Old water bill - please advise

Cardew

mart.vader wrote: »

The point is, it's not the OP's liability, only eight months of it is. The question of who proves what, and when, is the sticking point.

I know that when I have received demands for payment for previous occupants of my flat, and been told by the "creditor" or the DCA that I have to prove that it's not my bill, by sending a tenancy agreement or something - I simply tell them that I don't owe them anything, and that I won't send them anything. I think it's for them to prove that it is my bill.

There is not any dispute that the OP would only be liable for the eight months until he left property.

However if he left without informing the water company and getting a final bill there is no way the water company would be aware that he had left property.

When they found out the bills were not being paid, and
their letters were unanswered, in the years after he left, they could
have knocked on the door and asked, or even looked at the electoral roll. If
they expect people to inform them that they have left an address, they are
hoping in vain. People generally just don't do it.


So, the bills may have continued to arrive in the OP's
name, although the liability should be for the new occupant ? Or if there is no
new occupant, for the owner ? So, either way it's not the OP's liability
?

Presumably the knocking on the door etc is exactly what happened and at the point when it was discovered someone else was the occupant, there was a £884 liability.

If people 'generally' don't inform water company(or gas/electricity/council tax) they are leaving property and provide meter readings where appropriate, this is exactly the situation that develops. The T&Cs state that you should inform water company when leaving.

There could have been a tenant in for a year, now long gone, who paid nothing. How were the water company to know?

It seems to me quite simple - the OP needs to prove that he left after 8 months. Otherwise the 'debt' will be on his credit record even if the matter doesn't end up in court.

If they expect people to inform them that they have left
an address, they are hoping in vain. People generally just don't do
it.

I cannot really believe that you think it is perfectly in order for a customer to leave a property without informing water company and getting a final bill.

mart.vader

samsmoot wrote: »

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way with the water. I've spent a lot of time looking at water legislation and the law says you need to notify them when you vacate a property or else they can assume you are still there until you tell them you're not - unless you can show otherwise.

OK - That I didn't know

Cardew wrote: »

I cannot really believe that you think it is perfectly in order for a customer to leave a property without informing water company and getting a final bill.

It may not be perfectly in order, but it must surely happen thousands of times per year.

Cardew

Originally Posted by Cardew


I cannot really believe that you think it is
perfectly in order for a customer to leave a property without informing water
company and getting a final bill.

mart.vader wrote: »

It may not be perfectly in order, but it must surely happen thousands of times per year.

Agreed, but probably in the majority of cases the new occupant contacts company and takes over payment.

Also a bill will be forwarded by the new occupant to the previous occupant.

That said there have been scores of people post similar experiences to the OP, albeit not after 10 years. i.e. being chased for a disputed outstanding debt because they didn't inform company they were leaving. Normally the chasing is done by a Debt Collection Agency.

Roe_2

Thanks guys for your input!

I have an appointment on Thursday lunchtime at the local CAB and they have promised that they will help...I am on the electoral roll from 2002 in a different part of the country as I moved up North, if the water co just did a lil bit of research they would know this!

I can also prove I was in a hospital in Lancashire in 2002, but for personal reasons I don't want to!

I am naffed off with the water co as I DID INFORM THEM I WAS LEAVING AT THE TIME and I had a finally bill and that in my name, and I was chased to my present address with a red bill and I paid it off about 5 years ago!

If they hadn't left it so long, it would be a lot easier to prove either way!

Cardew

Not sure I understand this post, you had a final bill in 2002 which you paid; and 5 years later in 2007/8 you got a Red bill at your present address which you also paid??

It would be highly unusual for you to be able run up a debt of £884 in 8 months especially after you had paid at least two bills.

If you have paid a final bill, and then 5 years later another bill, have you told the water company. Why did they not include the £884 in the red bill.

I can't help but feel we haven't got the whole story

Roe_2

Cardew wrote: »

Not sure I understand this post, you had a final bill in 2002 which you paid; and 5 years later in 2007/8 you got a Red bill at your present address which you also paid??


I paid the final bill in 2002 by DD but it was £20 short which i did not realise until it was too late...i got a bill 5 yrs later which i paid!


It would be highly unusual for you to be able run up a debt of £884 in 8 months especially after you had paid at least two bills.

I don't owe the £884 as I did not live at the previous address from 2002- 2007 which is what they are trying to bill me for!

If you have paid a final bill, and then 5 years later another bill, have you told the water company. Why did they not include the £884 in the red bill. I have told them and they seem to think that i still lived there even tho i informed them and paid the bills!!!

I can't help but feel we haven't got the whole story

And i have told you the whole story as far as i know! we lived with a weirdo who could have lied and not paid his share but i have no idea!!!!

spacey2012

If they took it to court, you could request they make available the accounts for the property in all names for the period for purposes of evidence.
They will have to explain who was paying it for what periods.
If they dont have it, they dont have a case.
.

Cardew

Roe wrote: »

And i have told you the whole story as far as i know! we lived with a weirdo who could have lied and not paid his share but i have no idea!!!!

The water bill isn't split with each occupant paying his share.

There is a named account holder who is responsible for the whole bill. Presumably that was yourself as you paid a final bill and then a further bill 5 years later.

Roe_2

He took over the water bill when we left and I did tell the water co and I also told them 5 years ago too and they said they knew that!

macman

He took it over, or said he would take it over?