Warrant of Entry - Scottish Power

[llarian18]

A thug from a company called Face2Face Contact (debt collectors) arrived on the doorstep of a vulnerable adult with significant mental health problems. The thug claimed to have a warrant of entry issued by a magistrates court in Portsmouth (the man lives in Suffolk and had no knowledge of any court hearing!). The thug proceeded to threaten the man with physical violence and tdamage to his property before calling him "a f*cking idiot" and storming off with his two colleagues. This ordeal lasted over an hour and the victim was left in such a state of distress that he could barely speak.

Does anyone know, please, if these warrants can be appealed and if the company in question can go to any court of their choosing?

[Kati]

Re: Warrant of Entry - Scottish Power

[MENTION=26498]ploddertom[/MENTION] ... can you advise??

[slainte caragh]

Re: Warrant of Entry - Scottish Power

Hi and welcome to Legal Beagles,

What a horrific ordeal!

I will see what I can find out, in the meantime I would be calling Scottish Power and making a formal complaint about this, reminding them that they are vicariously responsible for their representative's behaviour. Also I would be contacting the police and reporting the threat of violence and requesting at least an incident report number.

Did the poor gentleman actually see the warrant of entry? I can understand he would have been stressed to high hell and might not know bless his heart!

Does he know why he has got this, arrears/dangerous meter?

The fact that a debt collector is claiming to have one is alarming as to my knowledge this is an actual official representative of your supplier, along with a trained engineer to install a new meter/disconnect supply.

I had a google for you, nothing on being able to appeal the warrant but I found this particularly interesting

Who shouldn’t be disconnected

Suppliers aren’t allowed to disconnect you between 1 October and 31 March if you’re:

• a pensioner living alone
• a pensioner living with children under five

The 6 largest suppliers have signed up to an agreement to make sure you won’t be disconnected at any time of year if you have:

• a disability
• long-term health problems
• severe financial problems
• young children living at home

These suppliers are British Gas, EDF Energy, npower, E.on, Scottish Power and SSE.
Other suppliers should also take your situation into account, but they’re not obliged to.
If you’ve been threatened with being disconnected but think you shouldn’t be, contact your supplier and let them know. They should visit your home to check on your situation before they do anything. You can make a complaint if they decide to go ahead and disconnect you.
The disconnection process

If you don’t come to an agreement with your supplier to pay off your debt, they can apply to a court for a warrant to enter your home to disconnect your supply. Your supplier must send a notice telling you they’re applying to the court.
Before the hearing takes place, contact your supplier and try and come to an agreement to pay off your debt.
If you haven’t contacted your supplier, there’ll be a court hearing which you should attend. You can still come to an arrangement with your supplier to pay off your debt at this stage. You can take along a friend for support.
If the court grants a warrant, your supplier will be able to disconnect your supply. They must give you 7 days notice in writing before they do. In practice, it’s rare for suppliers to disconnect customers. They’re more likely to fit a prepayment meter in your home.
Your supplier won’t need a warrant to disconnect a meter on the outside of your property (as the warrant is to enter your property), but most suppliers will still get one.

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[slainte caragh]

Re: Warrant of Entry - Scottish Power

These are the thugs that have contacted the poor bloke

http://www.face2facecontact.co.uk/services.php

Face2Face Contact Limited
16 Shottery Brook Office Park
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 9NR
T: 01789 413700

CEO's name is John Easden but no Email address found.

Might be worth a little recorded delivery complaint letter

[des8]

Re: Warrant of Entry - Scottish Power

Are the utility company aware of the gentleman's vulnerable status?

They should have notified him that they were applying for a warrant of entry (i think Human Rights Act requires 14days notice of a court application for a warrant).