Help needed with H20 query? 27 June 2004 at 1:25AM in Energy 2 replies 2.7K views

newboy_3

Hi guys. I was wondering if you can help with a 'family' prob.
My sister-in-law has just rcvd a letter from Southern Water, claiming that she owes them £280.00 in water charges, from March 1999.
She has been talking to them and also sent in a letter explaining that due to circumstances, she is unable to pay this in full. She is not getting very far with their customer services who still maintain that they are correct.
She had provided them with all the relevant forwarding addresses at the time, but is not convinced that this bill was left outstanding. She is not in a position to go back that far through her old accounts.
I guess the question is, is she still liable for a bill after such a long time?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Fran

Can she get hold of bank statements that show she paid during the period they claim? She must have some record of outgoings of some description - how was she paying? It may cost her to get copy bank statements but it would be worth it rather than have this hassle. Is she sure that she did send them forwarding addresses? Does she agree with the dates they are saying it covers? If they have tried contacting her at previous addresses she will still have to pay if she owes it. If she has sent them a letter saying she can't pay in full, isn't she admitting that she owes it? She could go and get advice from a Citizens Advice Bureau who could negotiate with them on her behalf.

newboy_3

Hi Fran. Thanks for your time.

My sister-in-law, is not really in a financial position, to pay the banks more money, to dig up past statements. A lot has changed for her over the last five years, including marriage and divorce, and also the huge debt that her...Hmmmm, EX has left her.
She definately sent forwarding addresses, it's the kind of thing that she does. The dates don't match exactly, but are not that far out.
The letter she sent them, wasn't admitting that she owed it, or rather that wasn't the intent. She worries and panics, about money matters, especially when left on a very restricted budget.
Is there not a time restriction on things like this? How is she to know that the water Co, has sent follow up bills?