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Help with Severn trent water

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Hi there!

Im new to the forum ;)

Ive got a problem with severn trent, we moved here to a rented property just over 1 year ago. The landlord paid the outstanding water bill before we moved in.

Since moving in we have paid 3 bills, one cash over the counter at a post office, another cash again over the counter at HSBC and one over the phone by debit card. During last month we recieved a letter from them saying that there was no-one at the property and they where going to turn the water off. I called them to say that we had been living there and they asked for my details and how long we have been living in the property etc. We had been paying the bills under an 'occupier' account.

Few days later we recieve a bill for the whole of last years water and 2010's. I called severn trent and explained we had paid all the bills we had sent. She recognised that 3 bills had been paid under the occupier account, however would only allocate the payment over the phone by debit card. The other two that had been paid cash over the counter at the bank and post office she wouldnt allocate without proof. Unfortantley the reciepts have now been thrown away and we have no proof that we have paid, dispite nothing is owed to this address. Severn trent have told us that we will still have to PAY!!!!! I even told them exactly where the bills were paid into and roughly how much for!

I dont understand why I should pay again when this property has been paid for if you understand what I mean. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was refused!

Does anyone know what I can do!???

Any advice would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long post!

Many Thanks

Samba

Comments

  • Rikki
    Rikki Posts: 21,625 Forumite
    You haven't been able to pay a water bill at the Post Office for some years. Or at banks I believe.

    It has to be done either by sending a cheque, at any PayPoint using a Severn Trent water card, internet, direct debit or OneBill from Moneyway.

    Also you should keep the bills and the receipts for at least a few years.
    £2 Coins Savings Club 2012 is £4 :).............................NCFC member No: 00005.........

    ......................................................................TCNC member No: 00008
    NPFM 21
  • nikkimaclean
    nikkimaclean Posts: 51 Forumite
    Hi

    Write in and state how much you roughly paid and when!

    If it is on an Occupier account, tbh there should be no problem in transferring payments, especially if they made during the time you have been responsible for the property.

    Often the agents on the phone do not understand or hae authority to transfer payments. Always write in in these cases where staff have time to apply a bit of common sense
  • Nikki - Thanks for the advice will be writing to them!

    Rikki - Yes, youre able to do so, states it all on the back of the bills.
  • Rikki
    Rikki Posts: 21,625 Forumite
    sambatiki wrote: »
    Nikki - Thanks for the advice will be writing to them!

    Rikki - Yes, youre able to do so, states it all on the back of the bills.

    These are the payment options stated on the back of a Severn Trent Water bill are:-

    1: Sending a Cheque,
    2: any PayPoint using a Severn Trent water card,
    3: Internet,
    4: Direct Debit
    5: OneBill from Moneyway.
    £2 Coins Savings Club 2012 is £4 :).............................NCFC member No: 00005.........

    ......................................................................TCNC member No: 00008
    NPFM 21
  • Gothicfairy
    Gothicfairy Posts: 3,060 Forumite
    You paid on an occupier account. Therefor it was not registered in your name. How are they to know YOU made those payments ?

    You could be living in a student house with many tenants and all could claim to have made the payments. You could have lived with a partner who has now left and they claim to have made the payments etc etc.

    The computer system does not show where the payment was made and a rough guess at the amount might not have been enough cos you might have been out somewhat.

    Nikki it is nothing to do with common sense it is about legal proof. No one at the water company knows how many people were living there and who was paying the bills. The landlord might also come back and say "oh I paid the bill by mistake" See the problem ?

    To be honest (no offense meant) it is not common sense to pay a bill that is not in your name. I wouldn't and I bet most wouldn't as if it aint in your name how do you know it is yours and right ? Every utility company have named accounts for their customers and that is how it works. I am not sure why it comes as a shock that a water company have the same rules.

    Sorry but I do get a bit tired of people moaning about companies that follow their rules (Which in this case makes perfect sense) when really it is the customer who started the problem.

    I should also like to point out that the original post said WE..So who is the we and which we made the payment ? Surely you can see the problem any company might have ?
    There is a race of men that don't fit in; A race that can't stand still;
    So they break the hearts of kith and kin, and roam the world at will.

    Robert Service
  • As far as I am concerned my previous post still stands..

    I will be interested to see how this turns out
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