Water Company chasing payment we don't owe. Advice?

welfayre

Hello,

Just looking for a bit of information. We've been based at our current premises for 10 years and have always paid our water/electric bills directly to the landlord (there's only one water meter between 3 business based at the premises).


Approximately a year ago we received a letter from a company claiming we owed £xxxx.xx amount in water rates. We informed them that we pay direct to landlord and sent a copy of our lease agreement to show this and said any problem with payments etc would need to be discussed with them. We heard nothing back so assumed they had sorted the matter with our landlord.


On Friday (19/09/2014) we received a call from a debt collection agency regarding the issue. Again we explained the situation and they said they'd look into it. On Monday we received a further two calls regarding the matter and another call and a letter today.

Basically I'm wondering if simply sending a standard "we don't owe the debt" letter from the below link will be enough to stop them contacting us?

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/S/sampleletters/sole-letters/Pages/Complaining-to-debt-collection-agencies-that-you-do-not-owe-the-debt-%28sole-name%29.aspx

Or do we need to go down a different route since we are a business??

AbbieCadabra

what charges are the water company chasing you for? do you perhaps pay your landlord for a % the metered use (& he gets billed direct by water co.) & this debt is for the surface water drainage based on site area? that's how ours works for our business premises. our water co. took about 6 years before they started billing us, even though they knew we were in occupation.

welfayre

Thanks for your reply


The payment to the landlord is for both the % of use and for our % of area for drainage.

We tried explaining to the water company that they'd need to speak to the landlord regarding the matter but they seem to have just not bothered and passed it on to this debt agency.

OhReally_2

welfayre wrote: »

Hello,

Just looking for a bit of information. We've been based at our current premises for 10 years and have always paid our water/electric bills directly to the landlord (there's only one water meter between 3 business based at the premises).


Approximately a year ago we received a letter from a company claiming we owed £xxxx.xx amount in water rates. We informed them that we pay direct to landlord and sent a copy of our lease agreement to show this and said any problem with payments etc would need to be discussed with them. We heard nothing back so assumed they had sorted the matter with our landlord.


On Friday (19/09/2014) we received a call from a debt collection agency regarding the issue. Again we explained the situation and they said they'd look into it. On Monday we received a further two calls regarding the matter and another call and a letter today.

Basically I'm wondering if simply sending a standard "we don't owe the debt" letter from the below link will be enough to stop them contacting us?

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/S/sampleletters/sole-letters/Pages/Complaining-to-debt-collection-agencies-that-you-do-not-owe-the-debt-%28sole-name%29.aspx

Or do we need to go down a different route since we are a business??

First thing is do NOT assume anything

So in the 10 years you have been a tenant of this premises, have you ever been sent a water bill?

It would seem really strange for a DCA to call you and speak to you about a bill that was never originally issued to you, particularly since it relates to an address you have been (and still are) a tenant of for the last 10 years.

Do not ignore any future correspondence, and ensure the landlord (if it really is his responsibility) pays the bills.
Water companies treat business supplies differently to domestic supplies. They don't usually mess about with too many niceties for business customers. If their bill is not paid, they issue notice and then come along and cut off the supply. There's a big charge to reconnect ... which of course they won't do unless the previous bill is paid (or an agreeable payment plan is put in place)