Debt advice

GP1983

Hello

I was wondering if I could get some advice.

Background - Following the loss of a company, home, girlfriend and illness, I found myself in a huge amount of debt. Thankfully, I've taken control of the situation and I am now paying this off and I'm back in control of things. It hasn't been easy but it is liberating.

Recently I have been called by a company on behalf on NPower, who say I owe them £2,500. They only have my contact number and do not have my new address, as I have moved house in order to save money and pay more debt off. I dispute the amount they say is owed but that's by-the-by.

Ethics aside, could someone give me advice as to what they could do if I just ignore them? If I have to, I will make arrangements to pay this by way of payment plan but in my current situation, where I'm paying £1k a month off anyway, I'd rather not. I'm pretty sure this won't just go away, but I'd like to know what routes they could go down if they don't know where I live.

PS I'm aware this isn't ethical, but my finances are stretched at the moment so if I can avoid any further debt, I will do.

Thank you

January2015

How old is this debt and when did you last make any payment / written acknowledgement?

DCFC79

You say you dispute it, do you have anything to back it up in a complaint to N Power, I guess you have gone down this route ?

GP1983

Thank you for your replies.

I moved out of the property in April 2016.

Around February 2016 I had a conversation with NPower regarding the debt and they advised me I could possibly have it paid under some sort of government scheme, that was the last conversatio I've had with them about it. I wasn't in my right mind at the time so my details are sketchy.

I haven't acknowledged the debt with any debt collection agencies. I dispute it in that I can't see how my bills should be so high for a 1 year period but I think it's too late now to go down that route.

Many thanks again,

GP1983

I have made no payments towards it so far. I have no written evidence of complaints to NPower.

sourcrates

N-power is under the cosh at the moment for wrongly billing thousands of customers in the last few years.

You may be one of them.

Aside from that, Energy companies in the UK have to adhere to the Code of Practice for Accurate Bills that stipulates no customer should have to cover a payment shortfall dating back more than 12 months, if the supplier was at fault.

You may want to do a little research on this.

GP1983

Thank you, I will do. What should I say to the company who is chasing the debt?

sourcrates

GP1983 wrote: »

Thank you, I will do. What should I say to the company who is chasing the debt?

If you dispute the debt, tell them it's in dispute with N-power and to hold collection activity until the matter is resolved.

Do it in writing.

GP1983

Thank you. I'm looking at all my options; what would be the worst case if I just ignored these calls at present? (Again, I am aware this is not ethical, I just want to know the facts before making a decision, as my back is against the wall at the moment.)

sourcrates

GP1983 wrote: »

Thank you. I'm looking at all my options; what would be the worst case if I just ignored these calls at present? (Again, I am aware this is not ethical, I just want to know the facts before making a decision, as my back is against the wall at the moment.)

Worst case senario (if they actually own the debt) is a CCJ by default.

From what you say they may just be managing the debt.

Debt collectors have no ethics matey, nor do I were they are concerned.

GP1983

Thanks for your help.

Could you offer some advice as to what you'd do in this situation?

I don't want to acknowledge anything but I'm not sure what to do next.