No bills in 3 years

When we moved house (within the same city) I informed all utilities suppliers and carried on paying as usual by DD. It has just dawned on me that we do not seem to be paying water.

The prospect of 3 years worth of bills is horrific an unaffordable and I do in fact blame them for not actioning an account following my call and for not managing their service and billing properly, If I was to go back to a client and bill them for something 3 years ago it we be my own stupid fault!

What do people think the best course of action is? Half of me thinks keep schtum and the other half of me thinks flag it up to them. There is NO WAY I can afford to pay back a thousand pounds plus though (esp as I am on benefits at the moment for the first time due to appalling work availability) , but clearly it is fair and right for me to pay going forward at manageable monthly DD rates.

Thanks

Cash Cow

Comments

  • Cash_Cow wrote: »
    When we moved house (within the same city) I informed all utilities suppliers and carried on paying as usual by DD. It has just dawned on me that we do not seem to be paying water.

    The prospect of 3 years worth of bills is horrific an unaffordable and I do in fact blame them for not actioning an account following my call and for not managing their service and billing properly, If I was to go back to a client and bill them for something 3 years ago it we be my own stupid fault!

    What do people think the best course of action is? Half of me thinks keep schtum and the other half of me thinks flag it up to them. There is NO WAY I can afford to pay back a thousand pounds plus though (esp as I am on benefits at the moment for the first time due to appalling work availability) , but clearly it is fair and right for me to pay going forward at manageable monthly DD rates.

    Thanks

    Cash Cow


    Although I can't offer any advice, I am in a similar situation. I moved into a rented flat in October 2007 and the landlord told us that she has arranged all utilities, electric and water. However, I have never received a bill. I informed the landlord of this and was told it would probably take a while for the water to be sorted out as it was a new build. I am also in two minds as to what to do as I do not want to get a massive bill that I can not afford.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    Cash_Cow wrote: »
    When we moved house (within the same city) I informed all utilities suppliers and carried on paying as usual by DD. It has just dawned on me that we do not seem to be paying water.

    The prospect of 3 years worth of bills is horrific an unaffordable and I do in fact blame them for not actioning an account following my call and for not managing their service and billing properly, If I was to go back to a client and bill them for something 3 years ago it we be my own stupid fault!

    What do people think the best course of action is? Half of me thinks keep schtum and the other half of me thinks flag it up to them. There is NO WAY I can afford to pay back a thousand pounds plus though (esp as I am on benefits at the moment for the first time due to appalling work availability) , but clearly it is fair and right for me to pay going forward at manageable monthly DD rates.

    Thanks

    Cash Cow

    It is well established in UK civil law that companies can claim back for services/goods for 6 years.

    So you are liable to pay water bills back for 6 years and most water companies will actively pursue that debt. The fact that you blame them for not billing you is totally irrelevant.

    They will often allow you to pay it back over a period of time and you might get some small reduction on the outstanding debt. As you are on benifits, you might get some help from that source.
  • Cash_Cow_2
    Cash_Cow_2 Posts: 12 Forumite
    Ahh so they get to be incompetent, grabby, punitive and then eat cake!

    What to do...

    CC
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    Cash_Cow wrote: »
    Ahh so they get to be incompetent, grabby, punitive and then eat cake!

    What to do...

    CC

    The water company may well be incompetent; and without doubt they have made an error.

    One might also argue that you have made an error in not appreciating that you have not been paying for your water for 3 years!

    You have no grounds for having your debt written off - period!

    Telling them now, or leaving it and hoping that they don't find out, is purely up to you.
  • Cash_Cow_2
    Cash_Cow_2 Posts: 12 Forumite
    Interestingly my perspective is different!;) To assume that a householder has the funds to pay a massive backdated bill because a supplier couldn't get their house in order enough to actually pop an invoice through the door is unfair and unrealistic. Certainly wouldn't work in my commercial business - the whole premise of such an approach is commercially bonkers.

    I'm tempted to call them and suggest we moved in 12 months ago as I can afford to pay this backdated amount. It seems a way of balancing their incompetence whilst cutting their losses and letting them get paid - and all at MY instigation and managing of their worrying mess. I wonder if they are likely to cross reference to the surveillance society databases on myself out there?

    We'll see what comes of it... What an utter worry that we could SO do without in these costly times.

    CC
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    I gave the position in law on a debt; which is simply that you can be back billed for up to 6 years.

    So in what way is your perspective different?

    I also fail to understand what you mean by the approach being 'commercially bonkers'! Do you feel that it is their commercial policy not to bill you for 3 years?

    I suggest that it would be 'commercially bonkers' not to pursue a debt.

    If you are tempted to defraud the company - so be it.

    To be honest I can't understand the point you are making in this thread.

    It is self evident that they have made a mistake in not billing you.

    If it makes you feel better to call them incompetent - OK we agree!
  • Hi,

    I got my water bill yesterday, £192 for october to now. It says "Please pay straight away". Im gonna phone them and ask about splitting the payment as I can't afford to pay this in one go! Will let you know how I get on CashCow.
  • United Utilities say I can pay monthly to clear the bill so 'm paying £50 per month.

    If you phone them and sort it out they will probably do the same for you, good luck
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956
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    What a coincidence, you don't live in Essex by any chance do you? :rolleyes:

    I'm currently being summonsed to court for water charges relating to a property I left 3 years ago!!!! Despite the fact I am paying water rates to the SAME company for the address I subsequently moved to, plus I have sent them a copy of the final bill I received at the previous address, they seem to think I'm living at both properties at the same time! :mad:

    You would certainly feel very differently if the boot were on the other foot!
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
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