Advice Required - Relentless Debt Collector

bledd. said:
The debt company or the utilities company?

Send it to the utilities company, strike at the source.
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The debt company.

Thing is, I don't even want to acknowledge the utility company. They haven't contacted me once. It annoys me that they expect me to do all the running, contacting solicitors for proof of sale documents and the like. I don't see why a company can appoint a debt collector on false information, and then sit back and expect me to do all the proof of this and that.

I know you're trying to help me here, and I don't want to sound as if I'm having a go. I think I need to kick back and let the emails to and fro, it's only emails after all. I didn't own the property on the date they claim I used their services, and I can prove I lived elsewhere since 2010. They can demand until they're blue in the face, but I'm pretty confident none of this would stand up in a small claims court.

The fact that I'm replying to them every time they contact me is reasonable behaviour, IMO. I'll use that template that was posted earlier, and use it as grounds to ignore all future contact with a canned response.
 
not read the thread but have you contacted the gas/electric company and told them about the previous occupant moving out ?
 
Amnesia said:
not read the thread but have you contacted the gas/electric company and told them about the previous occupant moving out ?
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Hey, I've also not read this thread! I've got this problem with my toe, can someone help? This seems like the right place to ask stupid questions?

EDIT: On a side note, I have read this thread and have also previously had BCW chase me for debt that wasn't mine. I made a point of contacting the company straight away however and cleared it up. Never heard from BCW again.

While you haven't been in touch with the company directly, and you feel like you've done a lot of leg work already, you may well find that this is actually the best way to resolve it.
 
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I echo the sentiments of asking on the consumer action group forums, I had a few debt collection agencies chasing me for numerous debts (short story, ex got me into debt, partly my fault too really though), they helped out big style in what I should do and how to. I appreciate people are trying to help the OP but some of the replies are what you shouldn't be doing.

You basically need them to prove it or to stop hassling you, the guys at CAG will point you in exactly the correct direction every step of the way.
 
RoyMi6 said:
While you haven't been in touch with the company directly, and you feel like you've done a lot of leg work already, you may well find that this is actually the best way to resolve it.
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Pretty much exactly this. It doesn't matter about your personal feelings about the company at this point, all that matters now is getting it cleared up in the fastest time surely?
 
String said:
The debt company..
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Theres the problem.... send it to the utlity company not the debt company.

Yes my bad for not reading the OP properly but the advice still stands. Raise a complaint with the energy company, send it to the person dealing with the complaint instead of the DCA and you will find this will eb resolved very quickly.

If this isnt resolved once you have done the above then you have set yourself up perfectly to take this to the ombudsman and they will rule in your favour.
 
Send them details of the people who you sold the property to, but in slight of hand, don't actually send them the details of said people, actually send them the name of the CEO and address of the utilities company!
 
After speaking to the supply company, I've written to them enclosing proof of sale at their request. I've CC'd the DCA.

Sir / Madam,

I am receiving requests for payment from a debt collection company who claim to be acting on your behalf. I would like to point out the following:

I did not own the property during the supply period.
I did not live in the property during the supply period.
I held no such account during the supply period.

I have attached a copy of the original request from the debt collection agency, and I have also attached a copy of my sale acceptance letter for the property. As you can see, the property was sold many months before the supply period. I had submitted this information to BCW Group months ago, and I am very disappointed that they continue to harass me on your behalf for a debt that I have continually stated that I do not owe.

I would point out that I do not acknowledge any debt being owed to you by myself. I feel I have taken reasonable steps to demonstrate this beyond any doubt, both to your appointed debt agency in the past and to you on this date.

I would ask that no further contact be made by you or any third party appointed by you concerning the above supply address unless you can provide evidence as to my liability for the debt in question.

I await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully
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Just ignore them?

Why when you have a business of renting properties are you playing cat and mouse games with a debt collection company for nine months?! :confused:
 
Energize said:
Just ignore them?

Why when you have a business of renting properties are you playing cat and mouse games with a debt collection company for nine months?! :confused:
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That wasn't quite the case. I rented one property for a couple of years, and I binned it because I couldn't be bothered with the hassle any more.
 
Threaten to them to report them to OFCOM for harassment if they're calling you, trust me that'll get you removed. Also, this could be adversley affecting your creditfile so it might be worth getting it sorted.
 
Roar87 said:
Threaten to them to report them to OFCOM for harassment if they're calling you, trust me that'll get you removed. Also, this could be adversley affecting your creditfile so it might be worth getting it sorted.
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Your life skills need work. Threatening big companies such as BCW with such actions are utterly pointless.
 
Housey said:
Your life skills need work. Threatening big companies such as BCW with such actions are utterly pointless.
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Not necessarily true. If you file a complaint with the FOS they charge the company in question £500 to investigate them and they'll soon bog off. I once had a similar situation, reported them after weeks of harassment and voicemails from a fake collector saying they'd visit my property. They never did and the company apologised, removed my number and never contacted me again. It does work, you just need to take the correct course of action.
 
Housey said:
Your life skills need work. Threatening big companies such as BCW with such actions are utterly pointless.
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I'm literally at work managing a call centre and an automated dialling system as I type this (we only call our actual customers). OFCOM can and do fine companies upto £2million for abusing their automated dialling system.
 
Roar87 said:
I'm literally at work managing a call centre and an automated dialling system as I type this (we only call our actual customers). OFCOM can and do fine companies upto £2million for abusing their automated dialling system.
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Ive been working in the industry for 30 years.
 
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