Thames water late payment

kempstar

I have today recieved a late payment letter from Thames Water. I have also recieved a notification from Equifax that They have added a late payment on my file.

They claim to have sent a bill in December but I did not receive it. After talking to them on the phone, I registered for online payments in Jan 2016, which automatically registered me for paperless billing. I always pay the bill on reciept of a paper bill, but one was not sent. They also claim to have sent an email, but I have checked my email and I have not recieved any emails from them.

I have asked TW to remove the late payment information from my file but they have said they are going to review this. What are my chances of getting this removed? I was waiting for a paper bill, which always gets paid on time, and I did not recieve an email that they claim to have sent.

Arleen

I had similar issue with them, and with same changing story with whomever you speak to, although I've found out about it much later when the debt collection agency was chasing me for it.
They didn't send an email, as they claimed, they didn't send a physical letter, as they claimed later, they didn't call me, as they calimed on 3rd phonecall. I've then asked to speak to a manager, I've explained to her that I was lied to 3 times now, and I did record all those phone calls (you can do that for your personal use in UK without warning the other parties). Additionally I've explained to her that the moment I got a letter from collectors I have paid, as they can see on the record, and they better remove it or I will take it all the way to court in Strasbourg if I have to. They did then remove those late markers from my credit file, replacing them with OK ones instead.

So keep at it, if you didn't record the calls - demand transcripts of those calls from them (they can provide you with those) and you should be fine. They know very well that being caught on a lie like that will not go down well for them.

kempstar

Well its reassuring at least that you were in a similar situation, so hopefully I can get it resolved.

I have asked them on the phone to remove it, they have promised a response in six working days. Should I make a formal written complaint now, or wait until the six days is up?

Im really worried about this and how it will affect my credit file. I had an issue 11 months ago with Barclays, that even though they wre at fault I was not able to resolve. I took it to the FOS but unfortunately they found in Barclays favour.

Arleen

Give them the 6 days and call to follow up. It will take a month or a bit more for the agencies to update their records, but if they will confirm that they did so - you will be in the clear. And take a lesson from it, and my case, and set up call recording on your phone, or call from skype with call recording set there.

GingerBob_3

Key issue - did you consent to Thames Water carrying out a credit check or accessing the CRAs files about you? No, you didn't. So write to them demanding to know on what basis they have hit you with a late payment marker. Also, complain to the ICO about the actions of this company in accessing and updating files about you on a regular basis and without your consent - what justification is there for it?


Add - and go back to paper billing. Let it cost them to bill you.

kempstar

Hi everyone

I got a call from Thames Water today. They confirmed that they would remove the late payment marker from my credit file, this was due to my "previous payment history".

Thank god for that.

I have switched to paper billing and will also have a direct debit set up as I do not want to run the risk of this happening again.

GingerBob_3

kempstar wrote: »

Hi everyone

I got a call from Thames Water today. They confirmed that they would remove the late payment marker from my credit file, this was due to my "previous payment history".

Thank god for that.

I have switched to paper billing and will also have a direct debit set up as I do not want to run the risk of this happening again.

And yet, we are constantly told on this board that "...we/they cannot remove the marker because it represents the truth...". Poppycock! CRA files are an open house, with vast numbers of operatives being able to do what they want with them (apart from the subject of the file who can do virtually nothing).


OP, you should still tackle the foreign-owned Thames Water as to who gave them permission to access the CRAs' files about you in the first place.


When moving, just the let the water company know you as "the occupier". Make it difficult for them to access credit files.

Arleen

GingerBob wrote: »

And yet, we are constantly told on this board that "...we/they cannot remove the marker because it represents the truth...". Poppycock! CRA files are an open house, with vast numbers of operatives being able to do what they want with them (apart from the subject of the file who can do virtually nothing).


OP, you should still tackle the foreign-owned Thames Water as to who gave them permission to access the CRAs' files about you in the first place.


When moving, just the let the water company know you as "the occupier". Make it difficult for them to access credit files.

You are free to ask the supplier to provide you with a keyed meter if you dislike the credit facility. Or drawing water from a well is an alternative.
When you will decide to udnerstand how to answer your own question about who gave thames water permission in the first place, feeel free to read through: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/56/contents

GingerBob_3

Arleen wrote: »

You are free to ask the supplier to provide you with a keyed meter if you dislike the credit facility. Or drawing water from a well is an alternative.
When you will decide to udnerstand how to answer your own question about who gave thames water permission in the first place, feeel free to read through: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/56/contents

Nothing in there. Maybe I missed it - can you highlight the bit that allows water companies to report their customers to the CRAs without permission of the customer?