bill, charges, problems...

sarafox

Hello,
i have lil problem and I need help..
I had a direct debit set up with Thames water , for the whole pass year..
last month i got a bill saying that i was in arrears... i called them because before that i did not get nay bill...and set up a new direct debit..
few days ago i was looking at my bank statement and noticed that the bank charged me £35 ( 2 times) because i didn't have enough money to make a payment...
I called the bank and they told me that previously Thames water tried to collect a payment of £375 and because i didn't have enough money to pay the payment didn't go out ..and that should be Thames water to pay back my charges.
Who should be paying my charge back?
Is Thames water allowed to change my direct debit without my permission/ conses?
what should i do??
I have £70 less in my bank acc. and honestly done nothign wrong ..i ALWAYs pay my bills:mad: and i didnt get any letter saying that a new bill was due,or that they woudl chagne my direct debit..
please help
thankssssssss;)

Cardew

If you sign a variable Direct Debit mandate, with any company, you give them the authority to take any sum from your account that see fit to take.

HOWEVER under the Direct Debit guarantee they must give you written notice in advance that they will be taking out a larger sum.

I suggest that you look at the bill saying you were in arrears, because it is very likely that Thames have stated in the small print at the bottom that they would be taking the £375.

If that notification was not there, I suggest you tell the bank that you had received no notification of the increased Direct Debit they should refund the money to you. However I suspect that they will pass the buck to Thames Water.

sarafox

that is What the bank did when i called them..
the person on the phone said is Thames water that should pay you back!!
Thames water keeps saying that they sent me a letter..but i DIDnt get any..it would have been stupid of me knowing that they were going to take that amount out if i couldn't afford.
and Thames water tried to collect the money before i received the arrears letter.. .what should i do??

Cardew

Are you certain that the "bill saying that I was in arrears" you got last month hasn't notified you that they were to take the £375?? In small print at the bottom?

If you are certain that you haven't had any notification, then tell the Bank that under the Direct Debit Guarantee you want the payments refunded as you had not received notification of the increase in Direct Debit.

sarafox

I just checked my bill there is not a small print saying that ...they just say that further action will be taken if i don't pay...
and there is another odd, that i didn't notice before on the bill they charge me 297.00 but they have actually tried to take out more... strange...
is there anything i can say specifically when I'll call the bank to sound more like i know..more ??:p

thanks

Cardew

Just quote the Direct Debit Guarantee to your bank.

That guarantee is between you and the bank i.e. they guarantee that if the correct conditions have not been met, they will refund any money paid out.

As you were not notified of the £375 demand Thames Water made, you should not have penalty charges.

sarafox

hi I just finished talking to the bank, and they will refund me just £35 , and i was told that the company should refund me the other £35, because they changed the amount form as little as £25 to £375 direct debit...
and plus they gave me a condition ..like if something like this will happen in the next 12 months not refund will be given!!

now iv got to deal; with Thames water to get my other £35 ..what should i say...
Thanks

Cardew

That their failure to give you notice of the £375 DD has cost you £35 in bank charges and the Bank refuse to refund it; if Thames won't refund it you will put in a complaint to Ofgem.