Housing benefit suspended and they are refusing to deal with it
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caroline231
Posts: 14 Forumite
Hi,
I received an email from Coventry City Council on Tuesday to say my clam had been suspended. I called them first thing on Wed to see why and was told it was because a letter had been returned to them, marked 'not know at this address' I've no idea why it must have been delivered to the wrong address. Thay told me to send a utility bill in my name at that address to get everything reinstated.
Problem is, the bills there aren't in my name. I have told them of this and their only advice was to change the name on the accounts. I'm unwilling to do this it will take forever to arrange and the utility company will do a credit check.
Housing benefit are saying that I am still entitled to the benefit, but have to send a bill, We're going round in circles. They are refusing to accept letters from HMRC, DWP, Council tax and their own office as evidence. I have offered to have a member of staff visit me at home to see i'm really there. but they are not budging.
I have lodged a complaint but that can take 10 days or more to be resolved!
this seems not right to me, do any of you lovelies have any advice?
I received an email from Coventry City Council on Tuesday to say my clam had been suspended. I called them first thing on Wed to see why and was told it was because a letter had been returned to them, marked 'not know at this address' I've no idea why it must have been delivered to the wrong address. Thay told me to send a utility bill in my name at that address to get everything reinstated.
Problem is, the bills there aren't in my name. I have told them of this and their only advice was to change the name on the accounts. I'm unwilling to do this it will take forever to arrange and the utility company will do a credit check.
Housing benefit are saying that I am still entitled to the benefit, but have to send a bill, We're going round in circles. They are refusing to accept letters from HMRC, DWP, Council tax and their own office as evidence. I have offered to have a member of staff visit me at home to see i'm really there. but they are not budging.
I have lodged a complaint but that can take 10 days or more to be resolved!
this seems not right to me, do any of you lovelies have any advice?
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Comments
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Why are the bills not in your name?0
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Seconded. Not wanting bills in your name for your house isnt 'normal'
You physically sitting in the living room when someone comes round means nothing.
Lodging a complaint isnt going to help enamour them to you and bend the rules...0 -
Did you ask them what address the letter was sent to?0
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Is the tenancy agreement in your name?0
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caroline231 wrote: »Hi,
I received an email from Coventry City Council on Tuesday to say my clam had been suspended. I called them first thing on Wed to see why and was told it was because a letter had been returned to them, marked 'not know at this address' I've no idea why it must have been delivered to the wrong address. Thay told me to send a utility bill in my name at that address to get everything reinstated.
Problem is, the bills there aren't in my name. I have told them of this and their only advice was to change the name on the accounts. I'm unwilling to do this it will take forever to arrange and the utility company will do a credit check.
Housing benefit are saying that I am still entitled to the benefit, but have to send a bill, We're going round in circles. They are refusing to accept letters from HMRC, DWP, Council tax and their own office as evidence. I have offered to have a member of staff visit me at home to see i'm really there. but they are not budging.
I have lodged a complaint but that can take 10 days or more to be resolved!
this seems not right to me, do any of you lovelies have any advice?
Or are you subletting to someone else?0 -
Maybe the bills are in his/her partner's name? A child or parent's name? There's no need to immediately start jumping on the OP and accusing them of things.0
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Maybe the bills are in his/her partner's name? A child or parent's name? There's no need to immediately start jumping on the OP and accusing them of things.
I am not accusing them of anything.
Knowing why the bills are in someone else's name may help us find a way to get this issue sorted.
Have you any suggestions to assist the OP?0 -
It sounds like they owe money to the utility companies because they mentioned the companies doing a credit check,i didn't think utility companies did credit checks.0
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I was not talking to you NeilCR - you just asked a question, which is fair enough.
Re advice, the only thing I could really think of would be Citizen's Advice. I've found them very helpful in the past.0 -
Many energy companies routinely do credit checks on new customers.Nooney123456789 wrote: »It sounds like they owe money to the utility companies because they mentioned the companies doing a credit check,i didn't think utility companies did credit checks.
To determines if they will let them pay by direct debt. Or if they will require them to have a pre-payment meter.0
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