Ombudsman Services verdict favouring me, still utility company harassing me! What steps to take?

sujsuj

I was wrongly chased by a utility company  and I complained to Ombudsman Services which upheld my complaint and asked utility provider to remove my contacts  and asked never contact me. 6 months after this  they are still doing it and restarted harassment using debt collectors. What legal steps I can take..?

1. I never been customer of this Utility company
2. Still they are sending letters addressed as Owner/Occupier
3. Ombudsman services verdict clearly stated I am not responsible and I should be never contacted again
4. Ombudsman services verdict is violated

I never thought Ombudsman is such a toothless tiger and can't enforce their verdicts. What are my options..? Please help

MattMattMattUK

sujsuj said:

I was wrongly chased by a utility company  and I complained to Ombudsman Services which upheld my complaint and asked utility provider to remove my contacts  and asked never contact me. 6 months after this  they are still doing it and restarted harassment using debt collectors. What legal steps I can take..?

1. I never been customer of this Utility company
2. Still they are sending letters addressed as Owner/Occupier
3. Ombudsman services verdict clearly stated I am not responsible and I should be never contacted again
4. Ombudsman services verdict is violated

I never thought Ombudsman is such a toothless tiger and can't enforce their verdicts. What are my options..? Please help

If the letters are being sent to "Owner/Occupier" then technically they are not being send to you.

Can you explain to us what this debt relates to, a previous owner's or tenant's bill, an incorrect switch etc?

Merlin139

Suspect this is what OP is talking about. Thread from March 2021

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6250812/richburns-debt-collector-letter-addressed-to-owner-occupier#latest

Curiousgirl1

Ring the collection agency & get it sorted. Letters are sent to the supply address if there is no forwarding address known. If it’s not in your name, you know you don’t owe it & have never been supplied by them why worry about it 

TerryMSE

letters addressed as Owner/Occupier are not addressed to you, they are junk mail, if you respond to one of these letters and open up dialog and give them your name you open up a contact for them and they then mail to your name.
They can not send a dept collector to your address looking for Owner/Occupier, so I would do nothing even though it is annoying.
Has a dept collector knocked your door and asked for you in name and reffered to the case you mention ?

EssexHebridean

What have the Ombudsman service said when you’ve forwarded the letters to them referring to the previous case reference? (It maybe that there’s nothing they can do as it’s unlikely their verdict would have been a full ruling against any paperwork being sent to the address - simply to you personally). 

I’d also question how the DCA got your name previously when in your previous thread the entire matter was to do with letters being addressed to “owner/occupier” - as it appears is happening again now? 

sujsuj

MattMattMattUK said:

sujsuj said:

I was wrongly chased by a utility company  and I complained to Ombudsman Services which upheld my complaint and asked utility provider to remove my contacts  and asked never contact me. 6 months after this  they are still doing it and restarted harassment using debt collectors. What legal steps I can take..?

1. I never been customer of this Utility company
2. Still they are sending letters addressed as Owner/Occupier
3. Ombudsman services verdict clearly stated I am not responsible and I should be never contacted again
4. Ombudsman services verdict is violated

I never thought Ombudsman is such a toothless tiger and can't enforce their verdicts. What are my options..? Please help

If the letters are being sent to "Owner/Occupier" then technically they are not being send to you.

Can you explain to us what this debt relates to, a previous owner's or tenant's bill, an incorrect switch etc?

It seems that debt is related to one of the address around me as this they  got their database all screwed up. I have seem many  online news about them as well..

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/aug/07/scottish-power-energy-account-bills-bailiffs

Ombudsman concluded with help of national database Ecoes that this Utility t the supplier of the address. Also based on my evidence they concluded I will be responsible for the debt. Utility company appealed decision after review appeal was rejected by Ombudsman services and retained original decision.

Remedy 1

Provide you an apology for the shortfalls in service. 

Remedy 2

Send you a direct credit of £100.00 as a gesture of goodwill. 

Remedy 3

Remove your personal details, such as  name, email and telephone number from the debt collection agency
 to ensure you receive no more reminder letters or correspondence for the incorrect address.

Remedy 4

Ensure remove your name and personal details from their records.

