NTL "debt" madness

I cannot believe this.

Today, I recieved a letter forwarded on from my mother from my old
address (where I haven't lived with NTL) for about 3 years now from a
debt collection agency working on behalf of NTL. They want £33.07. I
have never had an account with NTL, and the address in question is not
even in an NTL cabled area!

The only reason I can think of this letter having been sent is that my
father has recently cancelled his NTL account at a completely different
address, and even though he paid off his balance, he was (and probably
still is) getting hassled from NTL and their debt collection cronies
etc. He used to live at my old address as well, but hasn't done so for
6-7 years. He has since moved out of the address in which he had an NTL
account into a new place, where we both live.

How they got my name and previous address I do not know, let alone how
they came to the conclusion that I somehow owe them money.

Anyone got any suggestions as to what to do to get things sorted out,
other than the obvious (write to the debt collection agency and NTL)? I
have phoned the debt collection agency and they have put the debt "on hold".

TIA,

Anton

"Anton Gijsen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:445f72f0$0$5925$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I cannot believe this.
>
> Today, I recieved a letter forwarded on from my mother from my old address
> (where I haven't lived with NTL) for about 3 years now from a debt
> collection agency working on behalf of NTL. They want £33.07. I have never
> had an account with NTL, and the address in question is not even in an NTL
> cabled area!
>
> The only reason I can think of this letter having been sent is that my
> father has recently cancelled his NTL account at a completely different
> address, and even though he paid off his balance, he was (and probably
> still is) getting hassled from NTL and their debt collection cronies etc.
> He used to live at my old address as well, but hasn't done so for 6-7
> years. He has since moved out of the address in which he had an NTL
> account into a new place, where we both live.
>
> How they got my name and previous address I do not know, let alone how
> they came to the conclusion that I somehow owe them money.
>
> Anyone got any suggestions as to what to do to get things sorted out,
> other than the obvious (write to the debt collection agency and NTL)? I
> have phoned the debt collection agency and they have put the debt "on
> hold".
>
> TIA,
>
> Anton

Don't ignore it - do as you suggest write, and keep copies, to NTL and the
agency advising them that you have never been a customer and have no
knowledge of the debt. Don't rely on phone calls as they are easily
forgotten, by both parties, and keep a diary of all communications. Yes it
is a pain but may help if things escalate. Citizens Advice Beurau(?) will be
able to advise.

Peter

PS it's not difficult to find people these days, especially with unusual
surnames!

Peter Andrews wrote:

> Don't ignore it - do as you suggest write, and keep copies, to NTL and the
> agency advising them that you have never been a customer and have no
> knowledge of the debt. Don't rely on phone calls as they are easily
> forgotten, by both parties, and keep a diary of all communications.

I will do just that, thanks. I'm currently on hold on their customer
services helpline (0800 luckily) to try and get a good postal address to
write to in complaint.

> PS it's not difficult to find people these days, especially with unusual
> surnames!

True, but I want to know why they are chasing after me at my old
address, and having never had an account with NTL. They are truly
incompetent.

Cheers, Peter!

> How they got my name and previous address I do not know, let alone how
> they came to the conclusion that I somehow owe them money.

You could always point out to them that whoever the account belonged to,
the details should not be passed to you as its a breach of the data
protection act as you have nothing to do with it.

Not sure how it`d go down with them, but it could make for an
interesting conversation !

Colin Wilson wrote:
>> How they got my name and previous address I do not know, let alone how
>> they came to the conclusion that I somehow owe them money.
>
> You could always point out to them that whoever the account belonged to,
> the details should not be passed to you as its a breach of the data
> protection act as you have nothing to do with it.

Good point! I would, but I've given them enough points to clarify:

<start of copy n' paste>

1. That the “debt� has been cancelled and you will be taking no further
action.
2. How you got my name and address.
3. How you came to the conclusion that I somehow owe you money, when I
have never had an account with ntl: .
4. Why you are attempting to bill me at an address which isn’t in an
ntl: service area, and where I have not lived for 3 years.

<end of copy n' paste>

> Not sure how it`d go down with them, but it could make for an
> interesting conversation !

It would indeed, although I'll just be happy for them to answer the
questions above.

