EON PASSED DEBT MY FATHER DOESN'T OWE TO COLLECTION AGENCY

Anousha1978

Hi everyone, 
Please could I get an advise on the best approach to below issue.

My father has received a letter from EON and a collection agency yesterday. In that letter they claim he owes money for a period of 19 December 2017 to 2 February 2018. Bill is for 280£, I would have paid it on spot however..
1. My father never had an account with E or any other energy provider in the quoted period.
2. He did live under the address quoted by E until 18 December 2017 when we moved out of that rented flat. I had an account with them for the period of the rental and the account is fully settled until the last day we were in - 18 Dec 2017 when w e moved out. I was the sole owner of energy account under this address and I paid all the bills. As stated my father's name was on not a single bill in that property. The account number E is quoting on letter to my father differs from mine
3. I took pics of meter readings after moved out, I have advised E of it and I have a transcript of online chat with the adviser proving it. I have emails to my landlord stating the moving out day. I also have the final bill and a proof of payment of that bill in my account, I can provide.
4. In the past 4 years there was no comms from E re said debt, otherwise I would have sorted that ASAP. 
5. I believe the debt is owed by the landlord for he period the flat was unoccupied and it's her responsibility.
6. Debt collection agency states the debt is now theirs and that my father's thsi has been passed to credit agency, so there is now a mark against his profile.

Both my father and I had moved out form this property as I had bought my own house at the time. My father lived in that house until 2019 when he moved into a council owned property which suits his mobility needs. I still live in my house. I worry that this issue may affect my credit history if the debt collectors or credit agencies connect me to that old address and 'his' debt.

Please can you advise how to tackle this? EONs letter says not to contact them as the debt is owned by somebody else now but they have made a mistake and chase for money someone who doesn't owe them it, firstly as not having lived in the flat at the period they are chasing the debt for, secondly he never had an energy account with them in first place. How did they even get his name and his new address, puzzles me.
I ma hearing of debt agencies indifference towards debtors in their eyes, their goal being recovering money by any means. 

To say my father is stressed is an understatement, I have been absolutely paralized with dread that the EONs mistake and incompetence will have a mark on my otherwise squeeky clean credit history, myself. And I am to discuss my new mortgage renewal with my FA this week as my old rate expires soon. I can't comprehend how this could happen, how can EON just pull a name out of a hat and claim what they do.

Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestion on how to proceed. 

HeinzVarieties

Eon didn't just "pull a name out of a hat."  Your father was using the energy so is equally responsible for the bill.

It seems like you didn't notify Eon of your departure and unless you have evidence of final meter readings at the time you're going to struggle.  Do you have any evidence you were resident somewhere else?

Ultrasonic

HeinzVarieties said:

 Do you have any evidence you were resident somewhere else?

How would that help?

Anousha1978

As I stated E is claiming debt is for period when we no longer lived in that property. I also said in my post I settled my account (final readings and bill) with E once we moved out, have proof of that. My father's name was never on any bill, Eon or any other company during the period I rented that flat, before or after. Which I also said in my post. 

Anousha1978

The issue is, I believe the flat stood empty after we moved out on 18 Dec 2017 and before the new tenant took over, I assume on 2 Feb 2018 the landlord was responsible for payment of the energy bill for that period. EON didn't get the money so is read they are claiming my father is responsible for it. When we lived in that flat the Eon account was solely in my name (and all the or her bills too). When I looked up old bills my then account number differs from the one they are claiming is my fathers.
So 2 things. Period they chase debt for we were no longer in the property, Eon was notified as I gave final readings and received final bill which I paid in full, have proof of that, also ha e a transcript of my chat with Eon rep on the day I gave them final readings and my moving out date. On the basis of that convo they issued the final bill. 
So Eon knew I moved out and when. Account settled. How after 4 years of no comms FROM w re said debr all of a sudden debt collectors are after my father for the debt he didn't accrued, and for the period of l time he didn't live there and didn't hold Eon account, like ever.? 

Anousha1978

I don't know how to tackle it, debt agency is after money, i can afford to pay it but the issue is its not his or my debt, there's also the matter of this being reported to credit agencies and my fear of being linked to it and have my own credit history affected by proxy. I am a house owner so absolutely terrified of thsi affecting my ability to borrow (mortgage etc). 

What would you advise to do in this situation? How to bite this? Thanks in advance! 

Nebulous2

As with most disputes, your father needs to make a formal complaint to EON, then if he doesn't get a satisfactory response he complains to the ombudsman. 

Tell the debt collection agency the debt is under dispute and that should get them to back off. 

This shouldn't affect you, if you have different names and debt can't be linked to your address, it's linked to a person not to property. 

Whose name was on the lease? 

That is a possible reason for your father's name to be added to a utility account. 

Anousha1978

Hi, thank you for your response. 
 I have same last name but we live at different addresses in same town. Would this be a possible issue as in creating that link? 
There was only my name on the lease. My dad was never named on any bills or rental agreement for this property. 

A_Lert

When did the tenancy agreement end? It's the tenancy end date that marks the end of obligation to pay the bills (and also the rent). The tenancy end is sometimes after the move-out date.

Anyway your father needs to send a "prove it" letter in the first instance.

Edit: If your father was not the tenant, then the debt is almost certainly not his. The ex-landlord may have fraudulently given his details to the energy company.

HeinzVarieties

Ultrasonic said:

HeinzVarieties said:

 Do you have any evidence you were resident somewhere else?

How would that help?

Because it would at least show that he was resident somewhere else rather than the property. It's not conclusive evidence that he wasn't responsible for the electricity in the property, but it's better than nothing.

Do you always make such needlessly aggressive responses on a forum intended to help people?

Anousha1978

A_Lert said:

When did the tenancy agreement end? It's the tenancy end date that marks the end of obligation to pay the bills (and also the rent). The tenancy end is sometimes after the move-out date.

Anyway your father needs to send a "prove it" letter in the first instance.

Edit: If your father was not the tenant, then the debt is almost certainly not his. The ex-landlord may have fraudulently given his details to the energy company.

The agreement with landlady, emails to prove, states 18 Dec as a last day. Forgive my lack of knowledge, what is a prove it letter? Is ther a template I can use, also where do I send it, EON? Thank you!