Debt recovery letter from Barrett Smith & Brown

Olinda99

barrett smith and brown appear to be based in Leicester and their phone number begins with 0113

MWT

FWIW, the administrators report filed at companies house confirms that BSB were instructed to collect debts on closed accounts...

"Customer debtor book - closed accounts
We have now instructed Barratt Smith & Brown ("BSB") to collect the remainder of the debtor
book on our behalf. A sale of these balances may be considered in due course if it is more
cost effective for creditors. We are working with BSB to ensure that customers are treated
fairly as part of the debt collection process."

Olinda99

yes but is the email the OP received from the REAL b s&b ....

MWT

Olinda99 said:

yes but is the email the OP received from the REAL b s&b ....

It isn't hard to verify, just ignore any phone numbers in the email, check the real phone number to see if it matches, then call, as the OP did, and ask for proof...

Olinda99

the real.phone number does not match.

wild666

If you want to put the phone number into whocalledme a reverse number look up you don't have to have to have being called by that number to look it up

MWT

Olinda99 said:

the real.phone number does not match.

They have more than one number, and the one the OP refers to has been given out by other suppliers in the past, like EDF.

Either way, if you use one you have found yourself and they have your account details you have verified that they are chasing something in your name and you proceed once again with the 'prove it' approach...

I know it is tempting to want to dismiss debt collector letters as 'fake', but while I am sure it does happen, it isn't hard to make sure if one is real.

ixedoc

I have written to  B S & B, written to them contact us web page as well. I have asked them for a bill. But so fa there has been no reply. I apparently have an outstanding bill of 108.69. But as far as I remember I dont have any outstanding payments.

playthenuts1

How muc is the debt for? I've received something similar. Apparently "Administrators take over a company and its assets, and if that company has kept financial records, receipts and invoices, then the administrators will be able to chase any payments owed to them." Mine is £595. I think I won't be responding. 

lostfoot

I received an email in June from Barrett Smith & Brown saying I owed Utility Point ~£40 and have received a reminder email saying to "contact them urgently to stop escalation of your account to one of our Legal or Field Collection Partners".

Now I left UP 3 years ago and thought my account was settled. I don't have the statements anymore and can not check my bank account as I switched banks.

My DD to UP was still in place when the energy crisis started last October and I cancelled it manually. No attempt was taken to collect any money owed.

The email in June didn't include any bills or invoices just a total, so I don't know if its the correct amount or even if I do or do not owe this money.

The problem is I am on low income so If I do owe this money it will be on top of all the huge increases.

Should I contact them and just pay as I can't afford even more charges that they may add on and I don't want debt collectors turning up on my door demanding money?