How can I stop Ovo Energy from sending threatening letters?

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Since last year Ovo Energy, and before that Bulb Energy, have been sending me increasingly threatening letters demanding payment of an unpaid bill.

The letters are addressed to someone who has never lived here. We live in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, and a simple Google search shows that the correct full address for this person is Cwmcych, a village five miles away in Pembrokeshire.

However, the village names have somehow been switched, and Ovo is writing to them using Cenarth and our postcode.

We are not and have never been customers of either Ovo or Bulb. We are with So Energy. I have called and emailed numerous times to explain this, but the letters keep coming.

I rang the Ovo collections team to explain the situation and was told: “We know it’s nothing to do with you, so throw the letter away.” I find this response completely unacceptable, particularly as the letters refer to potential court orders.

Last October, Bulb acknowledged the error and sent us a compensation cheque. However, it was made out to the same person as the final demand letters. This came as no surprise given our experience of the administrative incompetence of Bulb and now Ovo.

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This ongoing harassment is causing me considerable stress. The most recent letter I have received is from a debt collection agency. I just want the letters to stop.

GW, Cenarth

The Consumer Champions inbox is unfortunately full of tales of people struggling to resolve issues with energy companies. These letters have understandably been causing you anguish.

The original debt was for just £27.53, but the most recent letter from the debt collection agency shows that figure has risen to £94.19.

The muddle, no doubt complicated by the collapse of Bulb last year, has had no impact on the energy supply to either property, but the threat of legal action is of course very worrying.

After we got in touch, Ovo promised to get to the bottom of this issue. It has waived the outstanding balance on this account and confirms it has now been closed. This should mean an end to the letters. If any more arrive, you should return them to sender.

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