Had a demand from AW for a 5yr old property

aldredd

Hi all, not sure what to do with this one.
I've just had a series of letters from Anglian Water (well, a DCA on their behalf!) demanding £200 for a property I moved out of 5 years ago.

It's the first I've heard about any of this, so I'm pretty shocked. What's annoying me is that I really have no way of knowing whether or not I really do owe this money. If I do, fine - but I'm not convinced - I recall doing meter readings when I moved out, with the Letting Agent, and they were provided a forwarding address.
Plus, I've been an AW customer again for the last 4 years (ie, 1 year gap between where I wasn't) and like i say - first I've heard of this, and via a DCA at that, so I'm not best pleased.

What should my approach be? Try and get them to send me historic statements and reconcile against my bank records (where I still have the history)? I think at the time I was paying quarterly.
How could this impact my current account with them / credit file - can they apply a retrospective default?

thanks!

Wywth

aldredd wrote: »

Hi all, not sure what to do with this one.
I've just had a series of letters from Anglian Water (well, a DCA on their behalf!) demanding £200 for a property I moved out of 5 years ago.

It's the first I've heard about any of this, so I'm pretty shocked. What's annoying me is that I really have no way of knowing whether or not I really do owe this money. If I do, fine - but I'm not convinced - I recall doing meter readings when I moved out, with the Letting Agent, and they were provided a forwarding address.
Plus, I've been an AW customer again for the last 4 years (ie, 1 year gap between where I wasn't) and like i say - first I've heard of this, and via a DCA at that, so I'm not best pleased.

What should my approach be? Try and get them to send me historic statements and reconcile against my bank records (where I still have the history)? I think at the time I was paying quarterly.
How could this impact my current account with them / credit file - can they apply a retrospective default?

thanks!

You say you lived at the property 5 years ago.
Did you pay any water/sewrage bills to AW at that time?
If not, who do you think should have been paying for your services?

Cardew

We have many posts on similar cases.

There is no point in corresponding with the DCA on the matter - they are not interested in the merits of the situation.

Your first port of call is the letting agency who would appear not to have sent your forwarding address to Anglian Water.

Also Anglian should be able to provide bills for the period.

aldredd

Wywth wrote: »

You say you lived at the property 5 years ago.
Did you pay any water/sewrage bills to AW at that time?
If not, who do you think should have been paying for your services?

Of course I did - I've already started I was billed quarterly. Why is it I ask a question about a bill I receive out the blue and the first assumption is that I never paid a penny?

aldredd

Cardew wrote: »

We have many posts on similar cases.

There is no point in corresponding with the DCA on the matter - they are not interested in the merits of the situation.

Your first port of call is the letting agency who would appear not to have sent your forwarding address to Anglian Water.

Also Anglian should be able to provide bills for the period.

Thanks - who's responsibility would it have been to inform Anglian? I would assume mine, but would have trusted the la to have passed this on - I did get copies, but can't be sure a copy went to Anglian

Cardew

aldredd wrote: »

Thanks - who's responsibility would it have been to inform Anglian? I would assume mine, but would have trusted the la to have passed this on - I did get copies, but can't be sure a copy went to Anglian

I agree that IMO 'legally' it would have been your responsibility to have dealt with Anglian as you are the customer, and the LA works for the Landlord.

You might be able to establish with Anglian the period(dates) of the outstanding £200 bill. If the end date is well after you left the property(and you can prove that fact) they might be prepared to reconsider.

However just to repeat, deal with LA and Anglian - not the DCA.

samsmoot

Stretch things out until the bill is over six years old and they will be out of time to take you to court anyway.

So, dispute the charges to start with - admit to owing nothing, then if it looks like court is near, write to your water company's charity for help (as you are too poor to pay) and that'll prolong things further and should stop the court action.

The DCA may pass it back if it's disputed, but yes, get them to detail their demands so you can see if you do actually owe money, then just keep up the correspondence until the six years are up.

deanos

dont think there is a 6yr thing with water ?

samsmoot

deanos wrote: »

dont think there is a 6yr thing with water ?

Why wouldn't there be? It's a money claim in a County Court.

deanos

i thought i have seen it mentioned on here there is no time limit

Cardew

deanos wrote: »

i thought i have seen it mentioned on here there is no time limit

Are you sure you are not thinking of Council Tax?

The 6 years applies if no formal court action is taken or the customer acknowledges the debt.