Southern water default received 6 years after last bill

Altfi

Hi there,

I had discovered default on my account dated 16 th July 2014. Never knew about it and it was connected to my water bill from property I have left on 31st october 2007. When I left I did believe that new tennant will start paying bills as I knew them, but they did not ever register themsleves and all that time it was under my name. I have contacted original landlord and provided relevant documents to the southern water. They did agree to take this into consideration and rearranged the bill for me till 31st october 2007.
My problem is I have ended up with fresh default for the account that is over 7 years old now. When I have complained to them, they said that they cannot do anything with this as there was bill from 26th april 2012, which remained unpaid. This bill also triggered the default notice on 18th March 2013 and this was finally registered as default on 16th july 2014. Last payment received from me was on 16th July 2007. I have to say that due to moving from the address I have never received any notice of default.

I do accept that I have made a mistake of not registering when I have moved out, but I still feel it is very unfair to issue default 7 years after last payment was made towards this account. As my complaint was closed with Southern water, what would be my next step to get this removed if possible?

Thanks for advice.

GingerBob_3

Not sure how to deal with this particular situation. The CRAs won't assist you, so I guess you'll have to keep complaining to Southern Water.

A note of caution about dealings with water companies. Never provide them with uniquely identifiable information about yourself, such as full name and date of birth. Ideally let them know you as "The Occupier".

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

GingerBob wrote: »

Not sure how to deal with this particular situation. The CRAs won't assist you, so I guess you'll have to keep complaining to Southern Water.

A note of caution about dealings with water companies. Never provide them with uniquely identifiable information about yourself, such as full name and date of birth. Ideally let them know you as "The Occupier".

Not just water, any utilities including phone. What I call junk or toxic credit agreements. Unregulated. Ones where they have jumped on the reporting bandwagon recently but have poor working systems that nause up your credit file and you struggle to put it right because that department doesn't speak to the public.

British Gas I think pioneered this utility reporting and caused quite a thread on here about it a few years back. I dumped them immediately citing their decision to pass my data to a third party as the reason to leave. Dumped their boiler service plan too as a result.

Far better they report about The Occupier with no name than destroy your credit file.

I am surprised that isn't an MSE tip. Set your bills to the occupier so company errors can't wreck your mortgage application.

Of course the goody two shoes amongst us will cry out that it's fraud and illegal. Yet it isn't because you are still paying. Of course when they screw up and ruin your file that isn't at all illegal is it?