Debt Collectors

traxam

Hi,

I switched from ESB to Airtricity over a dispute with an electricity bill.

Basically they had under-estimated my tenant's bill for months, he moved out, I moved in and then they took an actual reading and my first bill with them was for 400e. As the bill is in my name I know I am responsible.

I've paid off 250e of it so far while having switched to Airtricity.

ESB have passed the debt on to BCW debt collectors who are ringing 3-4 times a day for the last month.
What are the implications of me not engaging with BWC? Does it affect my credit rating?

Mountjoy Mugger

Credit rating not effected by Airtricity.

traxam

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

Credit rating not effected by Airtricity.

Great, thanks. And if I ignore BCW? Would there be any fall out?

darragh o meara

traxam wrote: »

Great, thanks. And if I ignore BCW? Would there be any fall out?

I wouldn't ignore them, however there are laws about how many times they can ring you before it becomes harrasment.

Bepolite

You could potentially end up in publications like the Stubbs Gazette but it's unlikely. We don't really have a 'credit rating system' in Ireland. If you owe, pay. That said a next time they ring I'd take the persons full name and tell them that you're passing their information on to the guards. There are specific laws against this type of practice.

generalmental

A similar thing happened to me with the phone company 3. I had just lost my job and I was getting phone call after phone call.

Then one day someone from the debt collection company came to my door while I was at an interview and menacing and threatening to my wife.

He arranged a time when he would call back to see me when I was there. So when it came to the time I boiled the kettle and told him next time he came to my house threatening my wife that the kettle just might fall out of my hand.

Never saw or heard from them again.

Menas

General rule is that you should negotiate with the source company (airtricity) rather than any debt collection agency.
Contact Airtricity and arrange a repayment plan with them. Ignoring the problem is not advised. Debts do not just go away, they will follow you .

homer911

OP - If the contract is in your name, you are responsible. Hopefully lesson learned, you should have taken a final reading with the tenant and agreed on settling outstanding bills

fl4pj4ck

was the tenant bill in their name? if so, on what basis they want you to pay? obviously when you're moving in and taking the reading you're only responsible for that
unless you allowed the tenant to have the bill under your name, in that case lesson learned

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If in your name, why not just pay your debt?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

traxam

Hi-
Yes it is in my name. I never got a reading when tenant moved out. Lesson learnt.
It wasn't so much the debt but the way ESB were to deal with that made me switch. I've been paying it off in instalments up to now but the debt collectors are really pissing me off to the extent that I feel like just ignoring them altogether.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

fl4pj4ck

traxam wrote: »

Hi-
Yes it is in my name. I never got a reading when tenant moved out. Lesson learnt.
It wasn't so much the debt but the way ESB were to deal with that made me switch. I've been paying it off in instalments up to now but the debt collectors are really pissing me off to the extent that I feel like just ignoring them altogether.

posts like this may sound comforting but it's not the best you could do. sooner or later it will get back to you

traxam

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

posts like this may sound comforting but it's not the best you could do. sooner or later it will get back to you

I feel ESB were negligent in charging someone 40-50e a month for several months and then re-adjusting to charge me 400e.

I accept I was negligent in leaving the bill in my name and/or not getting an exit read done.

When I phoned them up querying it I was told it must be an electrical fault and that I should get an electrician to call out. That response, along with several other ignorant customer service experiences with them made me change to airtricity.

fl4pj4ck

still the correct procedure would be to pay it and then (after a long battle asking them to refund you) go to Small Claims Court
otherwise it is you who is at fault

mathepac

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

... and then (after a long battle asking them to refund you) go to Small Claims Court ...

What for? OP acknowledges account is in his name and debt is owed. My simple suggestion is to stop whinging about ESB telephone agents manners, pay the bill and tighten up on his own procedures the next time he has tenants. Simples. Why drag it on and on and on as if there were some major injustice?

Complain to ESB / Electric Ireland about their telephone agents on their Talk To forum if necessary and stop trying to slay imaginary dragons or doing a Don Q.

traxam

mathepac wrote: »

What for? OP acknowledges account is in his name and debt is owed. My simple suggestion is to stop whinging about ESB telephone agents manners, pay the bill and tighten up on his own procedures the next time he has tenants. Simples. Why drag it on and on and on as if there were some major injustice?

