay up at the threat of debt collectors.

I`m baffled why you do not wish to help Eon find out information about the previous occupier as it would be to your advantage .If you can supply an address where he/she can be contacted it would stop any more "occupier " letters.
One of the best ways of someone cheating the supplier out of eg. a £1000 debt, is for the original account holder simply switching the account into another persons name and pretending they have vacated the property. If you do not assist Eon in tracking the whereabouts of the last account holder it looks like a bit suspicious from Eons point of view.
Personally I would be doing my best to help Eon track the debtor by at least forwarding the name of the solicitor involved in the sale of the property and supplying any forwarding addresses I had of the former occupier. Why on earth would I be wanting to protect a debt thief from avoiding his bills ?

Cardew

Agree with the posts above, the OP's stance is nonsensical IMO. In not giving details of previous occupants they are probably covering up fraud; and we all pay indirectly for fraud.

If the matter is passed to a Debt Collection Agency, they will find out the current occupant's name(the OP) and start their harassment with them, and they could well finish up with a black mark on their credit record..

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Good morning,

Thank you for the responses yesterday, I was out of the office.

I'm sorry that you're not very happy with my reply Wantingtobesolvent, however, I do have to agree with the others here.

I'm afraid some people do move out of a property without letting us know, this can mean we continue to bill as we don't know otherwise, and bills will keep going to the site address as we haven't been given a forwarding address.

I do urge you to provide any information, as this really would help to resolve the issue.

Thank you

Helena

badmemory

I find it interesting that so many replying to this, including Helena of course, want the OP to give their own name to EON as a way forward to proving this is not the OPs bill. When to me the only outcome from that will be that EON then have a name to send the bill to a debt collector.