Chased for Energy debit from 2015-16

jpr_74

I lived with my partner up to May 2010 and then due to finances, we had split up, and I went bankrupt. We had a joint mortgage at the time, and whilst the bankruptcy covered the mortgage and other debts, there was no way that I could get my name removed from the house.

She continued to live in the house as I had moved out, and also kept up the payments on the mortgage, and also the household bills.

She passed away in 2015, and then the house was empty from Feb 2015 to 2016 until it was sold.

I have received a letter from PastDue credit solutions chasing me for Electricity with SSE for the above dates for the amounts of £813.28, plus £121.99 admin. This has been sent to me to my current address as they obviously have found me via my credit file.

My electoral roll record will show that I was not even living at this address that they are chasing me for.....

Am I liable? I have proof that I was not living there.

Matty36

Doesn't matter if you were not living there. Bills were in your name so you are liable.

However, if nobody was living there at all during that billing period, then I find it odd that theres a £813 bill. If there was zero usage which you could prove, then all you would be liable for is a years worth of standing charges (I think)

D_M_E

The big problem here is that you have no record of meter readings either when your ex was paying the bills or on the date that the property became empty, nor do you have a reading at the time when the property was sold.

You also do not - or probably do not - know if anything, such as an immersion heater, for example, was left turned on during the empty period.

Probably do not know either whether or not the ex died leaving a debt on the energy account.

However, I think the fact that you were named on the mortgage does not make you liable for the debt, since the court awarded property to ex.

Write to the collectors and tell them the debt is in dispute then write to the supplier a letter headed COMPLAINT and detail what facts you have.

Trouble is, you seem to imply that you sold the property - as ex has died, was probabte obtained or not required?

Whoever handled the estate would be the one to chase to pay the bill, so explain the circumstances and inform both supplier and collectors who it was dealt with the estate.

jpr_74

D_M_E wrote: »

The big problem here is that you have no record of meter readings either when your ex was paying the bills or on the date that the property became empty, nor do you have a reading at the time when the property was sold.

You also do not - or probably do not - know if anything, such as an immersion heater, for example, was left turned on during the empty period.

Probably do not know either whether or not the ex died leaving a debt on the energy account.

However, I think the fact that you were named on the mortgage does not make you liable for the debt, since the court awarded property to ex.

Write to the collectors and tell them the debt is in dispute then write to the supplier a letter headed COMPLAINT and detail what facts you have.

Trouble is, you seem to imply that you sold the property - as ex has died, was probabte obtained or not required?

Whoever handled the estate would be the one to chase to pay the bill, so explain the circumstances and inform both supplier and collectors who it was dealt with the estate.

There was no immersion heater at the property, and she just continued to live there by default.

Apologies as I omitted to say that the property was only sold as it was repossessed by the mortgage company and then sold on.....

Matty36

Seems I mis read the OP. Sounded to me like you were saying you were still paying the bills. My mistake

[Deleted User]

If the OP is the account holder or named as a joint account holder , that is who they chase.
Does nt matter who s the owner , or who pays the mortgage. how do you think the huge "buy to let " industry works
..Account holder is king in the world of utility bills and they have up to 6 years to reclaim unpaid bills

jpr_74

The account with SSE was never in my name in the first place though’mmm

Cardew

jpr_74 wrote: »

The account with SSE was never in my name in the first place though’mmm

From the time your ex-partner died until the house was sold someone (or her estate) was responsible for the utility bills; and she could have died with debit balances on the accounts.



Whoever was the executor of the estate should have paid outstanding bills or arranged that the person(s) responsible made payment.