Debt collection for an unpaid bill but it isn't that simple.

[Postdog]

Basically, an unpaid bill has been passed to a debt collection agency who contacted me today and demanded payment. Now if it was that simple I'd pay it, though the reality is it would have been paid at the time, but the amount was disputed, and I contacted them to help me understand how they justified it. They never got back to me, and the first I hear is this debt collection agency coming after me.

Two queries. One, what can I do specifically about the debt collection agency. Two, what redress if any have I got against the firm that passed this as a debt when I wasn't querying owing them money, just how much.

The gist of the matter is that we moved in January, and immediately changed suppliers from Eon (though we didn't know who) to British Gas for both electric and gas. This came into effect just a few weeks later, in mid February. In May we recieved a bill from Eon (to the occupier) for amounts I felt highly excessive, and queried these. For example the electric was for £77.00, and this for the few weeks prior to changeover. I was only using £15.00 a week at my old place at most, so it seemed very wrong.

What concerned me was paying for the gas and electric of the old occupiers and asked Eon for advice and realistic amounts or to explain to me just how they got their figures. As said, that was the last I heard until today. What can I do or should I do to resolve this fairly?

[factor-fiction]

I always thought that a transfer of gas/electricity accounts couldn't go through until all outstanding balances were settled.

Did you agree to the meter reading when you moved in?

I'm surprised you didn't get chasing-up letters from Eon before they referred the debt to debt collectors.

I suggest you need to speak to Eon to ask their views.

Alternatively, just pay it and put it down to experience if you'd rather avoid all the hassle and potential further costs that could be incurred ifyou challenge the bill futher.

[albaqwerty]

I agree Factor.


I tried to change supplier once, but the original supplier said no as I had an oustanding debt. That was subsequently cleared and I changed supplier. A few months later nasty letters started arriving so I replied asking why they (original supplier) said yes the second time around and no th the first.

Now I'll do long story short, wouldn't let me change for a total of £38 (gas and electric) first time around but were chasing for a total of £400 second time around

Post, tell 'em to sling their hook

[evil__sheep]

you simply need to et the readings from the day you moved in and see if they agree with eon's

[Postdog]

I'm not paying on principle - over £300 for what was 2 and 4 weeks with them as supplier, and yes I did give figures when I transferred. As far as I was concerned BG was my supplier from February, and I didn't know different. I couldn't pay anything to anyone for the difference as I didn't know who to pay, and as said, it was 3 months after the transfer that I got a bill at all.

I have written to eon to ask why they did what they did, but I don't want to rollover on this one.

[merciasounds]

Bloody French!

http://www.thisismone...ricity-companies.html

try here - what have you got to loose (apart from too much!!)

[evil__sheep]

PD i don't get what you are saying - are you saying your meter readings tallied with what they had? if so, then you owe it i guess. if they charged you for longer than you thought, then BG would have charged you for shorter than you thought, so it all adds up and makes sense. Saying you didn't know who to pay it to then dosen't help you now, as you now know who to pay it to

[Postdog]

Basically we moved house in January. Back home I was with LEB (as was way back) for electric and British Gas for gas. When we moved I wanted to put them both on the one supplier, and chose BG. As requested, I submitted meter readings, and left it to them. To my mind THEY took over the accounts from that moment, though the reality is it would take a few weeks, and while the other people were still supplying, I had no argument with any bill they might send. As from the 18th Feb, as far as I was concerned, I was a british gas customer.

In late May I got a bill from Eon, detailing charges AFTER that transfer. Had the amonts been paltry I'd have probably just paid up and not bothered, but with a bill from BG due as well (who as far as I were concerned were going to charge from the transfer date) I queried the bill and the amount. I wasn't arguing about owing eon money, just querying how much and why they were charging me AFTER the transfer date.

That was the ONLY thing I have ever had from Eon, and despite writing then I have heard nothing since. I did suggest that it was some kind of administration error and they contact BG to see if they can sort it out, and because they never responded, I assumed they had.

Now aside from the debt being passed to a debt collection agency at all, I am very angry that my attempts to sort this out with Eon proved fruitless - all their contact amounted to was sending one bill (to the occupier) and that is it.

Surely there is some protocol or chain of events that should have been followed first.

