legal notification from buchanan clark + wells

[mellowyellow]

Hi,
i have an electricity account with british gas and then moved to N power for 3 months, my account with british gas was all paid up before i moved to N power i was even told i would be sent credit payment of 35.00 as i had paid too much. Though, i never heard any more about this and wasn't sent any payment. Any way, after being with N power i found it quite expensive so i decided to switch back to British gas, i had an prepayment meter fitted a few weeks after, back in November last year, a few weeks after i got a normal bill, then after that i get sent a letter of an outstanding debt, i dont know where this had come from it was 174.00, this debt has now been passed to buchanan clark + wells, as well as this british gas are chasing me for a furter 330.00 which they say is also outstanding on the account, so i am being chased for 2 seperate amounts, british gas tell me this is for an old outstanding amount. I just dont know where to start i have phoned b/g and all they say is that the amounts are outstanding, it has also gone up in 4 weeks for 97.00 to 330.oo, yet i have a prepayment meter!! and i was all up to date with the accoiunt before i had key meter fitted!! Now i have buchananclark + wells threatening me with court action if i dont pay the 174.00 in full, im not sure where this debt has come from, i have phoned them but they are so rude and cold i felt like i was talking to a ROBOT.

Any help as to how i can go about getting them off my back would be appreciated, i am certain i dont owe this, but i dont have any proof.

thanks, mellowyellow

[spiritgirl59]

Hi Mellowyellow

I have bumped up your thread as I am not sure of the answer to this one.

I am dealing with BCW myself and they are not nice people, however I am not sure what to advise you to do as this relates to an alleged outstanding utility bill and not a credit agreement, so I don't know if the same procedure applies.

I am sure someone will see this and be able to help you.

Sending you supportive thoughts at least!

Spiritgirl

[tooth_fairy]

OK, You do need to speak to someone like energywatch to intervene on your behalf.
It sounds as if at some point your meter has been out of calibration and this could have caused payments to be incorrectly applied to your account.

[mellowyellow]

Hi all,
Thanks for your replies.
I have been in touch with energy watch many times, they phoned b/g on my behalf and i then got a phone call from b/g saying they would look into it more. They then said it is an old debt on the meter, this was what came up when they changed my economy 7 meter to "normal" meter. Following intervention from energy watch, i got a letter saying the actual amount i owed was 75.00, i thought great, at last, but following this i then got a bill for 330.00, i phoned b/g and they said tah the letter was the wrong amount and i still owed them 33o.00, plus letters from bcw saying that if i dont pay 174.00 i will be taken to court.

I am just leaving it at the moment as i dont know what to do about this, if it goes to court then i shall have to say tht i dont know where this amount has come from as i was all up to date and in credit with B/g before i moved to Npower and also i have heard that if there is a debt often b/g will not release you to another supplier?

mellowyellow.

[mellowyellow]

Hi Tooth fairy,
Can you tell me what "out of calibration" means as i have no idea.

Thanks,
mellowyellow.

[cumbria123]

Npower might have an issue with the shop that sells you your card. They just tried to pass a debt like that to us, saying the shop owed them money, so technically we still owe them, nonsense of course. I think they have a poor admin dept.

[Worried37]

Tooth Fairy I am in the same situation (sorry to if you think hijacking your thread). Buchananclark + Wells have written to me with regard to 531 pounds I owe from my old address (Scottish Power). I will get hold of Energy Watch as per your thread, but am at a loss as what to next because as you state it's not a credit agreement. They have also registered this on my credit file even though in their letter they state 531 pounds owing, not 610 as per my credit file!!

Energy Watch will be my first port of call, but if you have any ideas I'd be grateful. Very confused.

Then again maybe a Statement of Account would be the way forward for both of us. This should show all gas/electric that has been used and the total amount that is owing.

Geeee am at a loss x

[Worried37]

Afternoon all,
Quick update, have sent DCA a letter that in a round about way states that I require all copies of paperwork to show that this outstanding balance pertains to me. Have also stated if they cannot produce this then they have 28 days to remove all reference to this alleged debt off all credit consumer files.
Will keep you updated sent i Friday via recorded. Have a good week. x