energy supplier requesting spurious claim

[DBSV8]

Used an energy supplier last year A , who went into administration , I paid all bills by direct Debit , I receive letter from another energy supplier B who took over from original supplier , who immediately put me on an emergency tariff.

I decided to go with another supplier C and went through change process , I successfully changed over and paid B outstanding units from Meter.

I then get a letter from energy supplier A explaining they have gone into administration and there is an outstanding bill of X amount ? . ( say £50 )
I telephone A and ask them to send a breakdown of the bill as everything had been DD .........no reply

5 months lapse ......then get a letter from a Collection agency . requesting amount on behalf of A .
I telephone explain I need a breakdown of the Bill ...........no reply

second letter Ditto .............same request ..............no reply .

If i have the situation correctly , The collection agency can apply for a CCJ of which i will receive a letter , and thus dispute the claim unless evidence is submitted regarding the Bill , which i am happy to pay if its genuine , although this looks spurious and im not paying anything until i see a breakdown

At what point do these letters become a form of harassment ?
cheers

[Pothole]

How much are we talking about?

[spookly]

Yes, they'd need to go to court to go any further.

Sounds like they'd have little chance of success. But, just to be safe, it might be worth putting together copies of all the bills you've paid along with the meter reading they were generated against. That might also allow you to work out whether you actually do owe anything or not.

[Durzel]

In my experience if the bill really was in the region of £50 then it would be worth considering how much your time is worth if it does progress to a money claim.

You can be right, you can have an unassailable case, but it won’t stop you having to spend time and energy defending it, including a day in court if it gets that far.

Before anyone chimes in about the “slippery slope” etc from “giving up” against vexatious or unsubstantiated claims, I’m just being pragmatic about what can happen.

[donkmeister]

I have had a similar situation in the past - I raised a dispute through OfGem, included all the correspondence and whilst it wasn't a quick process to get it resolved it would have showed I was being sensible and reasonable should it have ended up in County Court.

In my case it was an order of magnitude higher, for £50 they might prefer to write it off as cheaper than supporting a dispute through the regulator.

[pavarotti1980]

How can they be collecting on behalf of supplier A?

Supplier A does not exist anymore.....or is this on behalf of the administrators trying to pull a fast one and recoup money

[anonymous-user]

pavarotti1980 said:

How can they be collecting on behalf of supplier A?

Supplier A does not exist anymore.....or is this on behalf of the administrators trying to pull a fast one and recoup money

Indeed. If a company owes money to a customer and the company goes under, then the ustomer doesn't get paid so it should work both ways.

[Bennet]

flashbang said:

pavarotti1980 said:

How can they be collecting on behalf of supplier A?

Supplier A does not exist anymore.....or is this on behalf of the administrators trying to pull a fast one and recoup money

Indeed. If a company owes money to a customer and the company goes under, then the ustomer doesn't get paid so it should work both ways.

It does work both ways. If you, as an individual, "go under", the energy company doesn't get paid.
(And you would still get paid by a company that has gone into administration, if there was somehow money available to pay you.)

[DBSV8]

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

[pavarotti1980]

Bennet said:

It does work both ways. If you, as an individual, "go under", the energy company doesn't get paid.
(And you would still get paid by a company that has gone into administration, if there was somehow money available to pay you.)

Not really comparable

[Pothole]

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

[poo at Paul's]

The DD aspect is surely a red herring, as presumably this is the "closing account" from the now defunct supplier?

Quite normal to move supplier and get a final bill from the old one based on closing / opening readings on the old / new supply.

[DBSV8]

Pothole said:

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Of course , but im not about to pour a perfectly decent bottle of Talisker Storm down the drain ??..... if they show via meter readings the bill is justified , then fine , but so far i have drawn a blank with requests which leads me to believe is spurious .

incidentally on the same theme , i owed £250 quid to Supplier B during change over , I contacted supplier and paid in full on the 4th Nov ..verified with confirmation email and bank transaction ..

Today i get a letter from a different collection agency demanding payment for this sum with in 7 days ?? ................i contact them and yes it is a clerical error ...no you dont owe any money .....but yes there is another demand letter in the system .....just ignore it .

