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'Npower sent a £6,000 bill and threatened legal action - and I'm not even a customer' - MSE News

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Former_MSE_CallumFormer_MSE_Callum Former MSE
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Npower has apologised after sending a woman a £6,600 bill and threatening her with legal action - when the money was actually owed by someone else with the same name...
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''Npower sent a £6,000 bill and threatened legal action - and I'm not even a customer'
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  • Mister_GMister_G Forumite
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    I assume that the 0845 number quoted is also illegal now?
  • anniecaveanniecave Forumite
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    The article headline is incorrect... According to the article, Npower didn't Sarah a bill, they sent her a threating letter. Different things.
    Indecision is the key to flexibility :)
  • michaelsmichaels Forumite
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    They have also now claimed the bill was for 'someone local with the same name' who could no doubt be identified from this info. I hope they have notified the data commissioner about this gdpr breach.
    I think....
  • A glaring admin error most certainly and I can understand the recipients distress when she received this final demand with its dire overtones of imminent legal action if she didn’t pay up forthwith.

    However, one would imagine (though I could be wrong!) it was quickly sorted once the recipient contacted Npower and pointed out their addressing error.

    I think this article is a bit of MSE flag waving to be honest;...which is fair enough as MSE were instrumental in ‘Sarah’ eventually receiving a £100 apology. :beer:

    Power to the People! :)
  • I once got a final demand from EoN (never been a customer) in my name but at Flat 25B (I am 25A) - turns out the guy who was in 25B left without settling up and they had "traced someone else living at the property" and I (not so) quietly explained we are not at the same property, but are neighbours, and asked if they had sent letters to the entire town or just me?

    They removed my name form their system.
    (Although I could be wrong, I often am.)
  • nfs_daemonnfs_daemon Forumite
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    I would have been so tempted to ignore it, on the quite reasonable assumption that it had to be a mistake.
  • nfs_daemon wrote: »
    I would have been so tempted to ignore it, on the quite reasonable assumption that it had to be a mistake.

    In this case it was certainly more than reasonable to assume the final demand letter was a mistake,...the ‘recipient’ Sarah knew for sure it was a mistake.

    However, it may well be ‘tempting’ but it’s very unwise to ignore warning letters and final demands on the basis that you know the information contained therein is erroneous.

    Situations like that do not usually sort themselves out without intervention and if left unattended they will generally escalate to the next level very quickly,...and so on,...upwards! :eek:

    The longer the situation is left unresolved the harder that resolution will become and at some point you may even find that your own intransigence could well make you personally culpable (in part) for what follows.

    In essence, ignore such letters/demands at your peril! :naughty:
  • Ian011Ian011 Forumite
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    Mister_G wrote: »
    I assume that the 0845 number quoted is also illegal now?
    Yes, since 13 June 2014.
  • pollypennypollypenny Forumite
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    I think I'd have let them take me to court.

    Costs awarded to Ms Penny.
    Member #14 of SKI-ers club

    Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.

    (Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)
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