water company want me to pay via benefit

dirtyflannel

I have been claiming JSA for a few months and not been fortunate to find a job. As a result I fell slightly behind with my water rates that I paid monthly £40. I owe almost a month and a half so I rang and they wanted me to pay 54 pounds a month and I just couldnt afford it. They have arranged payment direct from my JSA benefit £12.85 per week are they allowed to do this ? Im a single person and am trying to get a water meter fitted to reduce my bill but I dont know if Im doing the right thing because my friend did so and got a shocker of a bill over £1000 for the year.

matelodave

If they have managed to get your money paid direct, then they obviously are allowed to do it. Surely from your point of view it must be better to get the bill paid in instalments that to get a big one at the end of a quarter or six months that you've no chance of paying.

Regarding a water meter, If your friend ended up with a £1000 bill then they must have been wasting vast quantities of the stuff or watering the garden every week or had a leak that's not been sorted out.

Having a meter should easily save you money if you are sensible with your use of water and don't waste it. We are at home all day everyday, use water sensibly and our bill is about £25 a month (£300 a year) - we use water to wash, flush toilets and in the shower. Its used in the dishwasher and washing machine and we also wash the cars, caravan and water the garden

samsmoot

Water Direct is acceptable if you have failed to keep to payment arrangements, but a month and a half behind with your current charges doesn't qualify unless you have made some sort of agreement over arrears that you failed to stick to - twice, according to the legislation, unless it has been updated recently.

The comment above from matelodave needs qualifying: 'If they have managed to get your money paid direct, then they obviously are allowed to do it' is correct in the sense that the DWP 'allow' it, but incorrect in the sense that the law does not allow it, in that it is unlawful in these circumstances, if I understand the situation correctly.

The last time I looked you needed to have failed to pay charges then have come to an agreement as to how you would pay, then if you failed that you'd get a second chance, then it could go for Water Direct or Third Party Deductions as it is also known.

I wouldn't stand for it. Have they started the deductions yet? I would write and tell them not to start or else, and if they have started then tell the DWP to stop the deductions - or else.

Someone correct me if they think my interpretation of the law is wrong: two failures to stick to a repayment agreement is needed for TPDs to be lawful, and it also has to be in the best interests of the family. Arrears of six weeks with no failure to stick to a repayment scheme is not sufficient in law for TPDs to be lawful.

What you have to know is that you can make them comply - with the help of a judge if that's what it takes - so do just that and don't take no for an answer.

You could perhaps pay little, or even nothing, and ask their charity for help with the arrears, but that's more for the extremely stroppy like myself. It's just that if it looks like you can pay, why would you need help?

Norman_Castle

If you have a meter fitted you can change back to unmetered billing in the first year.

dirtyflannel

Im with yorkshire water. I was paying instalments £20 per fortnight for the yearly bill but paid bit less on last 3 instalments hoping to catch up later. I just cant afford to pay this out of £70 jsa and I pay bedroom tax as well. They wanted me to pay £56 per month for these arrears which is impossible and hardship if i dont get a job soon. When I rang them they said they would take £12.85 per week from benefits and were sending the form to the DWP. Its slightly less but no consolation. Will DWP ask me if its ok to deduct this? I was told there is a maximum payment can be taken from benefits for debt whether this is true or not remains to be seen.

MothballsWallet

Sorry, but the pedant in me has to do this.

[OFF-TOPIC]
The "bedroom tax" isn't a tax, it's a reduction in benefit to cover rooms in a property that are seen as surplus or not needed based on the number of people occupying said property.
[/OFF-TOPIC]

mart.vader

Whoa there, dirtyflannel,

Mothballswallet was only reacting to your term "bedroom tax", I don't think there was any criticism of you.

Have you applied to their community trust ? > http://www.yorkshirewater.com/your-account/help-with-your-bill.aspx

samsmoot

Like I said, deductions are probably unlawful under these circumstances so I'd write and tell Yorkshire not to make the application but more importantly I'd threaten the DWP/JCP not to make the deductions. Tell them that it would be unlawful to make TPDs and that if they do you will make a civil claim for recovery of any money taken from your benefit for water charges.

They can't make the deductions simply because you have fell a bit behind. You have to stand up to these lawbreakers.

matelodave

I think those who call it a bedroom tax should actually be aware that anyone who was in private as opposed to social housing have only been allowed a rent allowance that reflects the number of rooms they "need" as opposed to "want" for the last 7-8 years. If they wanted more rooms then they had to pay the extra above the housing allowance from another source.

The reduction in rent allowance to reflect needs instead of wants is only now catching up with what been happening in the private sector for several years.

I "want" another couple of bedrooms, but I can't afford it so I live in a place that I can afford with as many rooms as I need. Likewise I make sure the important bills like rent, rates, water and energy are paid before I can even contemplate stuff like mobile phones, Sky/Virgin, broadband, drinking, smoking or even the lottery - we even had a period of several years when we had our landline phone disconnected as it was a cost we couldn't afford.

mart.vader

matelodave wrote: »

Likewise I make sure the important bills like rent, rates, water and energy are paid before I can even contemplate stuff like mobile phones, Sky/Virgin, broadband, drinking, smoking or even the lottery - . . . . .

Even the lottery ? Man, you were really roughing it !

samsmoot

Actually, dirtyflannel, I too thought you were a bit harsh on MothballsWallet. There seemed to be no ill intention behind the pedantry, and so it seems you took offence a bit too easily there.

Having said that I completely understand your predicament, and your attitude. but what you need to do is direct your ire at the right people, which is the scumbags that want to steal your money.

Help can be had with a draft letter if you want this resolved my way.