Water Bill Payment Plan - help needed!

dellfanatic

Hiya DFW people!

We've got a bill of £584.89 from Severn Trent - one payment of £64.97 was taken from our bank account leaving a balance of £519.92 - I've since cancelled the direct debit as the bill payer (my mother) is now on disability allowance and in no state to work.

There's no way she's going to be able to pay that, well she could, but then it'd have an adverse effect on living conditions. By the way - water meters - a neighbour has gone onto a water meter and is still paying roughly the same amount as before... so sadly it looks like a meter isn't going help.

I phoned Severn Trent and was met with little sympathy or understanding - I was duly informed that if the bill isn't paid by 20th June, they'll issue a notice of court action.

We've applied to the Seven Trent Trust Fund but they denied help, no reason cited. Not sure who they are supposed to help really :rolleyes:

What do I do? Apparently the trust will look more favourably at the case in a year's time if we've got arreas, but Seven Trent are giving two choices - pay £519.92 right now, 'or we'll take you to court'.

I'd like to offer monthly payment of less than £10 so that a) we can subsist till finances improve and b) so that we are more likely to get a grant next year as arrears will have built up - this is somethong I hate doing, but it looks like the trust penalises those who try to stay on top of their debt :rolleyes:

I hope someone can help point us in the right direction in how to get this monthly plan offered to them and how to stop this court action threat. What is court action anyway, I've never had this before - I assume we can defend it in front of the judge? The call centre made it sound like the judgement will happen and it'll go on my account whether I like it or not.

All suggestions are welcome, thanks!!

earwig

the problem with your water bill is the same as your gas and electric it is a piority bill and its not coverd by benefits so has to be paid is your mum getting all the benefits she is entiltled to if she is then as far as the water board will be concerend is she should have enough money to pay it check on entilted to .com to see she is getting everything she should if she is try the cab to see if they can help also if your mum is over 60 try age concern they will help if she dose get taken to court also you should be able to spilt the water bill into ten monthly payments

dellfanatic

Yes she's getting the disability payments every two weeks which is seemingly all that she is entitled to - I don't understand, how does anyone get into arrears with water companies? I see arrears as the way out of debt because only when arrears are present on the account will the trust fund look to give a grant for it. Sad but true and I think necessary. She's been penalised this year for keeping up her payments last year :rolleyes:

Also she isn't 60 yet but I'll check CAB for their advice, thanks

Sea78

Hi

I hope the CAB are able to help - I'm not sure of what you should do in this situation.

You could try entitledto.co.uk to see if your mum was eligible for any other benefits?

Sea xx

Optimist

£584.89 seems one heck of a bill. Have you queried that it is correct ? Is there a leak somewhere ?

Bunnie1982

Have you asked Severn Trent to set up a PPC (Payment Plan Concession) you can make this arrangement if you are struggling to pay the full amount.

You say your mum is on disability allowance, might be worth asking about Vulnerable Houehold Scheme. It usually only applies to metered accounts but its all down on who you speak to.

dellfanatic

Thanks again - Optimist - we're not on a meter - the house opposite went on a meter and they're not really any better off at all, so I'm a little dubious about doing the same!

Bunnie1982 that's really useful, the advisor didn't tell me about either of those schemes - the PPC sounds very interesting but I couldn't find any info on google about it, all I found was where they take it straight out of the disability allowance payment. This is all I find on their site, it only mentions the stupid trust fund that doesn't help people in need, doesn't have an appeals procedure and doesn't say why they're not helping out :rolleyes:

Regarding the Vulnerable Household Scheme - I found this on Severn Trent's site but one of the criteria are that she is responsible for three children under 19, and has a water meter Don't make it easy do they!!

I'm thinking of proposing that we pay a standard £10 a month for as long as she is in this situation, would that be enough to stave off their threats of court action??

Bunnie1982

If you propose an amount make sure it comes from CAB as Severn Trent will listen up more. Some of the call agents are not very compassionate, for my sins I worked for Severn Trent in their Credit Management Dept for about 3 months but I hope I was a bit more considerate to people.

Floss

I know from experience that United Utilities have a debt repayment schemee, whereby they match pound for pound everything that you pay (saved me over £1200 over 5 years of bills due to them being 18m delayed in sending my first bill)- does Severn Trent have anything like that?

Floss

dellfanatic

Thanks Floss - no it looks like the only scheme Severn Trent has is their "monthly payment scheme" where we'll actually pay £1000 ish over 12 months. They are idiots, or rather they are crooks... legalised crooks.

I've contacted the Seven Trent Trust Fund and they are being helpfully ambiguous with the reason for refusal, citing either incomplete info, or strains on their budget. Citizens Advice inform that they are aware of many successful applications, I'm waiting for a reply from CAB as the deadline for making a payment is 20th June.

They aren't being helpful at all. How does anyone build up arrears with the threat of "pay us now or face ccj action"?

The usual direct debit was £67.92 per month over 8 months, they are proposing £88 per month for the next 12 months. Yeah, see why I'm annoyed, not only will they get their balance but they'll also earn a nice bit of interest on it too, scumbags.

THanks for your continuing help I really appreciate it, sorry if this post is confused, I feel confused and angry at the moment!