[evil__sheep]

so you don't disagree you owe the money ( i am extrapolating from your post that BG didn't start supply when you thought they would, so the amounts of units owed to eon is right), you are just peeved that they haven't contacted you about it. If this is the case, just pay it. You will not win.

[albaqwerty]

Did your new supplier write to you to say that after a specific date you were their customer? They should have done that.

[Postdog]

Letters are downstairs but it was something like 2 weeks after we moved in for one, and a month after we moved in for the other. As far as I'm concerned if I am told I'm being supplied by someone from a certain date, then that is the contract entered into with them. I felt I had every right to query bill I was sent by eon as to why then and why that amount. Also it was one bill only, (sent to the occupiers because they never knew who we were until I responded) and despite asking for assitance in helping to understand they have simply gone ahead an passed it on as a debt. To me it was in dispute, not a debt

[boxtops]

If I were you I'd go to a solicitor, one stiff letter from a legal firm sometimes calls them off.

[albaqwerty]

Post I hear you and agree with you.

Suppliers think they can intimidate and threaten in the hopes that folk simply pay up.

[factor-fiction]

Sorry postdog- i normally agree with you but whilst I agree they should have answered your query I think you are fighting an uphill battle here by refusing to pay the bill. It takes time to transfer suppliers. It seems to me you are saying that because it took 2-4 weeks you should have been given free gas/electricity during the changeover period.

[albaqwerty]

You should still have been told that from x date, we are your new supplier.

[Eve]

I'd find out their official complaints procedure and write a detailed complaint in writing (including details of your attempts to resolve the situation to date) giving a reasonable timetable for resolution (ie sending you a detailed explanation as to the breakdown of costs) and asking for any action (including any penalties such as financial or credit rating being affected) is put on hold pending resolution.

Say that if you do not receive it then you will take matters further and make a complaint to the Energy Ombudman (http://www.ombudsman-services.org/energy.htm
l).


Make sure all requests are reasonable with reasonable timetables for structure.

If no joy, contact the Ombudsman.

[Postdog]

No way am I saying I should have got free supplies. Until the official changeover which supposedly occured one month after moving in I was quite prepared to pay whoever for what I used. The emphasis is on what I used, and there is no way I could have used over £300 in gas and nearly £80 in electric in the 2 and 4 weeks prior to chasngeover. We were freezing until I got the gist of the boiler, and it was only on certain times of the day so
use wasn't excessive.

I'm not querying paying them, I was querying the amount and why as their bill clearly stated charges AFTER I was supposed to be with someone else, and I don't think my actions in doing so under the circumstances. They have never responded to that query, nor have they sent anyfurther bills, so I just think they are out of order passing it on as a debt when it was a disputed bill.

[evil__sheep]

it has nothing to do with the price (well it does obviously but meh) You still haven't answered as to whether the units are right compared to the readings. You say you expected that BG had taken over after 2 week and 4 weeks, but did they actually? You must have had the BG bill by now -did they actually take over on the dates you thought they would, or were eon supplying you for longer that you anticipated?
With the eon and BG bills, is there any overlap on the readings?
Are the start/finish readingd for eon right based on when they ACTUALLY stopped supplying you as oppsed top when you ASSUMED they stopped supplying you?

[themas]

1. You want to know what to do about the debt collector. You should send them a recorded delivery letter (keep a copy) telling them the debt is disputed & that you are taking it up with Eon.

2. You gave someone (presumably BG) opening meter readings when you moved in - at least I take it from one of your statements that you did so. At any rate, you know (I hope!) what those readings were. Also you should have bills from BG giving the opening readings from the dates they took over your supply. The amount you owe Eon can be easily calculated by deducting the reading you gave on moving in from the BG opening reading to give the number of units Eon supplied & multiplying by the Eon price.

3. Do that calculation & write again to Eon (recorded delivery etc.) with the details. Ask them to withdraw the alleged debt from the collector & send you a correct bill, which you will pay.

4. It this doesn't work, go to Ombudsman as Jenna suggests.

[DTCwordfan]

i would also send Eon a cheque for a conservative percentage of the bill (say 65-75% of what you think you owe them and leave 25-35% for final reconciliation). This shows your want to sensibly rectify this situation - and copy the collector in on all of this.