BCW Scottish Power: Help please

[Error404]

Hello all,

Last summer I received a letter from a BCW stating that I owed ~£500 for an unpaid Scottish Power bill, I was very confused as I had never had an account with Scottish power.

I called them and discovered it was for a property that a friend and I had rented from somebody that he knew, therefore there was no Tenancy Agreement, etc. We payed all of the bills we received in the time that we were there, but never received an Electricity bill, so I informed the Landlord to let us know what we owed when we moved out and we would pay that amount.

The debt was for a period of 6 months before we moved into the property to 7 months after we moved out of the property. as I mentioned I had not seen a bill from Scottish Power while I was at the address or anytime after that and the first i knew of this debt was a letter from BCW.

I spent lots of time on the phone to BCW trying to explain that I did not live at the address for the duration of the bill, but as I have since learned they enjoy bullying callers. All I wanted to do was pay the bill for the amount of time I was in the property for, but the kept telling me I had to prove I wasn't at the property and provide my tennancy agreement which didn't exist.

I eventually agreed to send them copies of my previous tenancy agreement and the one from after I was at the property along with copies of bank statements, payslips, etc. Guess what they never acknowledged receipt of them!!!!

I recent the documents via registered post, received confimation that they had been signed for in Glasgow, nut every time I called them they daid they had not receieved anything. I sent the documents again and then heard nothing further and assumed the issue resolved.

That was until several weeks ago when I started receivibg letters at my new address, addressed to someone with my surname but with 1 incorrect letter(eeading the forums this appears to be quirte common). This claimed A VISIT BY A DEBT COLLECTION OFFICER in scary red capitals.

Can somebody please advise me how to move forward as they just appear to lnever receive any correspondence I send that proves I am not liable for the debt in question, even when i send it registered post.

Thanks in advance.

Max (real name hidden to protect the innocent).

PS I would love to know how they find our details if there is a little thing called the Data Protection Act.

[old_andrew2007]

Hi
I would advise that you stop telephoning them, they will only lie and attempt to bully you into paying.
Simply write once more stating you only deal with them in writing, ask for written evidence of the debt, you could amend this letter DCA -response to threats of home visits

You could start the above letter with this statement as written I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOU, YOUR COMPANY OR ANY COMPANY YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT, and then say something I have no knowledge of a debt to xxxx, therefore I require you to provide documentary evidence of this alleged debt, then add the rest

I am no expert, so hold fire for a time as someone with more experience may come along with better advice.

Regards

Andy