Just found out that the flat i'm due to move into is black listed! advice please

Simon_B_2

Just phoned up Virgin Media to get a deal with them regards my phone and internet and went through to the credit checks and it appears that they have previous accounts that went unpaid at the new address and I will need to give Virgin a £100 deposit before i can take out a contract.

Can't speak to the letting agency till tommorrow but i'm pretty annoyed its clearly related to the flat and not myself as the customer service agent has explained.

Will this affect anything else, i obviously want to be paying my TV license and Council Tax in monthly installments as well as water, gas and electric.

chilli_dog

THere are no black lists for property, its always done on people.

When you move in get yourself on the electroal role asap then get a copy of your credit file

http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/index.html

Simon_B_2

chilli_dog wrote: »

THere are no black lists for property, its always done on people.

When you move in get yourself on the electroal role asap then get a copy of your credit file

http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/index.html

Does this mean that the black list on the flat will be removed after i move in and get on the electroal role, assuming that my credit is fine?

chilli_dog

I think once your on the electoral role and all your banks accounts and other finance is moved to your new address things should get better for you.

Had the same prob in 1998 when we moved ibto this house, even had bailiffs knocking at the door.

noyk

It wouldn't suprise me if companies can hold seperate data from credit reference agencies and be subject to different rules as well. You'll probably be fine with any company that the previous occupants didn't defraud/not pay bills to.

thesaint

noyk wrote: »

It wouldn't suprise me if companies can hold seperate data from credit reference agencies and be subject to different rules as well. You'll probably be fine with any company that the previous occupants didn't defraud/not pay bills to.

This is the case.

A company can choose to not deal with an address if they so choose.

Usually they will either ask for a deposit or proof of previous address.
Some tenants run up bills and then say that that person has left the address and run up the bills again and so on.

epz_2

blacklists may be against propertys rather people but you need to remember 1 important thing, virginmeda are morons.

seriously if you really need them then be prepaired to deal with a lot of hassle, their retentions guys are the only clued up ones and as a new customer you have no chance.

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

appears that they have previous accounts that went unpaid at the new address and I will need to give Virgin a £100 deposit


Maybe the LL is to blame ! not running proper CREDIT CHECKS on previous tenants.

Scottish Power will do the same BUT only after repeated payment problems at a property.

kingkano

Alot of companies will do this. Its stupid because it doesnt reflect on the person moving in at all, its the prior tenants who didnt pay!! (BT sometimes do it as well)

olly300

Simon_B wrote: »

Will this affect anything else, i obviously want to be paying my TV license and Council Tax in monthly installments as well as water, gas and electric.

It may affect your council tax if they have run off without paying. If you contact the water, gas and electricity companies immediately and inform them when you have moved in by telephone or by writing you should be all right.

I've lived in a property where the previous occupants didn't pay the council tax so when we got a council tax bill it was always a final demand for payment even though our names where completely different. This was revealed by a quick call to the local council. We then sorted out monthly direct debit payments from someone's bank account.

I've since had problems with council tax for a different reasons and what I've learnt is-
1. Contact the council by telephone asap, and try and sort the issue out.
2. If telephoning them doesn't sort the issue out i.e. they are sending final demands (for you or anyone else who use to live in the property), threatening bailiffs write a letter to them and send it via recorded delivery. Ask for an acknowledgement in 14 days in the letter as most council's have to reply to you in 10 days.
3. If the letter doesn't work i.e. you still get more bailiff letters, write a letter with the title "Formal Complaint" to the Director of Finance in your local council and sent it by recorded delivery.
4. If this still doesn't work go and see your local MP in person in their surgery.

TV licensing are a law on to themselves so I wouldn't worry about them. They send threatening letters to addresses even if there is a license in someone's name in the address.

The water company should be all right if you get in touch with them asap and pay by direct debit, as if you are on rates you have to pay in advance.

Gas and electricity companies as long as you phone them up immediately, set up an account and give them regular readings shouldn't give you hassle. If they start chasing the previous occupants just phone them up and inform them that you are not them which you may have to do twice. (If you switch then you may have some problems.) Also if you notice you are not getting billed then you must write to them and demand a bill. Don't do it over the telephone as unfortunately some customer service staff have a habit of not putting information which they feel is complicated into the system.

Simon_B_2

Spoken to Council today and apparently paying tax will be fine in installments.

Spoken to a friend who works in the Customer service department of my local water company (always handy), and apparently i will be fine paying installments with them too. But a previous occupier does still have outstanding bills for whole duration of his occupany so i'm guessing that hes the culprit.

Also spoken to Virgin again and a very nice lady told me that it really shouldn't be my problem so they have taken my details and are sending the modem out on monday without making me pay the £100 deposit, apparently they have been having problems with there systems rejecting people, so hopefully thats sorted too :T