Lowell Next Step

Larkie71

I lived in a rented house 2008 until mid 2009 and British Gas was the gas supplier. The boiler was very old with lots of issues and when I came to move out the bill was £1384. I disputed this with the landlord. 

I moved house and used British Gas for both my gas and electricity from mid 2009 until I moved again in 2017. I was also on the electoral  role and the sole occupier of the house.

Not once did British Gas contact me about the unpaid bill and I will be honest, totally forgot about it. In around 2014 I received a letter from a debt collection agency about the debt. I called them and did say I was aware of the bill, but thought it had been sorted and questioned why British Gas didnt contact me, as they had all my details! I asked this company to send me details which I never got.

Then the end of last year, 2019, I recieved a letter from Lowell about the debt and also calls from them. I did speak once and said this should have been sorted years ago. Since then I have recieved around 4 letters  I have ignored them rightly or wrongly, but their last letter is a bit more threatening taking about recovery action and an external collections partner.

I dont want a bad debt on my credit file. Should i pay them and if i do, will that then show even though the original debt was 2009? I cant see anything in my credit file currently and more concerned if i pay will this have a negative affect as well?

D3xt3r5L4b

If the debt is from 2009 it’s statute barred and not enforceable. 

Larkie71

D3xt3r5L4b said:

If the debt is from 2009 it’s statute barred and not enforceable. 

Thanks. Even if I have acknowledged the debt?

D3xt3r5L4b

Acknowledged how and when?

Larkie71

Around 2014 and was verbal over the phone

MEM62

Larkie71 said:

I disputed this with the landlord. 

What were you expecting your landlord to do?  You should have disputed it with Brutish Gas.  

sourcrates

Larkie71 said:

Around 2014 and was verbal over the phone

Any acknowledgement must be in writing, verbal comms does not count as acknowledgement under the limitation act.

The debt is statute barred, and you should write and tell Lowell that.