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Original poster

Energy company making this my problem

18 replies

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 11:36

Kept getting letters addressed to a previous occupant. First I spoke to the energy company to tell them he doesn’t live here anymore and to stop which they refused in the end unless he changes it himself, but it’s his last known contact information and they dont have any other information for him. Opened the letter that came in today because I’m sick of it and he’s in debt and their “next step” is the debt collection agency, I’m terrified

OP posts:

FlutteryButterfly · 05/09/2023 11:40

You really don't need to be terrified, it's not your debt. Just return the letters etc to sender with 'no longer of this address (I'd put date too). It's unlikely you will get debt collectors on your doorstep as it's a last resort and they should have done their background checks before action. Even if they do it'll be clear you are not the client. If you are that worried contact the energy ombudsman.

BarbaraofSeville · 05/09/2023 11:47

I assume that you've updated the council tax so you're named as the sole occupier of the property?

Plus you've signed a tenancy agreement or taken out a mortgage, both of which will confirm that you live there and not the previous occupant?

And you've supplied the energy company with readings on the date you moved in? Do you have an energy account in your name?

Therefore you have nothing to worry about. You have no contract to pay for energy used before you moved in, so they can't make you pay.

Just keep sending the letters back with 'not at this address since X date' written on them.

If they won't set you up with an account in your name, send a formal complaint telling them when you moved in and the readings on that date (and that Mr X does not live there), and you want to set up an account so you can pay for your energy going forward.

If they do not correctly respond and resolve the issue, you can complain to OFGEM after 8 weeks.

Nagado · 05/09/2023 11:48

There’s nothing to worry about; it’s a big inconvenience to you but nothing bad can happen. Contact their complaints department, contact them on social media, complain to their CRO. The bigger the fuss you make, the quicker they’ll sort it out. If anyone knocks at your door who you don’t recognise (they’ll be wearing ppe and probably driving a van) don’t let them in. Have your id, your council tax bill and your own gas supply paperwork ready to show them if necessary. It’s a big pain for them to take stuff that doesn’t belong to the debtor so they’ll want to make sure they’re at the right address.

I’ve had this before with my gas. They threatened to come and remove my meter even though I’d never owed them a penny. And when I tried to complain, they lectured me about opening post that didn’t have my name on it! I ended up contacting the energy ombudsman who got it all sorted out for me.

Original poster

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 11:48

I’m already with a different energy company. This is old debt belonging to the person that lived here before the person before me if that makes any sense

OP posts:

Sunsnet · 05/09/2023 11:55

To recover a debt the company has to prove they tried to contact the debtor at their last known address, that is your address. They can't take things to court unless they have followed all the necessary steps. You will not end up liable, don't worry.

JuvenileEmu · 05/09/2023 12:03

It might be worth contacting the energy ombudsman, they sorted out a problem a friend had with their energy supplier.

BarbaraofSeville · 05/09/2023 12:05

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 11:48

I’m already with a different energy company. This is old debt belonging to the person that lived here before the person before me if that makes any sense

So it's not that much of a problem. Just keep sending back as 'not at this address'.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 05/09/2023 12:07

Tbh the best thing that can happen with this is that the debt collector knocks on your door.

We had a tonne of mail for a previous occupant. Went on for months. Debt collector knocked, showed him my ID, gave the date I moved in and have had nothing since.

monicagellerbing · 05/09/2023 12:11

Terrified?

Original poster

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 12:13

There’s the door

OP posts:

Original poster

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 12:13

@monicagellerbing theres the door

OP posts:

TripleDaisySummer · 05/09/2023 12:14

British gas did this with first house we bought.

Previous owner gave last meter readings well before she moved out and closed her account. We set up with our existing energy provided which BG was awkward about I seem to remember trying to get us to set up with them and then transfer to our preferred company.

They then tried to charge time between her moving out and us taking over to us - no dice - then they did generic letter and threatening debt collectors.

We wrote to British gas compliant department and debt people indicated in letter saying we took over x date with x readings so this debt was nothing to do with us - and heard no more no door knocks of further letters.

Greenwitchhorse · 05/09/2023 12:29

Make a complaint. You first need to make the complaint to British Gas before you can then take it to the Ombudsman if they fail to resolve it.

State that you have switched to another energy supplier when you moved in into the property from such date and that the previous owner/tenant no longer lives at this address.

Add that you expect the letters to stop and that any further communication will be considered harassment.

You should not open any correspondence anyway addressed to the previous owners/tenants. You just return it to BG and write ''no longer lives at this address'.

I think the mistake was to try to contact them. You don't have a contract with BG so it is not your problem to solve if the former occupier did not settle the bill before they left.

If a debt collector knocks on your door you don't let them in and simply tell them this person no longer lives there, show them your ID and give them the new address if you have it.

British Gas are awful by the way in general...avoid like the plague as a company.

Nagado · 05/09/2023 13:23

Icycloud · 05/09/2023 12:13

@monicagellerbing theres the door

😂 That’s the level of assertiveness you need with British Gas!

monicagellerbing · 05/09/2023 17:41

Sorry couldn't see it coz of all the terror

PerilTheBeryl · 05/09/2023 17:54

What are you scared of? It's not your debt so not an issue. Just return the letters. It's unlikely that anyone would turn up but if they do- show them proof of when you moved in and ID.

Blinkinbloodyhayfever · 05/09/2023 18:16

Contact Citizens Advice, they take harassment for previous occupants debts very seriously. Debit companies have been known to demand payment from new tenants or home owners if they think they can get away with it, and CAB have dealt with at least one that ended in tragedy.

Bookish88 · 05/09/2023 18:32

Well they've continued to risk breaching data protection regulation by sending correspondence to a customer at an address where they've been informed they no longer live.

Personally, I'd probably contact them one more time and tell them you'll be reporting them to the ICO for their lax security practices towards protecting their customer's personal data if they don't cease and desist. They almost certainly will.

Flip