Water bill

george_112

Morning! 

I have just had notification that my water bill (rates not a meter) has been included in my bankruptcy. I was paying by direct debit and was up to date with all payments. United utilities have set up a new account and transferred all payments made since my bankruptcy across to this and the new bill is zero. Do water rates work the same as council
tax bills? I’m confused as I thought I would just continue paying this as normal. My bankruptcy was granted May 5th and this happened yesterday. 

Anyone had the same? 

Also I am in credit with my gas and electric bills. Are these likely to be cancelled and new accounts opened also? What would happen to the credit, I spread payments over the year to cover winter usage, but would this money go to the OR? Probably overthinking everything but it’s thrown me this morning as I thought since initial contact everything was sorted I suppose 

thanks as always for your support and advice 

bradders1983

Yes when i went bankrupt I was rather surprised to get a letter from Yorkshire Water saying my account had been zeroed. I was only then billed from that point. I paid quarterly bills at the time, so I would not have owed them any more than about £75 anyway.

As for gas and electric, the same didnt happen in my case as far as I can remember, I carried on as normal.  

I didnt list any utility in the petition, well not domestic utility anyway.

Contacting water companies must just be a standard thing the OR does for everyone, if you list it as a debt or not.

george_112

I’ll leave it a few days to see if they generate a new bill from bankruptcy onwards then. Currently it’s stands as £112 in credit and a bill from yesterday for £0
maybe they will update and bill me soon 
thanks 

Cj2106

I just got off the phone with South West Water, they wipe out any debt upto and including the date the order was made.
Hope this helps!

Cj2106

If I have an outstanding Council Tax bill in joint names will the Council include half the amount of the bill?

george_112

Oh ok thanks, I’m presuming I’ll just get a an updated bill from May then. I couldn’t get any sense from them earlier so that’s useful. Thanks 

Cj2106

Yip she said it will take about 10 days and they will generate a bill in my case it will be from July 6th 

Minkym00

The OR will only write to utility companies if there is a debt outstanding at the date of the  bankruptcy order. If you were up to date then I would be happy to bet that this has happened because of then utility company’s policy around bankruptcy 

george_112

Cj2106 said:

If I have an outstanding Council Tax bill in joint names will the Council include half the amount of the bill?

I think the other named person is liable for the whole amount, but I’m not sure as mine was in my name only

bradders1983

Minkym00 said:

The OR will only write to utility companies if there is a debt outstanding at the date of the  bankruptcy order. If you were up to date then I would be happy to bet that this has happened because of then utility company’s policy around bankruptcy 

In my case a) i never listed it as a debt b) i wasnt in debt with Yorkshire Water. Bizarre how they zeroed the account given I happily paid it every quarter.

Minkym00

It makes things cleaner. HMRC does the same thing, even if you don’t owe them any money. That way companies can be sure that any future debt is new and none vests in your bankruptcy.