Not much time to pay my bill!

Code_Red

At the beginning of the month I received a bill from Southern Water for £330. Actually, that's quite low compared to previous bills but that's not the issue.

The bill is dated the 2nd of Sept, but it was about the 6th before it dropped on my mat. The bill asked for the full balance to be paid "immediately". Naturally, I didn't have that amount of cash floating around until the end of the month when I get paid.

I've now had a red "Final Notice" letter from them - no other reminders or warnings in between. This is dated the 19th of Sept and it arrived this morning (23rd). It's giving me ten days to pay up or else. I always thought that there was a standard 30 days to pay bills within, or is this just my fevered imagination?

I'm no fan of EDF, but when I get my leccy or gas bill, which are much lower I always get a gentle reminder a few weeks later and I have to be over a month late (which has happened on occasion) before they start getting heavy with me and sending final demands etc.

I also think that if they're going to start chucking time limits around they should at least have the decency to send it out First Class rather than using it to rest their coffee cup on for a few days before sending it out...

HappyMJ

Code_Red wrote: »

At the beginning of the month I received a bill from Southern Water for £330. Actually, that's quite low compared to previous bills but that's not the issue.

The bill is dated the 2nd of Sept, but it was about the 6th before it dropped on my mat. The bill asked for the full balance to be paid "immediately". Naturally, I didn't have that amount of cash floating around until the end of the month when I get paid.

I've now had a red "Final Notice" letter from them - no other reminders or warnings in between. This is dated the 19th of Sept and it arrived this morning (23rd). It's giving me ten days to pay up or else. I always thought that there was a standard 30 days to pay bills within, or is this just my fevered imagination?

I'm no fan of EDF, but when I get my leccy or gas bill, which are much lower I always get a gentle reminder a few weeks later and I have to be over a month late (which has happened on occasion) before they start getting heavy with me and sending final demands etc.

I also think that if they're going to start chucking time limits around they should at least have the decency to send it out First Class rather than using it to rest their coffee cup on for a few days before sending it out...

What is the "or else"? I am about 6 years in arrears with the water bill and I can tell you not much happens. Pay it whenever you want to.

Code_Red

I got a phone call from them today chasing up the payment. The guy asked when I could pay, I told him on Friday when I get paid. He then asked me if I could make a "symbolic payment" in the meantime. I resisted the urge to tell him where he could stick his symbolic payment, I stuck to my guns and told him they'll have it on Friday.

This is so out of order, the bill isn't even a month old and they're getting heavy with me! They never used to be this bad, is this part of some new heavy-handed approach they're trying with everyone?

DVardysShadow

Code_Red wrote: »

I got a phone call from them today chasing up the payment. The guy asked when I could pay, I told him on Friday when I get paid. He then asked me if I could make a "symbolic payment" in the meantime. I resisted the urge to tell him where he could stick his symbolic payment, I stuck to my guns and told him they'll have it on Friday.

This is so out of order, the bill isn't even a month old and they're getting heavy with me! They never used to be this bad, is this part of some new heavy-handed approach they're trying with everyone?

Yeah, they take your card details and charge the whole lot, I imagine. Debt Collection agencies do this sort of thing frequently - and even if this came from the Water Company itself, it would be from the part of the office nearest the door to the Debt Collection Agency.