Advantis Credit question

[BrownianMotion]

Morning,

 

Brief summary - received a letter from these guys that asked me to contact them regarding an "outstanding business matter" from a former address, which I ignored.

 

The next letter from them said that I owed an amount related to water service charges. My response to that was to send an unsigned "prove it" letter via Recorded Delivery - I did not confirm or deny that I lived at the address in question.

 

Their last response was a letter that said:

We understand that you dispute having any liability for this outstanding business matter; therefore in order so that may establish whether or not we are corresponding with the correct individual, we politely request that you confirm as to whether or not you have ever resided at the following address:

 

[address]

 

Once you have confirmed this information, our offices will be able to issue you with a full response as to your letter of [date].

 

This was sent along with an additional page that detailed the Advantis complaints procedure.

 

Some background - whilst I did stay at the address they mention, it was for approximately 3 months in 2007. I left because I did not get on with the flatmate who was already living there. Beyond having a note of the month I moved in and moved out, I do not have any documentation re: bills myself and honestly can't remember how they were sorted. I think it's unlikely I would have moved out with owing any money as I am quite a nice bloke despite not getting on with the flatmate in question. However, since the letter from Advantis said that the debt in question was for a period ending July 2010, it makes me wonder whether the flatmate in question put my name on a bill or attempted to pass off some of her water bill costs onto my name even though I no longer lived there.

 

My questions are:

1. Am I under any obligation to confirm that I once lived at that address?
   
2. The "prove it" letter asked them to prove my liability for the debt in question but do I need to confirm that I lived at that address in order that they then prove my liability?
   
3. Does this letter that they've sent to me in response to my "prove it" without proving my liability constitute harassment? If so, can I escalate this as a complaint to the OFT?
   
4. Can I just ignore it and see if they follow it up, if at all?
   

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[BrownianMotion]

Just to add, I don't see why I should "help" them to confirm whether or not I am the correct person they wish to correspond with. At the end of the day, if they are holding me liable for a debt and say they can prove it, I would like to see documentary proof of such a debt and a clear explanation of how they have arrived at the figure they claim that I owe, then we will proceed from there.

[brokebutnotbeatn]

So what 'proof' is there or could there be that you resided there for a 3 month period? Did you sign a tenancy agreement? Were you on the electoral register? What is your CRA file showing as linked addresses? I would say you have sent them the prove it letter and you are right, it is for them to prove it not for you to. Unfortunately the fact that you wrote at all will put on on a list so you'll probably be harrassed for a while anyway.

[BrownianMotion]

Thanks for your reply.

 

So what 'proof' is there or could there be that you resided there for a 3 month period? Did you sign a tenancy agreement?

I haven't got anything myself; I don't recall signing a tenancy agreement.

 

Were you on the electoral register? What is your CRA file showing as linked addresses?

I have a CRA file that I requested back in 2010 - the address in question shows in "Other" but not in the Electoral Roll information section as I didn't live there long enough it would appear.

 

I would say you have sent them the prove it letter and you are right, it is for them to prove it not for you to. Unfortunately the fact that you wrote at all will put on on a list so you'll probably be harrassed for a while anyway.

OK I understand but if they continue to send me letters whether or not I have confirmed that I have lived at the address in question, then that must still constitute grounds for harassment and I would be within my rights to report them to trading standards?

 

Is there another template letter which basically says "look send me proof of my liability for this debt or sling yer hook"?