Complain to ESB / Electric Ireland about their telephone agents on their Talk To forum if necessary and stop trying to slay imaginary dragons or doing a Don Q.

I messed up by not having got an exit read from last tenant.

They messed up by being very unprofessional both by carrying out gross under-estimates and very poor customer service.

I paid the bulk of the debt. The remainder they can write off and perhaps learn from their actions.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

traxam wrote: »

I feel ESB were negligent in charging someone 40-50e a month for several months and then re-adjusting to charge me 400e.

I accept I was negligent in leaving the bill in my name and/or not getting an exit read done.

When I phoned them up querying it I was told it must be an electrical fault and that I should get an electrician to call out. That response, along with several other ignorant customer service experiences with them made me change to airtricity.

Firstly, it is not ESB but probably Electric Ireland you consider partly negligible. The premise that they are negligent for issuing estimated bills for a period of only months is farcical - read the t&c.
You had an account in your name. That account accrued costs. You are fully liable.
People jumping between suppliers to run from debts are causing us all expense. If you owe a debt pay it. I'm sure you expected your tenants to pay their rent to you!

mathepac

You also have the option of pursuing your tenant for the unpaid bill by legal means or if he happens to ring for a reference ...

Bepolite

OP, come off it.

You should have checked all this before returning the security deposit. This really is a case of paying it over an learning the lesson. I don't agree with the practices debt collectors employ, however you're not helping the situation either.

I apologise for my bluntness but you really need to look to yourself for much of the blame here.

traxam

Bepolite wrote: »

OP, come off it.

You should have checked all this before returning the security deposit. This really is a case of paying it over an learning the lesson. I don't agree with the practices debt collectors employ, however you're not helping the situation either.

I apologise for my bluntness but you really need to look to yourself for much of the blame here.

Hi,
As I have stated above, I accept responsibility even thou I wasn't living in the house at the time. I think it is negligent of ESB to estimate so low for months and then give a massive accumulated bill when they take an actual reading.

I just wanted to know where I stood legally. ESB have obviously passed my debt on to a 3rd party. The more they harass me, the less likely I am to deal with them.

Bepolite

traxam wrote: »

Hi,
As I have stated above, I accept responsibility even thou I wasn't living in the house at the time. I think it is negligent of ESB to estimate so low for months and then give a massive accumulated bill when they take an actual reading.

I just wanted to know where I stood legally. ESB have obviously passed my debt on to a 3rd party. The more they harass me, the less likely I am to deal with them.

It was to your claim of negligence to which I was responding.

Pay the ESB directly and close the matter imho. Why on earth where utilities not put into the tenants name?

wmpdd3

generalmental wrote: »

A similar thing happened to me with the phone company 3. I had just lost my job and I was getting phone call after phone call.

Then one day someone from the debt collection company came to my door while I was at an interview and menacing and threatening to my wife.

He arranged a time when he would call back to see me when I was there. So when it came to the time I boiled the kettle and told him next time he came to my house threatening my wife that the kettle just might fall out of my hand.

Never saw or heard from them again.

What collections company s this?

This is the first instance of a collections company calling to a house for a consumer I have heard of in a long time. Calling to a business person I have heard of through.

OP unless you submit readings to Airtricity the same thing could happen all over again.

lala88

traxam wrote: »

I messed up by not having got an exit read from last tenant.

They messed up by being very unprofessional both by carrying out gross under-estimates and very poor customer service.

I paid the bulk of the debt. The remainder they can write off and perhaps learn from their actions.

Are you for real?

lala88

Megan Fresh Racketeer wrote: »

If in your name, why not just pay your debt?

Because that would be too easy

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

lala88

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

So its ok for him not to pay money he owes?

lala88

Its unreal the amount of people on here who openly encourage people to ignore money they owe. Dept Agents may have no power but that doesn't mean you can ignore the fact you owe money, the reason agents like this are being called in the first place.

Whats even more unreal is the OP saying ''they can write its off'' Its this kinda bull**** that drives prices up but no one ever seems to look at this just moan about the companies being greedy

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Menas

OP has been banned. Go figure.