Scottish Power debt

[JDG451]

Hi all,

 

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

 

I moved out of my old flat on 1 December and my SP account was closed on 9 December.

 

Today I had a phone call pursuing debt on SP's behalf from PDSC stating that I owed nearly 600 pounds (including a 100 pound late fee).

 

I rang SP immediately and told them that this was the first I'd heard of it

- turns out its for six months worth of energy that we owe (rightly so),

but they'd been sending out bills to our old address as the landlord

(who closed the account for us) did not send on a forwarding address.

 

The current debt is 447.24 which I'm happy to now pay,

but I'm concerned about the effect of this on my credit score and the debt collectors themselves.

 

I explained that I'd spoken to SP when I spoke to them again

and they didn't believe me.

 

SP advised that I can pay the debt online which I want to do,

but will this stop PDSC from chasing me?

 

Am I obliged to pay PDSC direct?

 

Thanks in advance.

[JDG451]

For reference too, the debt is around 6 weeks late. No formal letter from PDSC, just a phone call.

[dx100uk]

PDSC are a DCA they have NO LEGAL POWERS WHATSOEVER.

 

ignore them in this instance.

 

ideally you should NEVER ring a dca

 

they are NOT BAILIFFS .

[JDG451]

I'm afraid I panicked and did call them, and they confirmed the debt. I advised them of the actual date after speaking to SP and they said that they essentially didn't believe me and would check with them.

 

This is first contact and they've sent no letters (not even to the wrong address) but I'm worried that if I pay SP direct they're going to come after me for fees etc.

 

Am I ok to go ahead and pay the balance on my SP account?

[dx100uk]

dca's are NOT BAILIFFS

they have NO SUCH BAILIFF POWERS

and cannot add any 'ffes'

 

I would not 'blindly' be paying SP anything before you do things like check the meter reading are correct for the day you LEFT etc.

then when you know for SURE the debt is correct

 

then p'haps make an arrangement.

 

just to be clear...

 

you DO NOT have to converse in anyway with any dca whatsoever.

 

dx

[JDG451]

Thanks for your assistance.

 

I already got the meter readings from the day I moved out.

 

I knew there was a final bill to be settled but it slipped my mind and

I never remembered to follow it up.

 

Our letting agent gave us the meter readings on the 9th itself

and the sum is for almost 6 months worth of gas/electricity and it seems fairly reasonable.

 

I'm happy to pay the entire lump sum, no need for an arrangement.

 

Again, thanks for your help.

[dx100uk]

if you are happy to pay then do so.

 

just run by your cra file to make sure theres not bad markers on there.

 

mostly, they don't register util bills

 

but CHECK IT.

 

if there is a marker/default.

 

i'd be wrangling to get them to remove it before you pay.

 

dx

[JDG451]

if you are happy to pay then do so.

 

just run by your cra file to make sure theres not bad markers on there.

 

mostly, they don't register util bills

 

but CHECK IT.

 

if there is a marker/default.

 

i'd be wrangling to get them to remove it before you pay.

 

dx

 

Thank you.

 

I have now paid the debt and apparently PDCS have queried it with SP, and they rang again today. They said they'd still not had a response from SP and I told them I was settling te account and that SP had amended the figure and hung up.

 

Is it worth ringing SP once they payment has cleared to ensure that they're closing the debt off?

[dx100uk]

no harm in doing so.

 

you are under no legal obligation to converse with a DCA ata ll.

 

did you check your credit file?

 

belt and braces!!

 

dx

[JDG451]

no harm in doing so.

 

you are under no legal obligation to converse with a DCA ata ll.

 

did you check your credit file?

 

belt and braces!!

 

dx

 

Still in the process of getting an initial report (I'm still rather young and naive so I don't have an open credit report). In my own experience it's always better to pay debts and then contest certain aspects of it (unless you don't owe a debt of course) and so I will be taking the credit score issue up with SP when I call to check it's cleared.

 

Thank you again for your help. It's relaxing to have some advice in these situations - which are completely alien to me!