Npower and Wescot have started chasing a supposed debt again…

[Debthel7343]

’ll try and keep this as brief as possible but I’ll need to explain a bit of background.

 

When I was in university I rented a room in a house with three other students that I didn’t know between July 2012 to June 2013. Npower supplied the electricity and gas. I gave the first meter reading in July and the first bill came in October and we each paid a fourth to the landlord and I thought this arrangement would continue.

 

However, towards June 2013 I contacted the landlord as we hadn’t got any more bills and queried what was going on he said he’d put the bills solely in my name.

I was amazed that this was possible and called Npower to refuse to be the only sole name on the bills but they said this was the landlord’s right. Shortly after that the other tenants all left and two of them half way around the world.

 

The bills at this point still hadn’t come to the house (although they might possibly have done so but one of the other tenants liked to take people’s mail…) and I gave a forwarding address and explained that as I was only one of four tenants they should only send me a fourth of the bill.

 

Instead they started sending widely varying bills (anything from £1300 to £2000+) and after talking to them on the phone failed I then wrote them a letter showing them my tenancy agreement saying that I was only responsible for a fourth of the bills, emails to and from the landlord where he took responsibility for paying the bills if we paid him.

 

Npower ignored all correspondence from me and the demands for payment became nastier and they and debt collection companies started sending letters to my parents as well calling them. I wrote them a cheque for over £500 which was a fourth of what they were asking for at the time.

 

The demands didn’t stop and became more and more frequent. It was deeply stressful and if I’d the whole amount I’d probably would have just paid but I didn’t; however, the demands finally abruptly stopped.

 

But, now more than four years after I paid Npower the £500 and the demands stopped a debt collection company called Wescot that Npower used before has started asking for money again.

 

I think this was because I just updated the electoral register to my new home. It’s a horrible and not to mention embarrassing to start life with my partner in our new home and to be threatened again by this very ruthless debt collection company.

 

I am not sure what to do next and was wondering if someone advise me what they make of these options?

 

Just pay the damned bill and all the nasty extra charges they added. Would this be the end of it? Would accepting it give them the right to damage my credit report?

 

 

Ignore it and hope it goes away like last time. It hasn’t affected my credit rating so maybe they don’t have enough information about me? And perhaps me going on the electoral register here just tripped some automated system?

 

 

Pay the bill but take the only other U.K tenant to small claims court for their share? Or even half would that be possible?

 

 

Threaten to refer their behaviour to some ombudsman or consumer body? Things like calling my parents and writing to them, calling on a Sunday, using aggressive and threatening language etc. Would this scare them enough to leave me alone?

 

 

Sorry for how long this post was and thank you if any advice you can give.

[dx100uk]

Ignore wetcloths

They are not bailiffs

And are powerless

[Debthel7343]

Thank you for such a speedy reply! Do they have any power to damage my credit rating though?

[unclebulgaria67]

I think they know you live at the address, but whether they take it further i cannot answer. I just searched on CAG and could not find any court claims issued.

 

Does the letter refer to NPower as their client ?

 

If it were me, i would write back saying the matter was subject to dispute with NPower. The property was student accommodation and the energy bills were recorded as a split responsibility between 4 people on the tenancy agreement. NPower were given full details of this and a quarter of the bill was paid. For some reason the landlord decided to only provide one name to NPower without telling them or asking them for any consent. NPower have the details of the other 3 tenants. Suggest that they return this to NPower as they have an unresolved dispute.

 

If the matter is escalated to any court claim, it probably would issued by another company, not Westcot.

[Debthel7343]

The letter refers to Npower as having instructed them to contact me to agree a "solution."

 

I just wonder what stopped them last time and if it would be better to ignore them than to contact them.

[unclebulgaria67]

That is up to you. Wescot will eventually pass it back to NPower and it is then up to NPower what they do. They don't appear to be threatening court yet and ' solution' suggests that they are seeking a voluntary agreement.

 

Perhaps wait until it looks like NPower are seeking to take it further. Wescot may decide to stop hassling you if they realise the matter was subject to unresolved dispute with NPower going back 4 years.

[Debthel7343]

Many thanks!

[dx100uk]

are npower aware of your correct address

[batman1956]

It may be worth having a read through other Npower threads to get an idea what might happen. Particularly the one by eversir.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?436401-nPower-Mismanaged-account-County-Court-claim-issued-aganst-Npower&highlight=npower

[Debthel7343]

Hi, I could do with a bit of advice on this one.

 

After Wescott started harassing me again I've noticed that yet again they are asking for variable amounts. I also know that previously I was pestered by another debt collector who was chasing gas payment at the same time as Wescott were chasing the electricity despite it being dual fuel.

 

Is this acceptable? Also, I am still unsure whether to ignore these letters or not? I dispute that I owe this amount with Npower but I worry if I contact Wescott in any way they'll ramp up their harassment.

 

 

Many thanks!

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I've merged your threads as they're about the same problem. It's best to keep to one thread, it helps the advisors to have the full story.

 

HB

[Debthel7343]

Thank you Honeybee

[dx100uk]

As post 2 and forward

[Debthel7343]

I am confused though as you've advised me to ignore it and others have advised me to contact them.

[dx100uk]

not the dca.

npower if you want to do anything.

 

 

are npower aware of your correct address?

 

 

dx

[Debthel7343]

They are aware of my correct address.

[dx100uk]

then if npower want their supposed money

they can ask for it

not some powerless DDCA

they are NOT BAILIFFS

 

 

dx