CDS Global/Solarplicity

cjames7588

Hi All,

We bought our first house back in January and the previous owners were with solarplicity for dual fuel. Being a somewhat savvy money saver and serial deal hopper/sniffer dog, I immediately checked to see what I could get and wanted to switch to my supplier (not relevant but octopus). I was delayed by many months as the previous owners hadn’t paid their final bill so I couldn’t set up an account to leave. When I finally could, they needed the gas meter up when it was replaced prior to us living in.

I am now with Shell energy so the fact that Solarplicity went bust bypassed me until CDS send me three letters - one to me, one to ‘the occupier’ and one to the previous owners.

Having done my research, two of the bills are for our ownership and roughly correlate to what we used and I never actually payed Solarplicity any money due to what I mentioned above so I have no problems with that. My concern is with CDS and not knowing if the account details are legitimate, the fact that I’ve phoned both numbers and not had any reply, left messages and no response back. I’m aware a lot of people have had communication issue with them but I don’t know how comfortable I am paying money by BACS to someone I’ve never spoken to.

To complicate matters more, I’ve recently seen they were served with a notice from Companies House stating they would be dissolved on 5/1/20.

Am I able to see how it all pans out with them being dissolved?
What happens if they are and I haven’t yet paid?
What happens if they are and I have paid?
Has anyone had a good experience with CDS before I just transfer them £200 to pay my bill?
What happens if, as I suspect, the previous owners still have not paid their outstanding bill and I keep receiving letters addressed to them?

Long post, sorry! But any help and advice would be grand!

Neil_Jones

Because hindsight is wonderful, what you should have done when you first moved in was phone the previous suppler, in this case Solarpilicity, and set up a new account with them, give some readings and at that point whatever debt the previous owner had racked up is not your problem and you were free to move provider at that point, and any correspondence to the previous correspondence you could just scribble "not known at this address" on it and drop it in the nearest postbox.

The details for CBS Global payments are listed on EDF's website as they were the SOLR for the failed Solayplicity:
https://www.edfenergy.com/solarplicity-customers and click on "What happens to any outstanding payments/debt with my previous supplier? "

cjames7588

Thanks for your reply. I rung them as soon as I moved in to set up an account and they had the closing/opening meter reads from the day we bought the house. They wouldn’t let me set up an account with them because there was still an active payment awaiting on the previous account.

I tried to do everything the right way regarding setting up an account but was prevented from such by Solarplicity themselves.

FreeBear

cjames7588 wrote: »

I tried to do everything the right way regarding setting up an account but was prevented from such by Solarplicity themselves.

Do not ever use the telephone to contact people - Always use written letter or email and keep hard copies in a file. Should things ever turn ugly, you will find a paper trail to be invaluable when trying to settle a dispute <end of lecture>

With your current dispute, your starting point is to ask (demand) an accurate bill showing start date, initial readings, and usage along with unit rates. Unless CDS can provide an accurate bill, you do not know if they have got their sums right. By the time they have (possibly) provided the required information, the winding up order will have taken effect, and then it will be down to the receivers to chase (but only pay if they too, can provide an accurate account).

cjames7588

As a follow up, I have paid the money owed (as I did owe it and it added up) following a threatening email from CDS. Having paid this, and asking for confirmation about paying the debt, they have not responded to multiple emails.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can go from here to clear up of this is all sorted?!

KobraD

Hi! I am an ex Solarplicity costumer and I have tried contacting CDS global too (it is impossible). In my case they want to charge me for bills of over 1 year ago (against the over 12 months back-billing ofgem principle) and for energy that I have not used yet (they made up the meter gas reading). I believe they are a bunch of thieves, they threaten you to pressure you into send them money but they do not reply when you try to contact them. I will probably make a complaint with the financial ombudsman in due time.

Streaky_Bacon

KobraD wrote: »

I will probably make a complaint with the financial ombudsman in due time.

In these situations it is always best to be on the front foot and get prepared.

As you have identified their tactics will all be pressure, and the better organised you are, the less likely you will feel under pressure later. It's too easy to find yourself threatened with court action, or defending a court action while desperately trying to get your evidence together at the last moment, with the other party stonewalling.

At the very least, if you haven't already done so, send of a "Prove It" letter and a "Subject Access Request". If you need to you can search for those terms on this forum.

If you need to raise a complaint with the debt collector, do so as soon as you feel you can. Otherwise you mind find them going the court route even with a complaint in play (they shouldn't do that, and it might not work out well from them in court, but they are about pressure, not following the proper process).

When you say that they sent a bill for a period over 12 months ago, was it a new bill, or were they resending an old bill?

KobraD

Streaky_Bacon wrote: »

At the very least, if you haven't already done so, send of a "Prove It" letter and a "Subject Access Request". If you need to you can search for those terms on this forum.

I did not sent those letters, but I did complain in writing and I explained the reasons why the amount they want to collect is incorrect.

Streaky_Bacon wrote: »

If you need to raise a complaint with the debt collector, do so as soon as you feel you can. Otherwise you mind find them going the court route even with a complaint in play (they shouldn't do that, and it might not work out well from them in court, but they are about pressure, not following the proper process).

I raised a complaint by e-mail immediately when I received the bill. I have also sent them a letter (delivered and signed for) with my complaint. I have also tried to call them and left messages on their voicemail. They have never replied. I am now waiting for 8 weeks after my first complaint before starting the procedures with the financial ombudsman.

Streaky_Bacon wrote: »

When you say that they sent a bill for a period over 12 months ago, was it a new bill, or were they resending an old bill?

It is a new bill since Solarplicity has never billed me for my gas consumption (for some reason they billed me only for the electricity). When I switched to another supplier I sent an email to Solarplicity demanding a final bill abiding the 12 months back-billing Ofgem principle. They acknowledged the reception of the e-mail but failed in taking any action.

Streaky_Bacon

KobraD wrote: »

I raised a complaint by e-mail immediately when I received the bill. I have also sent them a letter (delivered and signed for) with my complaint. I have also tried to call them and left messages on their voicemail. They have never replied. I am now waiting for 8 weeks after my first complaint before starting the procedures with the financial ombudsman.

It is a new bill since Solarplicity has never billed me for my gas consumption (for some reason they billed me only for the electricity). When I switched to another supplier I sent an email to Solarplicity demanding a final bill abiding the 12 months back-billing Ofgem principle. They acknowledged the reception of the e-mail but failed in taking any action.

OK, good. Sounds like you are building up a paper trail and bundle of evidence.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the debt collector ignores any mention of the financial ombudsman and continues to threaten and even start action.

I've been in a similar situation with a debt collector (not regarding energy) and they ignored everything from me and just ploughed on. Happily they also decided to ignore my counterclaim so I won by default. :rotfl:

RichMucha

Glad I am not the only one having problems, I received a letter around 8 months ago requesting a sum that was £300 over the original contract values! They sent emails and text messages. I have managed to talk to someone 3 times I have sent emails and no one has been back in touch about the outcome of the recalculation.

the last 3 days I have had 5 texts and 2 emails asking me to pay! I can’t get through to their number and they are not answering emails.