Bill for a rental property I left in 2013

JannyB

I bought my flat in 2016 having lived in rental properties for about 10 years. Yesterday I received a Debt Collection Agency wanting me to pay my water bill. I checked  my bank statement. the direct debits having been going through no problems. 
I thought the demand was a scam so I called the Water Board. they acknowledged that I was full paid up. They acknowledged that they used this company for debt collection and asked me for the account no on the bill. They identified the property as one I lived in from 2012 t0 2013 but the bill include 2018. they told me to contact the debt collectors.

Phoning was hopeless after 20 mins it cut me off. Managed a Webchat. I have to prove that I left the property in 2013. Even the Taxman doesn't demand papers more than 7 years old.

I think if my name had been Smith they would never have connected the 2 Water Board accounts. We are in stressful times, I do not need this extra b

JannyB

Bill for over £500

JannyB

Sorry for long post

dogshome

The Debt Collectors can only work on the information they have been given by the Water Co., so the the inclusion of your current Water Bill on a historic demand is down to the Water Co., not the debt collectors.

WRITE to the Water Co. heading the letter Complaint

Point out that this demand goes back 7 years, whilst the Statute of Limitations restricts such demands to a maximum of 6 years and also that after this amount of time you have no paper records relating to this rented property ( If you have then include a copy with the letter ) and suggest they contact the Local Authority for the Council Tax records.

Ask for a written apology for this illegal demand, it's inclusion of current billing and the slur of receiving Debt Collection letters.

If the Water Co. have not complied in 10 days, then raise the stakes by reporting the matter to the Consumer Council for Water

(   www.ccwater.org.uk  )  

Cardew

dogshome said:

The Debt Collectors can only work on the information they have been given by the Water Co., so the the inclusion of your current Water Bill on a historic demand is down to the Water Co., not the debt collectors.  

My understanding is that the bill goes back to 2018, not 2013 when the OP moved out.

If, as the OPstates, the water company have acknowledged that the OP correctly closed and paid her account in 2013. It is probable that the water company raised a bill for 'the occupier' in 2018 and when this wasn't paid forwarded it to the dreaded debt collectors.(DCA)

I would advise the OP never to phone the DCA, just send a letter to the DCA copied to the water company expalining the above.