Southern Electric Gas complaint 01

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COMPLAINT

This document is available to view online at http://grke.net/XXXXXXXXXX.html

The problem

A company called Buchanan Clark and Wells has been sending us ever more threatening letters, claiming that we owe a debt to Southern Electric Gas for the address 'XXXXXXXX R0ad (sic) XXXXXXXXXXXX'.
However, we have already settle the gas bill for this address directly with your company.

A detailed explanation

In December 2009, we received the first threatening letter from Buchanan Clark and Wells, claiming that we owe 153.94 GBP for the supply of gas to XXXXXXXXXXX R0ad (sic) XXXXXXXXXXX for the period 26/10/2008 - 03/11/2008.

We promptly wrote back to politely explain that we were not liable for that period. They have continued to send us threatening letters - six in total, to date, plus another from their 'solicitors', Geoffrey Parker Bourne.

• We lived at XXXXXXXXXXXX until 26/10/2008, when our rental contract terminated. During that time, we were your customers. Indeed, we are still your customers at our new address.
• We have informed you of the final meter reading.
• We have paid the amended final bill provided to us by you based upon the final meter reading.
• We have copies of the final bill, the amended final bill, and the confirmation of payment for the amended final bill from you. Both bills were delivered to our new address.
• We have never been billed by you for the dates given by Buchanan Clark and Wells above. You have always had all of our contact details - address, phone number and email - should you wished to have done so.
• We are able to log in to our online account with you and no such bill exists.

So, we know, as you know, that we are not liable for this debt.

Furthermore:

• We had never heard of Buchanan Clark and Wells before their sudden aggressive demands.
• They quote your name, but have provided absolutely no evidence that they are working on your behalf.
• Buchanan Clark and Wells omit any relevant information of how the alleged debt is comprised. The total that they quote for one week is far in excess of previous bills related to the address.
• We believe that Buchanan Clark and Wells have breached, and continue to breach, the following Acts and Guidelines:
  • The Administration of Justice Act 1970 S.40.
  • The Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
  • The Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidelines.

What we would like to happen

For our records, we would like absolute, final written confirmation from Southern Electric Gas that Mr and Mrs Keeling of XXXXXXXXX have settled all bills for XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX .

If Buchanan Clark and Wells are genuinely operating on your behalf:

• We demand that you instruct them to cease and desist immediately.
• We demand that you instruct them to remove all data relating to ourselves from their computer systems.
• We demand a meaningful and sincere apology from your company.
• We demand compensation for the anxiety, stress, postal costs, and the time and effort that we have wasted in dealing with this situation, for which you are responsible.

We would like a written reply, or at least an acknowledgement of this complaint within two weeks.

Please find attached, for reference, the following documents, in this order;

• A copy of a typical threat letter from Buchanan Clark and Wells.
• A copy of the original final gas bill from you (note the address is our new address).
• A copy of the amended final gas bill from you (note the address is our new address).
• A copy of the confirmation of payment of the amended final gas bill from you.