Please someone help - bailiffs

[Redshoes]

In August a company sent a letter for a man to my address stating he owed over £700 for a powergen electricity bill. I phoned them 4 times and wrote to them stating I'd never lived at the address where the debt occured, and that the person named had never lived here with me in the 3 and a half years I've been here, I've never heard of the person either!!

Anyway, I got a card stating I'm getting a 'visit' tomz, bailiffs, and THIS person and DEBT are not mine, or my OH's, and I've rang, and rang, but they refuse to believe me, what on earth can I do??

I have a chain on my door, I will be leaving it on when they call, but will they break it and still come in? Can I phone the police? I can't stop stressing, and its seriously unbelievable this can happen, they have been given the information from Powergen but its completely WRONG, and yet they're coming, someone please help, any advice greatly appreciated

 

[hannahbet20]

hun they cant break in and they cannot ask you to pay the debtif its not in your name do you have a tenancy agreement handy showing that you and oh live there no one else they probably have to send someone out to check the guy doesnt live there but i would suggest getting in contact with citizens advice they will give you some advice on the situation dont fret if you dont owe it you dont have to pay.

 

[Lou]

Do you have a landlord or do you own the property? I'd call the landlord if you have one and ask him who else has lived there. Also the reading they have for the monies owing would have on the meter number that the reading has been taken from so check to see if it matches your meter.

Don't know what else to suggest?

 

[Tangerinedream]

Just do not open the door at all to anybody tomorrow. I would also seek some legal advice too. Hope they come to realise this isnt yourdebt, I think they are out of order to be honest

 

[emma28]

Thats sound like good advice up there. All I want to say is don't panic!!!

Bailiffs are not like you see on the telly. They won't kick your door down and kneecap you. We had some a while ago....bout someone elses mobile phone bill....he came in had a coffee, moaned about his wife doing night shift, and left deleting our address....

Nice bloke really

 

[Emmylou]

They can't come into your property without you inviting them in, if you have the details to hand, then email powergen TODAY giving them the details you have from the debt, stating that they do not have the correct address details for the person they are pursuing.

Do you rent? If so, you need to forward a copy of your tenancy agreement to Powergen (call them and ask for a fax number to send it to, and the name of someone who can deal with your case). If you own the house, get a copy of your council tax bill and send that instead.

With the debt collection agency (DCA), they should take your information and stop contacting you, which obviously they're not doing, so go straight to Powergen to get this sorted, that way Powergen will give the DCA the instruction to drop the address and instruct an enquiry agent to find this person who actually owes the money.

If the bailiff turns up tomorrow, either don't answer the door, or open it with a chain on so you feel safer (they won't smash the door down hun don't worry) and explain what you have done here, maybe have it in writing so that you can give that to the bailiff if he/ she does call round tomorrow.

Hope you get it sorted soon hun

 

[Redshoes]

Thankyou so, so much everyone
Currently following all your advice, its utterly amazing to me they can do this, just say someone who doesn't, does, live at your address Its frightening, and soooooooo scary but I feel a lot more comfortable now, thankyou again

 

[foxred]

some really good advice from the ladies, hope all goes well and try and not to worry, I'm sure it'll work itself out

 

[leckershell]

I had the same thing with Powergen before with a previous owner's bill. The letter wasn't addressed to me but thank god I opened it (it looked important). I just rang them straight away and nothing happened.

Sorry you're in the situation though, I know what that immediate worry feels like, I was thinking the same thing even after I called.

Luckily for me they accepted my phone call and nothing happened. Hope you manage to sort it out, it's not a nice feeling. But yeah I'd do what the others said, call every phone number you can think of - your landlords if you rent, powergen, the debt collection people, and if all else fails find the paperwork that proves you live there not this other person.

 

[Squiglet]

I had the same thing happen to me when I lived in the UK. The woman who lived in the flat previously was a drug addict and was 1000's of pounds in debt with various companies... when the baliffs turned up and they did so on regular occasions (apparently each company hired different baliffs ) I just had to show them my passport and my tenancy agreement and go through the whole sorry saga again...

they can't just break in.. and if anything, you have the right to call the police if you feel threatened. Usually the police turn up anyway at the baliffs request and they will obviously keep a neutral stand point.

I know it's scary hun.... but it will be ok...

 

[kirlykird]

Hey!

I had this in my old house for council tax that I didn't even owe, I was actually in credit!!

unless the bailiff has a warrant of execution issued by a county court do not let them in.

make sure windows and doors are locked as they can let themsleves in if they can peacefully make an entry.

Unless they have this warrant they cannot come in without your permission or that of another adult in your home.

If they try scare tactics such as they are calling the police, tell them to do it, the Police aren't concerned with these matteers and unless there is a concern of violence,will not attend anyway.

If they threaten to charge you more question this, they should only charge you between £25-£45 per visit.

there is a form that you can obtain from the court to stop the bailiff whilst the matter is investigated,something like N8245?

The main thing is don't let them over that door step !

Good luck and don't worry

 

[kirlykird]

sorry also meant to add that if they claim that they can break in without a warrant then inform them that you will be calling the police as in this instance,they will be breaking the law

 

[Emma58]

Why don't you try calling the National Debtline 0808 808 4000.
They give advice on debt collectors and such and they were really helpful when i called them regarding a similar problem to yours.

A debt collection agency cannot enter your property especially if the debt is not even yours. I'd give them a call and see what they suggest.