Southern Electric claiming Atlantic Energy debt

[thehomee]

Hi all.
I recently changed from Atlantic Energy to Southern Electric.
I came to an arrangement with Atlantic for my final bills for gas and electric. I owed them about £200 and agreed £25 per month for Gas and £25 for electricity via Direct Debit.
The dd was set up and was supposed to start on 1st May. No money was taken on 1st May and has not been taken at all since then.
I got my first Southern Electric bills and the money has been added onto there!
I told SE that I had come to an arrangement with Atlantic, but they said it was now invalid and that I now had to pay both bills, including the Atlantic ones, in full. SE said that they own Atlantic.
Is it ok for them to do this, and if so, how do they expect me to pay the £400 that the total now comes to? Any ideas on the legalities of this? What about data protection?
Thanks

[buzby]

The beneficial owners of Atlantic Energy is Scottish & Southern - indeed Atlantic is simply a 'brand' so you didn't really change your supplier, you just switched brands and the parent company has consolidated the debt. Wherever there is money owing, it makes sense never to change arrangements to prevent these problems arising. It may be worthwhile checking your credit file to see if Atlantic OR S&S has reported the debt to your credit file. This may help in future negotiations.

[thehomee]

OK, thanks. But does this mean they can just wipe out my original agreement and make me pay it all now?

[buzby]

It's just been updated to reflect the revised T&C's. There are times you can opt out of this and leave, but as you've only transferred within the same company, the T&Cs will either be broadly similar, or identical.