debt collector asking for £400 unpaid electricity charges on old tenancy

[robpol55]

I had an assured shorthold tenancy in joint names of me and my ex partner until June 2006.

 

Edf energy have now instructed a debt collector to ask me for over £400 unpaid electric bill for the period of the tenancy.They have not specified how the bill is made up and have not mentioned my ex partner in this request even though she was joint tenant.

 

The electricity contract including addressee for bills and all other contact was in the landlords name and me and my partner simply had to pay a monthly direct debit to edf energy at the instruction of the landlord which we did. There was never any contact between us and edf energy except for the direct debit which came from my bank account.

 

When the tenancy ended the landlord gave my partner back the deposit which the tenancy agreement said could be retained for unpaid bills. He made no claim against us for any unpaid amount.

[MrShed]

I would write to edf and the debt collector stating that you have never been a customer of theirs, nor have you ever had a contract with them. Advise that during the period in question, the bills, and therefore the contract, were in the name of Mr X(your landlord), and refer them to him. Also state that continued contact by themselves or the debt collector acting on their behalf will be recorded, and will be construed as harrassment.

[robpol55]

Many thanks for your help on this, i will do what you say.

[MrShed]

Might be worth emphasizing that legally speaking you have NO responsibility for this - at least to EDF. Depending upon the terms in your tenancy agreement, you MAY have some responsibility to the landlord, but he himself would have to sue you.