Hello

I wonder if someone can clear a query up for me please

I collected the keys for my HA property on March 14 2017 meter readings of gas and Electric were taken from Housing Officer and I was given a copy.

I rang British Gas on March 18 and gave the meter readings

Started getting bills addressed to the Occupier for £78 dates were from January 7th until March 17th

I rang British Gas several times to be told, ignore anything that comes addressed to the occupier its nothing to do with you.

I kept the bills gut instinct

Yesterday I received a letter from LCS Credit Management Debt Recovery in my name stating I own £78

Of course I went mad, phoned British gas straight away, I wont bore you with all the details but apparently they passed the debt onto LCS in the name of "the Occupier"

I rang LCS and asked them why have they sent me this letter and how did they find me at this address.

They told me that they did a Equifax search and because I am registered at this address since March then I was liable.

Cut another long story short.

Are LCS allowed to just do a random search on an address to see who is registered at that address?

What gives LCS the right to assume I am liable and to write to me?

The account that the money is owned has meter readings less than the ones I gave and further more the bill is for dates prior to me even having the keys.

I am absolutely fuming

I'm afraid that firstly you need to stop obsessing about who's got what right and who is entitled to do what. They all do what the hell they please and they don't really care about you.

Secondly, you been dealing with them on the telephone. You been here since 2006 so I'm quite sure that you have implemented our customer services guide and you have recorded calls. Not only that you will continue to do so in future.

Have you checked your credit file? You need to start discovering how much damage is being caused to you.

You need to write to British Gas and also to LCS putting them on notice that you are not responsible for the bill and that you only moved in on XXX date. Produce evidence from your HA at the same time. This may not do any good – in fact it probably won't but at least you are starting a paper trail can show that you have taken all reasonable steps to try and sort the matter out.

Eventually it will come down to what you are prepared to do about it. If you're prepared to take a small claim then that is a particular way forward which eventually will be effective. If you simply want to make a complaint to the energy ombudsman, then that is another way forward but it is long winded with an uncertain outcome and during that time all sorts of funny things might happen including the possibility (I suppose) of court orders being sought to put in meters.

I suggest that you also complain to the housing association and in fact copy them into all correspondence because clearly it was their tenant who accrued the debts.

I would send the letters off to them all as quickly as possible and see what kind of response you get within 14 days – keeping an eye on your credit file. Given the phone call every so often, recording your calls of course, to find out if there are any developments.

I have been taking notes and names, and today I have copied my HA into the email.

Firstly the previous tenant passed away

I know who owes the money, it the HA as since January when the tenant passed away the HA had been working in the property putting in a new heating system, sorting asbestos, putting in a new bathroom, so the workmen have been using the gas and electric.

I sent LCS my tenancy agreement to prove I have only been a tenant since March 14th and they have said they will pass the information onto British Gas to prove that I am not liable.

British Gas have called today in all fairness, and said they have emailed LCS to ask for information where they got my details from ROFL as they claim they have passed the debt to LCS with the "occupier" on.

I personally did not think LCS can just accuse me of owing the £78 without any factual evidence

All British Gas calls are recorded as are LCS and rest assured I have all names dates and times logged

Good. I suggest that you then notify British Gas formally as who the responsible party is – the HA. Send the same letter to the debt collectors.

Inform the HA that they are responsible for the bills that you are receiving. Have you checked your credit file? I think you should put a strong complaint into the HA that they haven't sorted the problem out before you moved in and you expected in your tenancy to take the property free of these kinds of encumbrances

I rang British Gas straight away and spoke to the lady I has spoken to half hour ago stating that it really was not difficult to to make a phone call to LCS to prove that I was not liable, she kept saying but you didnt ring us until March 18th and you took the keys on March 14th.

K tried to explain in simple terms that despite that I did not contact BG until the 18th the actual reading I gave were from the 14th she could not grasp. I also tried saying not everyone calls the utilities the day they move, there is a lot to sort, she then replied with some people do not contact us until a month later.

All she kept saying was but you only opened up the account on the March 18 and you had the keys from the 14th.

She does not seem to grasp the meter reading are from the day I got the keys.

I have copied in the HA the letter that I sent to BG.

I am due a call on Monday morning from the same lady at BG as she will hopefully have heard from LCS with the information. Well thats what she tells me.

I just did not think anyone can do a credit search I though you had to sign an agreement or verbally agree for a search on a credit reference agency.

I will be keeping an eye on my Credit File and if anything appears I will be pursuing a claim in the small claims court plus compensation.