Northumbria water and debt collectors

soccermom

Hope this is in the right place. Sorry if not.

In 2008 we sold our house and moved into a rental in aug 2008 until Feb 2009 with a 6 month contract until we moved to Australia.

We paid all utilities and informed all the necessary people we were moving out and paid all bills.

However 2 weeks ago we got a debt collection letter in the uk telling us that we owed money to them from Aug 2008 to June 2009. I spoke to the bank and they confirmed all the payments we had made for our time in the house and I then spoke to Northumbria water who said they needed proof of our rental agreement which we managed to get which showed Aug 2008 to Feb 2009 and sent it off to the collection agency as NW requested.

However the debit collection agency is now saying that thats not good enough they want proof of where we were from February 2009 to June 2009, getting this info is more tricky. Apparently a 6 month rental contract does not prove we didn't move back in without a contract????? so we have to prove we didn't move back in.

Does any of this make sense

They have requested passports, stamps, airplane tickets (don't have) if we have them etc.

My husband (the bill is in his name) did not have a passport stamp for when we arrived in Australia not sure why as me and the kids did but it is stamped coming back, this is not enough proof apparently.


NW claim they have no record of me telling them, I definitely did as I contacted them at the same time as the council tax and followed the same proceedure as we did when we sold our home, we had no problem with that.

I have learn't my lesson and now everything goes recorded delivery after a similar incident with hubbies 3 mobile account.

All paperwork from Australia was shredded when we left and have no formal rental agreement from over there so can't even ask an estate agent.

I'm not sure where we go from here the only proof hubby has of being there is a stamp coming back.

Is all this normal? shouldn't the initial rental agreement be enough? Not sure where we go from here we seem to be at a stalemate.

Any suggestions or advice please.

Much appreciated.

Cardew

Once you have the 'Bloodhounds' i.e. the Debt Collection Agency!(DCA) on your case they are not interested in anything other than getting money!

You can try and contact the Consumer Council for Water and see if they will help.

Also you might get better advice on how to deal with the dreaded DCA on the 'Debt Free wannabe' forum on MSE, they are used to dealing with these people! Just 'cut and Paste your post in that forum.

soccermom

Cardew wrote: »

Once you have the 'Bloodhounds' i.e. the Debt Collection Agency!(DCA) on your case they are not interested in anything other than getting money!

You can try and contact the Consumer Council for Water and see if they will help.

Also you might get better advice on how to deal with the dreaded DCA on the 'Debt Free wannabe' forum on MSE, they are used to dealing with these people! Just 'cut and Paste your post in that forum.

Thank you Cardew I will do that, wasn't sure where to put it tbh

Gothicfairy

If it were me I would send the rental agreement to NW and a letter explaining what happened..Make them write back to you and there is a good chance they will close the account and sort the debt out their end. Go through NW rather then the debt collectors as they are the ones that need to close the account or put in writing what you owe and why they will not accept your proof, as far as I know a tenancy agreement would be acceptable and although a stamp on a passport would be great you could always get a letter from the job in OZ and that would prove that your husband was hardly popping home for weekends.


Then all you need to do is tell the debt collectors to go swing...after all what are they going to do ? Take you to court, maybe but you show the letter to the judge and end of case.

soccermom

Northumbria water has told us they are no longer dealing with the matter and want all correspondance to go throught the debt collections. As far as they are concerned they are now the third party and will only deal with me through them.

I rang them after I got all my payment details from the bank.

I managed to find a receipt from a deposit made for a rental dated 3/2/09 with queensland govt printed on the header, it is crumpled and has a coffee stain but thats all I have.

His work contract is in storage in Australia with the rest of our belongings for when we return so that is a no go.

Thanks for your help.

Gothicfairy

Soccermom

I know what NW will say which is why I said write to them.
They have to reply ( no choice and it has to be within 5 working days for a non complaint)

You say that you have no wish to deal with the debt collection agency as you paid your bill through NW and as far you were concerned when you left the country the matter was sorted out and resolved.
Unless they close the account it will always be a problem and trust me, They can get the account back from the debt company. It goes in a batch run 24 to 48 hours after the account is closed and the bill settled (be that paid or written off)

Don't ring anyone..Only write and at this stage it might be best going down the CROSS complaint route as that will be listed in their yearly stats and as I said , they have to reply although a complaint is 10 working days.

This is a very simple fix for the non standard change of occupier team so don't give up with NW, they can fix this and should.
The debt company can do nothing more then collect the debt, that is their job. They are not going to look into it or sort it out..

soccermom

Hi GF I have no problem dealing with the debt collection agency. Northumbrian Water don't want to deal with me and are demanding we speak only to DC agency which is fine.

The trouble is the debt collection agency want us to prove where we were from feb to June 2009 and all NW want is tenancy agreement just wish they would be both asking for the same thing.

Thanks again.

Cardew

soccermom wrote: »

Hi GF I have no problem dealing with the debt collection agency. .

You must be unique then;)

They have 'bought the debt' and have no interests in the merits of your case - they want their money!!

The obvious problem will be getting a black mark on your credit record - it almost certainly won't end up in court; despite threats.

Gothicfairy

Problem is though, that until the account is closed the debt collections will carry on...You need NW to close the account and only they can do that.
They can sort it out and it would really need to be done through them as the account is for a service used at a property during a period that is in question.

But if you wish to go through the debt company then there is nothing else you can do other then provide the proof they have asked for..As they are not going to close the matter without it.