PDCS re Bristol Wessex Billing Services

[JulietSierra]

Hi all,

I just wanted to ask a bit of advice.

 

Today I received a Formal demand letter from Past Due Credit Solutions stating that they have been appointed to recover an amount

of a couple of hundred quid owed to Bristol Wessex Billing Services.

 

I don't know what the debt could be and I certainly don't think it is mine.

 

There is no other information about to what the debt relates or when or where it was incurred.

 

The remainder of the letter just states how I can pay them which I will not be doing without significantly more evidence that I actually owe this amount.

 

Having read the other threads and taking their advice I thought this would be a simple case of send the "prove it letter"

and wait to see what happens.

 

However I have now realised that the surname while very similar is spelt slightly differently (1 vowel difference),

the first name is spelt correctly.

 

Should I still send the prove it letter despite the fact that this will reveal my actual surname to them

 

or should I return to sender as a person with that exact surname is not known at my address?

 

I will add that I have checked my credit report and there is nothing adverse to which this could relate.

 

Any advice much appreciated.

Edited December 30, 2013 by JulietSierra
A word

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

If this is the first letter you have received, ignore it. If you have received a lot of letters then it may be time to draw it to a close.

 

Many DCAs gather a list of names and addresses and write to them all in the hope they get one to bite-hopefully the right debtor. The debt collection guidance states that a DCA should be reasonably sure they are contacting the right debtor before any letter goes out.

[filrobbo]

I would just ion the letter but you could check you credit file it's free at noodle.

[ericsbrother]

just file it away for the present time and ignore but if you get a follow up communication then you can use it against the company as proof of their incompatence or misuse of personal data.

[Stigman]

Bristol Wessex Billing Services deal with payments for both Bristol Water & Wessex Water.

 

Have you ever been supplied by either of the two above Utility Companies?

 

Stigman

[dx100uk]

if the water company wanted their money

 

they'd ask for it

not employ some spoof toytown dca.

 

ignore them

 

and check your CRa file ASAP.

 

dx

[JulietSierra]

Hi all,

Thank you for your help and comments.

 

I just thought that I would provide an update to where I am now.

 

I have been away with work for a couple of weeks and have come back to two more letters from PDCS.

 

One is a "Notification of impending action" and

 

the second is a "Final Demand".

 

Neither of the letters say anything more than the first letter

- amount and originating company.

 

Currently I have not done anything with the letters and am still in two minds about how to respond.

My name is still incorrectly spelt so I feel that it would be legitimate to return to sender as not known at this address.

 

Stigman:

it is possible that I have had an account with them having lived in an area that they provide water to

however I can't remember it and certainly wasn't aware of any unpaid bills.

Without knowing any details of the alleged debt it is difficult to judge it's legitimacy.

 

Should I return to sender as unknown or send the prove it letter?

[dx100uk]

if you do owe something

then it wont? be 6yrs yet

you need to be 'careful'

 

did you get your credit file?

 

dx

[Stigman]

As above, you can check you credit file to see if they have placed the debt on to it.

I used to (over 7 years ago now) live in the area supplied by Wessex Water and nothing was ever placed onto my credit file.

 

Other than that, you then need to send the prove it letter to firmly place the onus onto PDCS to make sure that everything is correct and that they have the legal right to collect the alleged debt.

 

Stigman