Anton Gijsen wrote

> Peter Andrews wrote:
>
> > Don't ignore it - do as you suggest write, and keep copies, to NTL and the
> > agency advising them that you have never been a customer and have no
> > knowledge of the debt. Don't rely on phone calls as they are easily
> > forgotten, by both parties, and keep a diary of all communications.
>
> I will do just that, thanks. I'm currently on hold on their customer
> services helpline (0800 luckily) to try and get a good postal address to
> write to in complaint.
>
> > PS it's not difficult to find people these days, especially with unusual
> > surnames!
>
> True, but I want to know why they are chasing after me at my old
> address, and having never had an account with NTL. They are truly
> incompetent.
>

Should you ever get a visit from the debt collection agency in the
future - Don't let them into your house to discuss the problem.

Davvid wrote:

> Should you ever get a visit from the debt collection agency in the
> future - Don't let them into your house to discuss the problem.

I won't, and I'll inform my mother not to. All discussion will be
partaken via the letterbox!

"Anton Gijsen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:445f72f0$0$5925$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I cannot believe this.
>
> Today, I recieved a letter forwarded on from my mother from my old address
> (where I haven't lived with NTL) for about 3 years now from a debt
> collection agency working on behalf of NTL. They want £33.07. I have never
> had an account with NTL, and the address in question is not even in an NTL
> cabled area!
>
If it is in a different name, send it back and tell them that person is not
known. If you can also prove it via the electoral register the debt
collection people could get into trouble. If they come near your address
and try to use threats or push their way in call 999. If there is no NTL
cable service at the address point this out. Don't do their work for them
if your father owes money or has used your address. You might want to speak
to him aswell.
I would never go near NTL again as I found them useless.
They doubled the prices on each service over a period of 2 years.

frank wrote:
> "Anton Gijsen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:445f72f0$0$5925$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I cannot believe this.
>>
>> Today, I recieved a letter forwarded on from my mother from my old address
>> (where I haven't lived with NTL) for about 3 years now from a debt
>> collection agency working on behalf of NTL. They want £33.07. I have never
>> had an account with NTL, and the address in question is not even in an NTL
>> cabled area!
>>
> If it is in a different name, send it back and tell them that person is not
> known. If you can also prove it via the electoral register the debt
> collection people could get into trouble. If they come near your address
> and try to use threats or push their way in call 999. If there is no NTL
> cable service at the address point this out. Don't do their work for them
> if your father owes money or has used your address. You might want to speak
> to him aswell.

Good points. I'm going to ask my mother whether or not there were any
letters from NTL arriving there, I told her not to forward me any mail
(until she spotted this one) as I wasn't expecting anything important to
arrive there any longer! Do you know of anywhere I can prove that I'm
not on the electoral register at that address?

Yeah, I've spoken to my father. He's going to have a go at NTL tomorrow
morning. The only time I've had NTL correspondance to that address when
I was living there, it was to request an ntl:world dial-up registration
CD (remember that fiasco?) on behalf of my father. I never signed up to
any NTL service from that address. This was about 6 years ago and I
never heard anything from them again in the 3 years I continued to live
there.

> I would never go near NTL again as I found them useless.

My dad was pleased with them, until he came to cancel... as has been
stated before he paid his balance off when he cancelled so doesn't owe
them any money.

Thanks Frank.

On 08 May 2006 17:34, Anton Gijsen wrote:

>and the address in question is not even in an NTL cabled area!

Which means nothing, as NTL did their 3-2-1p service with internet
access over BT lines some time back... cannot remember how far but
that alone isn't a "get out". Wish you luck with it all! As for
you being/not being at that address 3 years ago, the council may
have their electoral registration information - while you might
be better off proving you were registered wherever else you've
been during those three years, it really does come back to them
proving you owe them money, and rather than waste your time might
it be better to tell the debt collection people (a) they have the
wrong information, you don't owe any money and (b) you won't pay
anything, so they had better tell their clients to take it back
either for court action (where you will counter the claim, and
want compensation for distress to yourself and family, and your
time in dealing with their mistake, clarifying they had bad info
but still they chased this one. You may charge for say 3-5 hours
of your time, writing to them, phoning them, checking details to
be able to prove you have nothing to do with this, and then you
may convince them they're wasting their time on it. Peter M.