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A debt collector is instructed to collect a debt from a utility company. The unpaid bill is a deemed contract in the name “the occupier.” The debt firm does a trace and finds a person (me) with links to the address. They send payment letters to their new address, which they found from a trace.
The debt is disputed twice, the second time following a letter of claim as the person had moved and never had an account with the utility company. Evidence of liability is asked for using the reply form/in a letter, but this is ignored.
Months later… The debt collector gives me false information about my name being on the original debt. I did a subject access request but only got correspondence and a Statement of Account with my name on. (I have all of this in writing.)
It would specifically like to know about the Statement of Accounts.
- Please can someone tell me if the debt collectors receive a “statement of account” from the utility company when it is passed over? Would it be blank or have “the occupier” on it?
- Am I allowed to ask for a copy of the original one, from either the debt firm or the utility company? (considering my name wouldn’t be on it)
- I would also like to know what evidence a debt collector needs to have to legally put the name of the person they traced onto the Statement of Account? I’m unsure if it was done because of the legal claim and I just happened to see it now or because they just lied to me.
- With my name on it - does a SOA count as evidence that I owe the debt (even though I genuinely don't)