Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

kerry3280

Well when I spoke to them today they said that the warrant had been granted but refused to let me have sight of it.

I'm going to contact the court tomorrow to confirm but if they have, I'm not sure there's anything I can do as I can't get them to overturn it on the basis that it should never have been issued can i?

System

Its got to be bluff, no supplier would take out a warrant in order to collect a mere £150 and no Magistrate would grant one neither when a warrant would cost a further £150. If the debt was around £800 I would take it more seriously. I presume the OP has refused a prepayment meter. A prepay meter, fitted with consent is one of the first ways to collect debt, and a payment plan.For only £150 in debit its implausible they would go down the warrant route

kerry3280

They haven't taken out the warrant for £150 though, they've taken it out for £350 - including the £200 they're demanding for a security deposit in the total. That's why I'm so aggrieved, I'm sure it can't be legal.

Davey63

Hi
If you read the response to my recent thread on the process Npower use regarding debt you will see the response/comments made by the Npower Rep. It seems a warrant is the final stage before all other options are tried. They should have offered you a payment plan and I think this is the general rule for all the energy suppliers. I've never heard of a security deposit being requested for such a relatively low level of debt. You can even move supplier with a debt still owing of up to £500, .

[Deleted User]

@kerry3280
Go to the Citizens Advice Bureau for help.

kerry3280

Unfortunately at this stage they will only accept the full debt. I've offered to clear the actual arrears, but they won't budge unless I pay the £200 'security deposit' as well.

kerry3280

gsmlnx wrote: »

@kerry3280
Go to the Citizens Advice Bureau for help.

I tried that. Unfortunately it seems that no one is sure of the legal position about this. I even contacted a lawyer on justanswer and paid for advice but they couldn't help! Seems like it might be a bit of a loophole and a very sneaky way of extorting 'deposits' from people.

LewisHamilton

Davey63 wrote: »

Hi
You can even move supplier with a debt still owing of up to £500, .

This is not true, only prepayment customers can transfer with a debt of £500.

The licence conditions do not specify an amount for other customers. Under the licence conditions an energy supplier can object to the transfer for any debt outstanding providing the debt is not under a genuine dispute or a result of the supplier's error.

LewisHamilton

kerry3280 wrote: »

I tried that. Unfortunately it seems that no one is sure of the legal position about this. I even contacted a lawyer on justanswer and paid for advice but they couldn't help! Seems like it might be a bit of a loophole and a very sneaky way of extorting 'deposits' from people.

Utility warehouse would get a spanking of Ofgem if they knew about this.

Do not pay the security deposit but do pay the arrears. Complain then go to the ombudsman.

There is no way Ofgem would accept this sort of practice if your case is as factually correct as you state.

dogshome

Hmmm - Certainly not a fan of UW, but to recruit 100's of no wage, commision only salesmen/women pushing UW onto family & friends, shows that the owners aren't daft, and unlikely to process Court Claims they can't win.
So if they are going down the 'Want deposit now road', it's likely that the T&C's that the customer signed, allow them to - Read the small print?