High court writ

Lillnisse
Lillnisse Posts: 6 Forumite
in Water bills
Hi there. Yesterday I had bailifss over to my house to demand payment over a water bill thats just MASSIVE. I stopped paying it after I received a letter that there's been a mix up over serial metre numbers. So basically I've been charged for my neighbors water usage.

It never made sense in the first first place, getting a £600 Bill over a 3 month period, since I'm only single with one child, and 2 bed flat, hardly using water, washing machine once a week, showers twice a week (I use wet wipes and only shower when hair is dirty) my son has a bath every other day..

So the bills made no sense. The water company sent my debt to court and made it alot more difficult and they have admitted now that its not my debt but haven't dont anything about it hence my shock over bailifss telling I have to pay.

What are my rights what do I do? Im gonna have to pay my neighbors bill thats in my name because south east water fd it up!
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Comments

  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    Perhaps you should have tried a bit harder to sort it out rather than just stop paying.

    Ignoring bills and letters is never a good idea
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • Lillnisse
    Lillnisse Posts: 6 Forumite
    You mean I should pay for someone elses bill? Would you do it yourself?
  • jaybeetoo
    jaybeetoo Posts: 1,337 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    If you got a letter saying there had been a mix up, why didn’t you work with the water company to sort it out?
  • Lillnisse
    Lillnisse Posts: 6 Forumite
    I did contact them and they admitted they did wrong but they've done nothing about their mistake which im paying for. :(
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,877 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Can't believe posts 2 & 4, the OP needs help not criticism - How is the OP supposed fix not one, but two errors in the Water Co's broken system?


    County Court and High Court writs can be overturned, but this involves Court fees and the cost of legal representation.
    Best bet is the Consumer Council for Water https://www.ccwater.org.uk who have an online complaints form
  • Lillnisse
    Lillnisse Posts: 6 Forumite
    I just sent off an complaint about South East water on the website you suggested. Thanks a million for your help and actually being the only one reading and understanding my post :beer::p
  • jaybeetoo
    jaybeetoo Posts: 1,337 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    dogshome wrote: »
    Can't believe posts 2 & 4, the OP needs help not criticism - How is the OP supposed fix not one, but two errors in the Water Co's broken system?


    County Court and High Court writs can be overturned, but this involves Court fees and the cost of legal representation.
    Best bet is the Consumer Council for Water https://www.ccwater.org.uk who have an online complaints form

    It’s because I don’t understand how you get a letter from the water company saying there is a problem and the next thing that happens are the bailiffs turning up. Surely the OP would have been notified they were being taken to court?
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    I'm guessing that there was a lot more that could have been done between finding out that there was a problem and the bailiffs turning up.

    Usually a letter back and forth, especially one about having to go to court, the option of going to the CAB.

    You haven't said what actually went on except that you stopped paying and the bailiffs appeared - what communications were had in the meantime, letters, e-mails, phone calls. In this situation recorded delivery letters are usually a better way than just hoping that it's got passed on through a call centre
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • Lillnisse
    Lillnisse Posts: 6 Forumite
    Moved into my flat 3 years ago.

    Registered with South East water .

    Got my bill every 3 months.

    First bill was £35.

    Second was over a £100.

    Third was over £600.

    I didn't believe it either when I saw my bills increasing so rapidly.

    I contacted the water company to investigate any leaks or if it was correct meter. They didn't look into the meter until it was too late.

    Yes, I stopped paying foolishly. But I knew something wasn't right and I didn't get any explanation of why my water usage was so massive.

    After I stopped paying they sent my debt to high court. We came to an agreement me paying £50 a month.

    3 months later the water company sends me a letter saying I've been charged for the incorrect meter and I contact them to get an local inspector to come and get right meter serial number.

    So yes , I was right all along and got the correct ✔ water serial meter number. What bugs me was that they could have sorted it out a long time ago, but they didn't.

    So I stopped paying for my neighbors water usage and that's when bailifss came in the picture.

    South east water doesn't care and I'm sure my neighbors love taking care of my bills which are £277 annually or less.
  • Mister_G
    Mister_G Posts: 1,925 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Combo Breaker
    I hope that now the OP has explained the circumstances more clearly, that those who condemned her actions will be more sympathetic.

    Hindsight is a wonderful thing, that not too many of us mere mortals are blessed with.
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