Bills sent to completely unknown address??

sarah3891

We switched electricity providers at the beginning of December. Submitted final readings to new supplier as instructed who passed these onto old supplier. We had yet to receive a final bill, but today I received an email making a final demand for payment, before 'enforcement action' would be taken (transfer date was 5th December). I rang the supplier immediately as we have never received the bill referred to, and this was their first email contact with me. I finally got sight of a pdf of the bill, which was addressed to my name, but to a completely unknown correspondence address, in a city 200 miles away to which I have never ever been. Our house is clearly detailed under the 'supply address' so is listed in the bill, but is not the address it was sent to. I called the former supplier again to ask why this had happened, and they advised it was 'just an admin error' and seemed to make light of it, and corrected the correspondence address on their system.

Basically, how worried should I be that the supplier has been sending our correspondence, which includes my name and address, to a complete stranger in a completely unlinked, unknown address?

As utility bills are often requested for identification purposes, do I need to do anything to ensure there is no ID fraud taking place anywhere?

I appreciate I probably sound paranoid, but I've never encountered anything like this before.

Thanks.

dogshome

Keep in mind that your accounting is controlled by a computer, and errors in programming can take on a life of their own.

Protect yourself with a papertrail by WRITING a letter headed Complaint to this supplier, pointing out that not only have they put your financial security at risk, but also that bills sent to an incorrect address have no legal standing

angelin77

Hi Sarah3891
I had the problem of the supplier creating a dual fuel account in a false name for a property I owned. Despite all my protests the supplier stated they could not deal with me as I was not the named account holder. This eventually led to my gas supply being cut off in midwinter.
I would write to the data controller at your supplier and instruct them to rectify the matter of your personal data being inaccurate within 28 days otherwise you will refer it to the ICO as a breach of data protection.
Also put in a formal written complaint and hope the supplier's complaints team take it seriously.
Please keep on top of it and keep all the events logged and preferably in writing.