Can water companies get your details from the electoral roll?

eggman08.2008

I've been in my house about 6 months and have not received a water bill. I haven't contacted them because I'm just too skint to even think about paying at the moment. I'm a full time carer and receive very little benefits.

If I register to vote will the water company will find out that the house is occupied and hit me with a big bill?????

spadoosh

Not sure if they can get info from the electoral register. But should/when they take it to court, the court will be able to speak to benefits people and make deductions directly from those benefits.

The head in the sand approach is a very bad idea.

Youre a new user by the looks of it, youve come to a fantastic place that can help you in every aspect of managing your money please take advantage of it. Look on the main pages about managing your finances and look in the forums for personalising things to your situation.

It almost certainly will catch up with you and if your situation isnt changing any time soon youre just delaying the inevitable.

Have a good reda through then think about filling in a SOA (statement of affairs) which is basically a spreadsheet of your money situation. From this people can offer suggestions as to where and how you can save money. In the benefits section you will find people willing to help you work out exactly how much/what you can claim through benefits.

Good luck, i hope you stick around, i assure you it will be worth your time.

anniecave

I would contact the water company as soon as possible and let them have your details and the date you moved in.


I assume there is no water meter at the property? Depending on the property details and number of occupants and how much water is used, it may be worth looking at getting a water meter fitted?

Some water companies have grants available to help people on low income, so it would be worth asking about that too?

London50

I would also read the link below as never mind a large water bill but you also could be in far more "hot water"

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/household-enquiry-form/

Dobbibill

Hi eggman08 - welcome to the forum.
There is some good advice already.
Please don't ignore this, it won't go away and it won't get better that way.
If you tell us who your water company is likely to be we may be able to find some information about financial difficulties for you.

There are also websites to check you are receiving the right amount of benefits if you are on a low income like https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ or https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
All the best

Cardew

Do you pay Council Tax? If so the water company can get your details.


As said above in post#4 completion of the voter registration form is not optional.


If you have a meter and didn't give the reading - on the day you moved in - to the water company, you might find yourself paying for the previous occupant's consumption; and no way of disputing the charge.



In any case there are fixed standard charges for all properties - metered or unmetered.

Anthorn

Depending on the Water company they could get the info from a Credit Reporting Agency. For example Anglian Water which supplies me reports to both Equifax and Experian but they didn't credit search.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

eggman08.2008 wrote: »

I've been in my house about 6 months and have not received a water bill. I haven't contacted them because I'm just too skint to even think about paying at the moment. I'm a full time carer and receive very little benefits.

If I register to vote will the water company will find out that the house is occupied and hit me with a big bill?????

Of course, don't add your name to the electoral roll. I don't mind paying extra on my bill, you go ahead. Don't forget the gas and the electric as well. I have a spare penny, so does my elderly neighbour. I am sure she will turn down the heating a notch during the winter, so you are nice and cosy!


Ooops I forgot, not filling in the form is a criminal offence. Mind you, locked up would save us all a pretty penny!

CIS

Do you pay Council Tax? If so the water company can get your details.

If it's in England then it will not be disclosed to water companies via council tax records.

Maria0680

Thank you for this suggestion