Removing partner from joint water bills

Deva2005

Hi all,

I have a situation where there is a default on the joint water bill.
For 'domestic' reasons, I want to remove my wife from the account.
Does anyone know if, a) this is possible, and b)what will be the impact on the credit files, as at the moment both parties have a default against them.

If she is removed as I need to do, does her default disappear?
I am more than happy to keep the default as this makes things easier moving forward...

If anyone has any experience of this of any advice, please let me know asap as this is causing me some sleepness nights amongst all the other things.

Thanks a lot
David

CKhalvashi

I wouldn't have thought the default would disappear?

Out of interest, which water company? I didn't know they report to CRA's (mine certainly doesn't)

Deva2005

Thanks for the reply, it is Southern Water - she found it on experian credit report, and she is pretty upset about it.
Would the default not disappear if it is no longer in her name and just in mine?

GingerBob_3

Sorry to answer your question with a question, but how did you end up with joint names on the water bill?


Regarding water companies and CRAs, increasingly they are reporting your accounts to the CRAs, even though you haven't authorised them to do so. Your tactic should be to not provide them with any personal data. When you move, set up your water account in the name of "The Occupier". Make things difficult for them.

Deva2005

I don't know how it ended up in joint names!
As you as they should not be able to report to the credit agencies as I have not authorised them to, do I have recourse to complain to them/Ofwat to get this removed from the credit file?
Are they breaching some form of legislation?

Thanks
David

anna42hmr

This may be useful to you, looks like they can and will report to cras https://www.southernwater.co.uk/Media/Default/PDFs/CRA_guide.pdf And provides details of how to contact their data protection officer

Majestic12

david.richards27 wrote: »

I don't know how it ended up in joint names!
As you as they should not be able to report to the credit agencies as I have not authorised them to, do I have recourse to complain to them/Ofwat to get this removed from the credit file?
Are they breaching some form of legislation?

Thanks
David

They do not need your permission, it is convered in the terms and conditions the same way energy companies have access to your credit report. You are obviously financially linked with your wife, and that is how the joint names appear.

Deva2005

We are not financially linked on our credit files, that is why I am confused as to how the water account could have BOTH names on them?
Is there any way to get her removed?

Thanks
David

GingerBob_3

Majestic12 wrote: »

They do not need your permission, it is convered in the terms and conditions the same way energy companies have access to your credit report. You are obviously financially linked with your wife, and that is how the joint names appear.

No. It is not covered in the T&Cs, because there aren't any. The water company is obliged to supply you. You do not agree to any T&Cs when taking a supply, and none are offered. What we have here is simply a statement from Southern Water, which actually goes a lot further than similar statements from other water companies, telling their customers what they are going to do.


The water companies are driving a spear into the heart of data privacy and consent. They are doing so after being bribed by the unscrupulous CRAs, aided and abetted by their partners in crime at the ICO.


If anyone ever tells you that credit checks and CRA reporting can only be carried out with your consent tell them they are talking rubbish. The issue of "legitimate interest", as vaguely defined by the ICO, is now being used to bypass the notion of consent and the water companies are in the vanguard of this new "arrangement".


As previously mentioned, when you move house, the tactic should be to obtain the water company account number for your property then pay by standing order. Do not furnish them with any personal information whatsoever. If you're not moving you might want to write to your water company banning them from reporting you to the CRAs or carrying out credit checks on the basis that they do not have legitimate interest. The only time they would have such interest is if you default on your payments. They are likely to argue against this, but it's worth a try.

Why does this matter? If you're a regular on this board you'll have noticed how utility companies, and now increasingly water companies, are making the lives of very many people up and down the land a misery due to inaccurate reporting to the CRAs. The fewer organisations reporting you to the CRAs the better; it reduces the chances of error (the CRAs have no quality control procedures).


Financial associations; marriage or living together does not equal a financial association. Utility companies and water companies are notorious for establishing non-existent and unwanted financial associations. Again, this is due to the unregulated nature of the CRA industry coupled with a f-e-c-kless and criminally irresponsible ICO.


(You've got to laugh at this board sometimes. The 'f-e-c-k' in the word f-e-c-kless is now censored; idiots!)

GingerBob_3

david.richards27 wrote: »

We are not financially linked on our credit files, that is why I am confused as to how the water account could have BOTH names on them?
Is there any way to get her removed?

Thanks
David

You need to file a notice of disassociation with the CRAs - all three of them (if one of the blighters isn't bad enough!). Then write to the water company insisting they remove your wife's name from the account.

Deva2005

So, worth writing to the water company banning them from reporting to the CRA, put a notice on the credit file stating disassociation and iligitimate filing on credit file?
Complain to Ofwat as Southern Water are one of the worst in the country for complaints?

Would these be good moves?