The Legal companies taking on Debts

Sunday_Morning

I managed to achieve being debt-free after many years, many debts and a court case in which I was ultimately successful (all thanks to the brilliant solicitors I had on my side)

I wish all those striving to be debt-free the same success that I have been fortunate to achieve.

Apologies for this thread being perhaps a little off track from the usual theme, but I've really got a bee in my bonnet about these companies and law firms that fire off letters about debts they are looking for you to pay.

I have had my share of them in my time and I know the worry and concern and the feeling in the pit of the stomach when you get them.. But back in the day they were at least debts I was liable for in some way or to some degree.

But, having been debt-free now for some years, I recently moved properties. In my old property my energy supplier was British gas and I settled up both my gas and electric bills  (I can still see my accounts showing a nil balance)

But in the past two weeks I have received two letters (through redirection) trying to assign me with outstanding electricity costs from my old property and "inviting" me to either pay it or go through a process of proving that I have no connection with the debt. 

My contention is that it ought to be be possible to sue for automated damages from these companies when they falsely assign you to such debts and force you to spend time proving that you are not associated with them.

The first letter is the most laughable....it's from Octopus Energy...the address for the account provided comprises of two separate properties which are 50 yards apart and on opposing sides of a busy high road!  The second is from bwlegal on behalf of British Gas and quotes an account number which is different from the account number that I can still see that has a nil balances alongside a message saying "we hope to see you back again soon".

 Is there any legal requirement for me to respond to such letters? I'm so tempted to just leave them and let the two companies rack up costs in pursuing what is a blatant dead end.  But then I don't want to end up with them pursuing me through courts and taking up even more of my time.

I would like to think that they could only do the latter if they put themselves at risk of paying out damages as previously mentioned.

Rant over!

sourcrates

Ask them to prove liability for the debt, send the prove-it letter.

Despite what they might say, the onus is on them to prove you owe the money, not on you to prove you don`t.

This applies to any debt, not just utility bills.