Spark Energy problem!

Doomsday

Hi!

I start receiving "final bill" messages on my mobile from Spark Energy that i owe £100, together with many calls per day from Opos ltd - debt collection agency. They are using my number for chasing my girlfriend to pay that debt.

Here some facts:
- i was never a customer of spark energy (never heard of that company till now)
- all utility bills since last 6 years was on my name not my girlfriend name.
- they didn't provide me with any paper bill about that debt.
- i called my previous supplier (Npower) about any missing payments- dont have any.
- when i moved out last year final meter readings (Npower) were agreed with letting agency and landlord.
- when i moved in my new supplier was British Gas, don't have any missing payments with them as well.

Is it possible that it is identity theft?

What are suggested action in that case?

dogshome

If they chasing a debt alledgedly owed by your girl friend, it's not your Utility history that counts, it's hers.

It seems that Spark/Debt Collector are trying to trace her and have found a link between her and you, is she living with you now?
Oddly enough, as you are not the account holder that they think owes them money, they cannot discuss the details with you.

Best bet is to ignore the calls till they realise it's a dead horse and go away

Doomsday

Yes, we living together for about 4 years. She was never utility holder before.

Former Spark Representative

Hi Doomsday


I'm sorry to hear about this.


If you'd like some help getting this sorted out please drop me a line to the contact details in my profile.


Kind regards


Jenny
Customer Relations Manager

footyguy

Doomsday wrote: »

Hi!

I start receiving "final bill" messages on my mobile from Spark Energy that i owe £100, together with many calls per day from Opos ltd - debt collection agency. They are using my number for chasing my girlfriend to pay that debt.

Here some facts:
- i was never a customer of spark energy (never heard of that company till now)
- all utility bills since last 6 years was on my name not my girlfriend name.
- they didn't provide me with any paper bill about that debt.
- i called my previous supplier (Npower) about any missing payments- dont have any.
- when i moved out last year final meter readings (Npower) were agreed with letting agency and landlord.
- when i moved in my new supplier was British Gas, don't have any missing payments with them as well.

Is it possible that it is identity theft?

What are suggested action in that case?

Hi, and welcome to MSE :hello:

I can only suggest you start by having a word with your g/f and asking her what is going on, what does this debt relate to, etc

dogshome

Hmmm - She was never an account holder ?

A long shot, but if she was involved in a flat share at some time and Spark have lost track of the official 'Account Holder', they can legally chase down any of the other tenants at that time to get an outstanding bill paid.

As my reply in Post #2, 'Total Inaction' is probably the best course of action and that includes ignoring the Spark reps invitation

Doomsday

footyguy wrote: »

Hi, and welcome to MSE :hello:

I can only suggest you start by having a word with your g/f and asking her what is going on, what does this debt relate to, etc

She has nothing to do with that debt.

A long shot, but if she was involved in a flat share at some time and Spark have lost track of the official 'Account Holder', they can legally chase down any of the other tenants at that time to get an outstanding bill paid.

If this is true then it that scenario, i'm responsible for any "outstanding bill". Since she moved to UK 6 years ago, she shared a house only with me. We never had any additional tenant living with us.

So this bring us to my post #1, if there is any unpaid bill (i checked my every previous energy suppliers - there is not) , why they doesn't chase me, as my name and only my name was on every account/bill since last couple of years. How is it possible that Spark Energy has all that details, as i never been customer of that company.

Mr.Generous

I'll hazard a guess ... the landlord uses an agent that is part of the countrywide group. They take a commission from Spark energy when a property becomes empty (for a day, an hour, a week? who cares?) they transfer the supply contract to spark energy without informing the landlord. As the property is between tenants the new tenant assumes this is the supply company. when that tenant's AST is up the landord probably assumes the tenant switched. Countrywide have it in the small print when they act as an agent for landlords. the energy ombudsman has asked them to reword their unclear T&C's - I know a landlord who won compensation and saw the ruling. Perhaps Spark energy would like to comment?

doubters please type into google "spark energy countrywide" and look at the results.

http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/countrywide-defends-switching-energy-supplier-to-while-property-is-empty/

System

Many people are in dispute with Spark saying they are not with them and have never been with them. I read meters quite a lot for Spark Energy and have heard this many times.When a letting agent lets out a property they have received commission for this and I have spoken to people where they were with a different supplier and the agents has simply switched them without permission from the tenant.Possibly your girl freind was one of these.
Spark prepay rates are pretty poor too, I looked a t gas prepay today and it was 4.25 p/kwh. Of course my advice to the tenant was to get Spark to exchange it for a credit meter (free ), gas and electric, and get a dual fuel one year fix going for 33% off her energy costs and stay with Spark if she wanted as their credit meter rates are usually quite good.
It could be that Spark Energy are correct and that your girl freind was actually a legal customer and the dreaded Letting Agent had simply grabbed the £30 commission to pay for a nights out boozing and switched her.In the Letting Agents defence , if she was on a prepay meter it would nt make any difference to her what brand of prepay card/key she shoved in the meter as some suppliers are dearer than Spark but they should take the time to explain it to the customer at least

footyguy

Doomsday wrote: »

She has nothing to do with that debt.
...

Sorry, your mention of her in your first 2 posts in this thread confused me.

YOU should contact Spark Energy and ask what the alleged debt refers to. We can only guess. Obtain a copy of the full bill that relates to this alleged debt.
Take up Jenny's offer to help you as posted in post#4