EDF chasing a debt for someone who has never lived here

Penquite

I own a holiday cottage. A couple of months ago I started getting correspondance from EDF addressed to a name of someone who has never lived here. These turned into final demands and now a debt collection company is involved. 

I have e mailed EDF several times to point out that the person named has never lived here and EDF has never been my supplier. Despite many requests they have refused to do anything about the mistake. I phoned the debt collection company to explain all this to them and they told me they cannot stop the action unless EDF instructs them to. EDF are refusing to do that  because the name on the debt they are chasing is not mine.

I have returned much of this mail and I appreciate I am not in anyway responsible. However, the cottage is a holiday let and the debt collection company have threatened to send someone round. I don't want a debt collector bothering my guests. Is there a relevant regulator I can complain to?

fatbelly

How can you know a person has never lived there? Have you owned it from new?

We would normally just recommend returning all mail marked Not at this address. Return to Sender.

It's unlikely a debt collector would cause any problem but if you want to complain then the Energy Ombudsman is the relevant body and you would first have to go through the EDF complaints process starting with a written complaint.

Penquite

fatbelly said:

How can you know a person has never lived there? Have you owned it from new?

We would normally just recommend returning all mail marked Not at this address. Return to Sender.

It's unlikely a debt collector would cause any problem but if you want to complain then the Energy Ombudsman is the relevant body and you would first have to go through the EDF complaints process starting with a written complaint.

Because we bought it from a lady three years ago who had lived here for twenty years so we know her name. Also, these letters did not start arriving until the January. Because EDF is refusing to correct its database I spoke to the Information Commissioners office and they are going to follow it up. I kept sending earlier correspondance back over the last six months but made no difference. 

Nasqueron

Have you made a formal complaint to EDF?