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Original poster

Previous home owner's bill!

11 replies

GardenElff · 16/06/2023 12:38

Hello everyone,

Stressing out a little bit here... thank you all who read this

I just bought my first home and kept getting letters from energy supplier about an unpaid bill the previous owner has left. It is addressed to "the occupier", from a period their tenant moved out, to where I have completed the purchase. For info I have given metre readings and paying monthly etc on the day I bought it.

I've called the energy company up and the customer service told me to disregard those but the letters kept coming in and threatening debt collector. I have bad anxiety and kept stressing over my credit might be impacted. The customer service agent said there is a chance I might be impacted!! I was like, what??? I am not responsible for this?

I know the previous owners live overseas. What would you do? I do have an overseas correspondence address from the purchase I think!
T

OP posts:
Darthwazette · 16/06/2023 12:40

The bill isn’t in your name there’s no chance you will be impacted. I bought a house once and the previous people left a lot of bad debts. I returned all letters to sender.

L3ThirtySeven · 16/06/2023 12:43

You’re not responsible and no one can make you responsible for the prior owners bills. I’d send the energy company the address you have for them as right now the prior owners must have the home address linked to their account.

When it goes to debt collection, that might impact your credit as debts run up at an address that you then have can pull down your score. I think that’s what they mean by impact to you. So try to get the energy debt linked to the overseas owners address. You can also send on any bills you get via your estate agent to their estate agent who will know how to reach them

Original poster
GardenElff · 16/06/2023 12:44

Darthwazette · 16/06/2023 12:40

The bill isn’t in your name there’s no chance you will be impacted. I bought a house once and the previous people left a lot of bad debts. I returned all letters to sender.

Thank you for the reassurance! Blush

The utility company doesn't even know the previous owners names and it seems they are trying to nag me into recovering the debt for them... energy company asked me to call the agent to pass to previous owners etc etc and I was dumbfoundedConfused

OP posts:
Original poster
GardenElff · 16/06/2023 12:49

L3ThirtySeven · 16/06/2023 12:43

You’re not responsible and no one can make you responsible for the prior owners bills. I’d send the energy company the address you have for them as right now the prior owners must have the home address linked to their account.

When it goes to debt collection, that might impact your credit as debts run up at an address that you then have can pull down your score. I think that’s what they mean by impact to you. So try to get the energy debt linked to the overseas owners address. You can also send on any bills you get via your estate agent to their estate agent who will know how to reach them

Thank you! I didn't know that debt linked to the address could pull my score down Confused so thank you for that info!!

I'll now give them the overseas address I have from my purchase paperwork. Hopefully that'd stop the letters...

OP posts:
EvilElsa · 16/06/2023 13:30

We had exactly this when we moved into current home in 2020. We told the company repeatedly that it wasn't our bill, sent all letters back to them unopened with "no longer at this address" written on the envelope (we had a completely new supplier so knew any letters from them wouldn't be for us). They chased and threatened and chased and threatened. We even sent proof of the date we moved in with photos of the meter readings (always take photos in a new home). Eventually after a year they gave up. Never had a debt collector turn up. Even if they had we had solid proof we were not in the property and did not own the property for the period they were chasing.
Annoyingly previous tenant (we bought the house they rented) was crap at redirecting post and changing addresses and I STILL get letters from banks and DVLA and all sorts which I just bung back in the postbox or bin. I know she's getting fines and all sorts as I opened one letter in error (name obscured by the envelope fold) and it was a congestion zone fine.

Original poster
GardenElff · 16/06/2023 13:51

EvilElsa · 16/06/2023 13:30

We had exactly this when we moved into current home in 2020. We told the company repeatedly that it wasn't our bill, sent all letters back to them unopened with "no longer at this address" written on the envelope (we had a completely new supplier so knew any letters from them wouldn't be for us). They chased and threatened and chased and threatened. We even sent proof of the date we moved in with photos of the meter readings (always take photos in a new home). Eventually after a year they gave up. Never had a debt collector turn up. Even if they had we had solid proof we were not in the property and did not own the property for the period they were chasing.
Annoyingly previous tenant (we bought the house they rented) was crap at redirecting post and changing addresses and I STILL get letters from banks and DVLA and all sorts which I just bung back in the postbox or bin. I know she's getting fines and all sorts as I opened one letter in error (name obscured by the envelope fold) and it was a congestion zone fine.

Urgh! That must be annoying fighting them for a year! ShockShock

Yes I was worried about the potential back and forth with them so a bit stressed

OP posts:
IamSmarticus · 16/06/2023 13:54

Debts run up against an address DO NOT affect your credit score. Your credit score is personal, any debts run up by another person (whether the utility company know their name or not) will not affect your credit file.

AngelAurora · 16/06/2023 13:57

Why are you opening the letters?

mondaytosunday · 16/06/2023 14:27

I kept getting water bills for a previous occupier. I opened it once and it was over £4K! I told the company, they said disregard it. I had bought the property at auction had no details at all about them. It was fine, any more correspondence I just put 'addressee unknown return to sender'.

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 16/06/2023 14:29

Credit scores are against a person, not an address. You did not have a contract with them, it cannot go on your report.
I had this with my mum who moved into a retirement flat. Previous tenant owed £50. I contacted them and gave them the letting agent details. 2.5 years on the odd letter still appears from yet another agency.

hedgehoglurker · 16/06/2023 14:38

AngelAurora · 16/06/2023 13:57

Why are you opening the letters?

They are addressed to the occupier. It isn't an offence to open post in these circumstances.

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