Now 3 & 4 above are violated. What legal action I can take..? I don't want this to go unpunished. This given me lots of headache and I am dragged into a case I never should have been part of..

sujsuj

Curiousgirl1 said:

Ring the collection agency & get it sorted. Letters are sent to the supply address if there is no forwarding address known. If it’s not in your name, you know you don’t owe it & have never been supplied by them why worry about it 

Not keen to give them all my details again, as I shouldn't have any business with them

sujsuj

EssexHebridean said:

What have the Ombudsman service said when you’ve forwarded the letters to them referring to the previous case reference? (It maybe that there’s nothing they can do as it’s unlikely their verdict would have been a full ruling against any paperwork being sent to the address - simply to you personally). 

I’d also question how the DCA got your name previously when in your previous thread the entire matter was to do with letters being addressed to “owner/occupier” - as it appears is happening again now? 

Still all communication is with Owner/Occupier, but when I got the first letter i called utility company to raise complaint. That needs me to give my email & Mobile, then they made sure that this account is linked to my name & email  and phone number. there after all communication still addressed to Owner/Occupier but sending to my address and my mobile.

dept collector  is at gate showing the address, not focusing on the name!!
they were outside your gate in 3 vehicles including pick-up truck asking to get access to your property, what you will do..??Tried to get police help > response was they will not intervene civil matters

Ombudsman told they can't re-open a case if - the failure of your service provider to implement the remedy.!!!

sujsuj

TerryMSE said:

letters addressed as Owner/Occupier are not addressed to you, they are junk mail, if you respond to one of these letters and open up dialog and give them your name you open up a contact for them and they then mail to your name.
They can not send a dept collector to your address looking for Owner/Occupier, so I would do nothing even though it is annoying.
Has a dept collector knocked your door and asked for you in name and reffered to the case you mention ?

dept collector  is at gate showing the address, not focusing on the name!!
they were outside your gate in 3 vehicles including pick-up truck asking to get access to your property, what you will do..??Tried to get police help > response was they will not intervene civil matters

EssexHebridean

sujsuj said:

MattMattMattUK said:

sujsuj said:

I was wrongly chased by a utility company  and I complained to Ombudsman Services which upheld my complaint and asked utility provider to remove my contacts  and asked never contact me. 6 months after this  they are still doing it and restarted harassment using debt collectors. What legal steps I can take..?

1. I never been customer of this Utility company
2. Still they are sending letters addressed as Owner/Occupier
3. Ombudsman services verdict clearly stated I am not responsible and I should be never contacted again
4. Ombudsman services verdict is violated

I never thought Ombudsman is such a toothless tiger and can't enforce their verdicts. What are my options..? Please help

If the letters are being sent to "Owner/Occupier" then technically they are not being send to you.

Can you explain to us what this debt relates to, a previous owner's or tenant's bill, an incorrect switch etc?

It seems that debt is related to one of the address around me as this they  got their database all screwed up. I have seem many  online news about them as well..

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/aug/07/scottish-power-energy-account-bills-bailiffs

Ombudsman concluded with help of national database Ecoes that this Utility t the supplier of the address. Also based on my evidence they concluded I will be responsible for the debt. Utility company appealed decision after review appeal was rejected by Ombudsman services and retained original decision.

Remedy 1

Provide you an apology for the shortfalls in service. 

Remedy 2

Send you a direct credit of £100.00 as a gesture of goodwill. 

Remedy 3

Remove your personal details, such as  name, email and telephone number from the debt collection agency
 to ensure you receive no more reminder letters or correspondence for the incorrect address.

Remedy 4

Ensure remove your name and personal details from their records.

Now 3 & 4 above are violated. What legal action I can take..? I don't want this to go unpunished. This given me lots of headache and I am dragged into a case I never should have been part of..

If they are writing to “owner/occupier”, and not phoning, emailing or personally addressing correspondence to “Mr Sujsuj” , how are 3 & 4 being violated? 

You’ve already screwed £100 comp out of them - if you really want more then I suggest you engage a solicitor. 

If a debt collector turns up at your door trying to get access, then I suggest you don’t open the door, or if you open it without realising who’s there, simply say “no - there is no debt owing, now leave my premises” and shut the door again. However, as a debt is personal to a individual, and NOT the issue of a particular address, it would be beyond unlikely that any DCA would send anyone round. Quite frankly, you’re creating stress for yourself by catastrophising all these different scenarios - focus on the facts that people have consistently been providing you with instead. 

The next letter that arrives, “return to sender” with a clear note on the outside reading “there has been no account with this supplier at this address in the time of the current occupier’s ownership” (or tenure if a rental).