What to do if…
you receive a utility bill or notice for an address where you have never lived

What to do now

1. Check whether the notice is genuine before you engage. Search for the supplier’s official website yourself and use the contact details shown there, not the details on the notice. If the notice looks suspicious, treat it as a possible scam and pause before sharing personal information.

2. Contact the utility’s fraud, identity, or new accounts team. Say clearly:

   • you have never lived at the address on the notice
   • you did not open or authorise the account
   • you want the account flagged as not yours or suspected fraud
   • you want billing, collections, and credit reporting paused while they investigate, or the nearest hold they can apply

3. Ask for the key outcomes in writing.

   • A case or reference number
   • Confirmation that the account is closed, removed from your details, or being investigated as not yours
   • Confirmation that you are not being treated as liable while the dispute is investigated
   • Confirmation that any credit reporting in your name will be prevented, corrected, or removed if already reported
   • The safest place to send any evidence they request

4. Make a quick paper trail.

   • Photograph or scan the notice and envelope
   • Note the date, time, phone number or email route used, who you spoke to, and any reference number
   • If proof is needed, give the minimum they ask for, such as one document showing your actual address

5. Check your UK credit files for the unfamiliar address.

   • Check Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion for the unknown address, new accounts, searches you do not recognise, or a utility-related default.
   • If you find anything wrong, dispute it with the utility and the credit reference agency and ask for correction or removal.
   • If an organisation holds inaccurate personal data about you, you can ask it to correct it.

6. Add protection if your details may be being misused.

   • Consider Cifas Protective Registration if you think someone is using your identity details. It is a paid service and may make genuine applications take slightly longer because extra checks can be applied.

7. Report it if it looks like identity fraud.

   • If you live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, report fraud or cyber fraud through Report Fraud.
   • If you live in Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland, usually by calling 101 for a non-emergency.
   • Keep the report reference for the utility and any debt collector.

8. If a debt collector contacts you, keep it simple and written.

   • Say: “I dispute this debt. I have never lived at that address. Please put everything in writing and refer this back to the utility.”
   • Keep copies of any letters or emails you send.

9. Escalate through the right complaints route if the utility does not fix it.

   • For a gas or electricity supplier in Great Britain, complain to the supplier first. If it is unresolved after eight weeks, or you receive a deadlock letter sooner, you can escalate to the Energy Ombudsman.
   • For energy or water in Northern Ireland, complain to the provider first. If you do not receive a response or you are unhappy with the outcome, you can contact the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
   • For water in England or Wales, complain to the water company or retailer first. If you receive a final response and are still unhappy, or you have waited 8 weeks, you can contact the Consumer Council for Water.
   • For Scottish Water, follow its complaints process first. If you receive a final decision and are still unhappy, check whether the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman can look at it.
   • For broadband or phone, complain to the provider first. If it is unresolved after at least six weeks, or you receive a deadlock letter sooner, you can use the provider’s approved ADR scheme, usually CISAS or Communications Ombudsman.