Now how many old people would just pay this with out questioning it

,,,bad form in my book

[hotchy]

Always ask for a breakdown. They sent mine out for a few weeks before switch over when moving into new house, that I hadn't moved into yet. In a hour a day and no heating doing bits and bobs. Turns out when questioned how in 2 weeks of everything being off came to over £50. They said was just as estimate and sending out the proper one that's about £14 including expensive day charge etc. How many must just pay this estimate. Always get a breakdown.

[Pothole]

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Of course , but im not about to pour a perfectly decent bottle of Talisker Storm down the drain ??..... if they show via meter readings the bill is justified , then fine , but so far i have drawn a blank with requests which leads me to believe is spurious .

incidentally on the same theme , i owed £250 quid to Supplier B during change over , I contacted supplier and paid in full on the 4th Nov ..verified with confirmation email and bank transaction ..

Today i get a letter from a different collection agency demanding payment for this sum with in 7 days ?? ................i contact them and yes it is a clerical error ...no you dont owe any money .....but yes there is another demand letter in the system .....just ignore it .

Now how many old people would just pay this with out questioning it

,,,bad form in my book

Clerical errors are bad form?

[anonymous-user]

Pothole said:

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Yes, cave in if you like.

Just hope it’s not you when the amount is £560, or £5600.

I have dealt with two of this type of spurious claim. One for £2K and one for £3300. I just repeatedly asked for evidence which was, of course, not forthcoming. I was threatened with Court action, never happened.

Actually, I stopped the second one early by making a formal complaint. Once that’s in they’ve 8 weeks to resolve it or you can get the ombudsman involved. He’d require evidence so it doesn’t happen.

As said, give in if you like but consider one thing; if it’s a trivial amount to you, so it is to them. Who the hell would bring a court claim for £56?

[Pothole]

REALIST123 said:

Pothole said:

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Yes, cave in if you like.

Just hope it’s not you when the amount is £560, or £5600.

I have dealt with two of this type of spurious claim. One for £2K and one for £3300. I just repeatedly asked for evidence which was, of course, not forthcoming. I was threatened with Court action, never happened.

Actually, I stopped the second one early by making a formal complaint. Once that’s in they’ve 8 weeks to resolve it or you can get the ombudsman involved. He’d require evidence so it doesn’t happen.

As said, give in if you like but consider one thing; if it’s a trivial amount to you, so it is to them. Who the hell would bring a court claim for £56?

Debt collectors, possibly. Ten times the amount changes the game. Get some perspective.

[poo at Paul's]

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Of course , but im not about to pour a perfectly decent bottle of Talisker Storm down the drain ??..... if they show via meter readings the bill is justified , then fine , but so far i have drawn a blank with requests which leads me to believe is spurious .

incidentally on the same theme , i owed £250 quid to Supplier B during change over , I contacted supplier and paid in full on the 4th Nov ..verified with confirmation email and bank transaction ..

Today i get a letter from a different collection agency demanding payment for this sum with in 7 days ?? ................i contact them and yes it is a clerical error ...no you dont owe any money .....but yes there is another demand letter in the system .....just ignore it .

Now how many old people would just pay this with out questioning it

,,,bad form in my book

When you moved from the original supplier did they issue you a final bill?

[Aluminati]

pavarotti1980 said:

How can they be collecting on behalf of supplier A?

Supplier A does not exist anymore.....or is this on behalf of the administrators trying to pull a fast one and recoup money

Indeed, should the letter not be from liquidators ?

[DBSV8]

poo at Paul's said:

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

DBSV8 said:

Pothole said:

How much are we talking about?

£56

Can you afford it? Do you have lots of time to waste fighting?

Of course , but im not about to pour a perfectly decent bottle of Talisker Storm down the drain ??..... if they show via meter readings the bill is justified , then fine , but so far i have drawn a blank with requests which leads me to believe is spurious .

incidentally on the same theme , i owed £250 quid to Supplier B during change over , I contacted supplier and paid in full on the 4th Nov ..verified with confirmation email and bank transaction ..

Today i get a letter from a different collection agency demanding payment for this sum with in 7 days ?? ................i contact them and yes it is a clerical error ...no you dont owe any money .....but yes there is another demand letter in the system .....just ignore it .

Now how many old people would just pay this with out questioning it

,,,bad form in my book

When you moved from the original supplier did they issue you a final bill?

i didnt move they went into administration , i was actually in credit from original suppliers , but when B took over From A ( Guessing they bought them out ? ) it was an emergency rate