Southern Water & DCA

[dampriser]

Help!!!

 

We have a debt of just over £2k with Southern Water which is true and correct.

Disability benefits are our only source of income.

 

Last week we had a letter from DCA Moorcroft demanding full and final payment which there is no way we can afford.

 

I wrote a letter to Southern Water making an offer of £5 per week and attached a budget sheet.

I immediately paid the 1st payment of £5 through bank transfer for that week, and have done the same for this week.

 

Today i recieve a letter from Southern Water stating the account has been tansferred to the DCA and they can't help. The letter is literally just 3 lines, excluding the address of the DCA.

 

May i ask for guidance as to where i go from here i.e

Do i have no option but to deal with the DCA?

If so, do i just forward a copy of the orginal letter i sent to Southern Water?

What has happened to the 2 payments i've already made?

Do i continue or stop making these weekly payments?

 

I would rather just deal with Southern Water, but they've made it clear that they're not interested.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

[dampriser]

I just had a thought, which i would appreciate anyones to view.

 

Seeing as the letter i recieved from Southern Water was just sent normal post, and i haven't acknowledged reciept, could i just keep making the weekly payments to Southern Water and should the DCA contact me again just say that i'm paying Southern Water direct?

 

I forgot to mention that we had applied to the Southern Water Trust Fund, but they declined our application on the basis that we are in reciept of benefits, and advised to contact CAB.

They did say that we could apply again, but our circumstances haven't changed so don't see the point, unless there's any advice that can be given?

 

Cheers

[dampriser]

Is there anyone able to assist please?

[zazen.warrior]

Post removed.

Edited July 29, 2010 by zazen.warrior

[steven4064]

dampriser

 

Do you have other debts apart from this? If so, you need to get everything sorted in one go and CAB is the place to start. Alternatively, go on the national debt line web site.

 

If not, I suspect you will have to deal with the DCA. You should stop paying SW water and pay the DCA instead. If they take you to court, they would probabl get less than £5/week. But talk to CAB first

[ukaviator]

Hi Dampriser

 

As Steven has said you will probably have to deal with the DCA for this bill. Have you looked into the WaterSure Tariff Southern Water are involved in?

 

WaterSure provides financial assistance to metered customers who use large amounts of water for essential purposes. You may be eligible for a reduction in charges if your water supply is metered and -

• you (or someone in your household) are receiving one of the benefits or tax credits shown below and
  
• you (or someone in your household) are responsible for three or more children under 19 in full time education who live with you
  
• or you, your child or the person receiving the benefit or tax credit have a specified medical condition requiring the use of more water than normal.
  

Link here:

 

Assistance with your metered bill - WaterSure Tariff

 

Leaflet online here:

 

http://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/domesticCustomers/2645_WaterSureApplication.pdf

 

Is this what you applied for?

[dampriser]

I don't know what to advise but I have alerted the mods that you need help. Sit tight.

 

Many Thanks for that.

 

dampriser

 

Do you have other debts apart from this? If so, you need to get everything sorted in one go and CAB is the place to start. Alternatively, go on the national debt line web site.

 

If not, I suspect you will have to deal with the DCA. You should stop paying SW water and pay the DCA instead. If they take you to court, they would probabl get less than £5/week. But talk to CAB first

 

We actually have no other significant debts (meaning ones that are true and correct). We did have rent arrears and council tax debts, but i paid those off full with the negotiated settlement i got from employer when falling ill and having to leave the company, but there wasn't enough to cover this one.

 

I will have a look at the websites you mentioned, but seems it may be best then to forward the letter with attached budget sheet that i originally sent to Southern Water, to the DCA and request payment method details.

 

Hi Dampriser

 

As Steven has said you will probably have to deal with the DCA for this bill. Have you looked into the WaterSure Tariff Southern Water are involved in?

 

WaterSure provides financial assistance to metered customers who use large amounts of water for essential purposes. You may be eligible for a reduction in charges if your water supply is metered and -

• you (or someone in your household) are receiving one of the benefits or tax credits shown below and
  
• you (or someone in your household) are responsible for three or more children under 19 in full time education who live with you
  
• or you, your child or the person receiving the benefit or tax credit have a specified medical condition requiring the use of more water than normal.
  

Link here:

 

Assistance with your metered bill - WaterSure Tariff

 

Leaflet online here:

 

http://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/domesticCustomers/2645_WaterSureApplication.pdf

 

Is this what you applied for?

 

Yes, I did see this when i found the Southern Water Trust, but we are unmetered thus doesn't apply to us i'm afraid.

Here's a link to the Trust Fund I applied for http://www.swtf.org.uk/

 

Thanks for all your advice,

I will speak to CAB asap as they may be able to help with the failed trust application as well.

[Conniff]

I will have a look at the websites you mentioned, but seems it may be best then to forward the letter with attached budget sheet that i originally sent to Southern Water,to the DCA and request payment method details.

 

You are better off keeping to the payment method you use now. Under no circumstances must you set up a direct debit or give them a debit or credit card number.

 

If you set up a direct debit or give them a card number, you will have lost control over your finances as they can/will take any amount they want which could leave you in trouble with one of your other bills should/when it happens. You 'must' keep your Rent and Council Tax at the very top of the list for making payments to.

 

Just continue with the same amount that you are already paying and do not be harrassed into making it any bigger, not even by £1, just keep paying the £5 weekly.

 

The water company cannot cut off your water and the most that can happen is that you get a summons, but as mentioned above, when the judge looks at your budget sheet, they will not order a payment you cannot afford and could even reduce what you are paying at present.

 

I will just reiterate the most important point in the way forward - Do not set up a direct debt or card payment arrangement.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Conniff

[dampriser]

Thanks for the advice Conniff,

 

Problem is at the moment i am paying Southern Water and not the DCA.

 

After 2 weekly payments made, Southern Water are telling me to pay the DCA instead.

 

Thus now i'll have to stop paying Southern Water (which i don't want to as i want to show that i am paying the debt off), and have to communicate with the DCA who will probably initally decline my offer knowing them.

 

So whilst communications with the DCA will go back and forth, my payments would have stopped and if it went to court it would look unfavourable as i stopped making payments.

 

I remember reading somewhere about Council Tax Debt and insist on paying the council and continue making payments to the council NOT a DCA regardless of what they say.

I hoped the same could apply to me in this instantance.

 

I take onboard your advice about the payment method to a DCA and if/when it comes to that i will request their banking details and pay by bank transfer.

This is the method i've used to date with Southern Water, thus i'll have a record of all payments in 1 place.

 

Thanks again

 

Edit

Sorry, couldn't rep you as i need to spread some more around

[Conniff]

I wouldn't stop paying at all, if it goes into Southern, then so be it, it will be in their bank account and you will have a record, so just keep up the payments until you have sorted things with the DCA.

 

Remember though to keep an eye on what the DCA demands and to knock any payments already made off what they will claim you owe. I wouldn't accept any charges from the DCA either, it wasn't your choice to go through them so don't pay them any more than you owe Southern.

[dampriser]

To be honest, Southern Water have told me to deal with the DCA, but haven't returned any payments i've made.

 

I think perhaps i'll plead ignorance and keep paying Southern Water as i am, when i next recieve a letter from the DCA i'll just write a reply stating that Southern Water are accepting my payments direct to them. Which they are.

 

The letter sent by Southern Water advising to deal with the DCA was recieved 2nd class standard post, which i haven't acknowledged if any way. So plead ignorance and carry on as i am.

 

Thanks

[ukaviator]

On the bills are there any charges / fees for letters etc?

[dampriser]

No, there's been no penalty fees.