Swalec Debt Letters

[Wooks001]

Hi Folks,

 

I changed supplier 2 months or so ago, savings will be huge in the long term - £60pm.

As soon as I recieved a letter confirming the change over, I logged onto swalec to see how my account stood. I was in credit for electricity but in arrears for gas.

Overall the debt stands at £200 ish., don't dispute this.

 

I contacted swalec immediately asking if I could repay the debt over a long time as I was broke, and needed to sort out my overdraft etc before I could make payments.

Told them they could transfer the electricity credit to the gas account.

 

Initial response was ok they offered either £17/12 mth or £9 over 24mth.

Replied saying I needed time before I could decide how much I could pay, need to avoid bank charges etc.

 

On the 18th November I received an email which really annoyed me as I had been in contact with swalec and they are aware of my situation:-

 

"We're concerned about your Final Bill which is unpaid. Most of our customers would have paid by now, so we need to know if there is a problem or if you need more time."

 

Since then there have been numerous emails/letters and I have replied stating that I wished all future contact to be in writing only.

 

On the 29th December they emailed saying that they would need to speak to me to arrange a payment plan.

Replied saying that I have health issues and cannot deal with stressful matters over the phone, again asked that all communication be in writing.

 

Email recieved saying that unless the bill is paid within 7 days, they will instruct debt collectors, and will add a 15% recovery fee to my account. Can they do this?.

 

Latest email asks for very personal information I believe thay have no right to ask for:-

 

I have reviewed this account and can see from the notes on your account that you have contacted us regarding this matter on at least 4 occasions to date. Due to this, I have raised a complaint on your account in order to come to a suitable resolution as quickly as possible. I have reviewed your account in details with my manager and we would like to refer this for further assistance to a specialist department, with the view to clear the debt amount outstanding if possible. In order to do this I will need to create a case for you. To help me do this, I would very much appreciate your assistance. At your earliest convieiniance, can you please confirm:

 

- The total household income.

- Details of all benefits you are in receipt of.

- Details of any health concerns you currently have.

- Any other information that may assist me in building a case to clear this balance.

 

Please could you call me within the next three working days (by 8 January) to confirm the above information. Please be aware that without this information I am unable to take this matter further for you. If I don’t hear from you by then, I may send you up to two further letters asking you to contact me. We’ll not contact you about the arrears on your account until that date or until we’ve heard from you (whichever is the earlier).

 

If you’d like to read our full complaint handling procedure you can search for ‘complaints procedure’ on our website, or ask us to send you a paper copy free of charge.

 

I look forward to hearing from your as soon as possible and will ensure I give this matter my utmost attention.

I have replied asking for details of the "specialist department", and told them I will not call them.

As I have advised swalec it's going to be a few months before I can pay, and I can only assume that things are going to get worse.

Any help/advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

 

Wooks

[renegadeimp]

Just send them a simply Budget summary and I&E . Its normal for them to ask for proof that you are in hardship, but you dont need to go into detail.

[Wooks001]

Sorry but I don't believe supplying an I&E will be an end to the letters, I'm getting letters/emails from different departments and the chances of them knowing what each others are doing in slim.I've had emails stating that they will suspend recovery action until xxx, but still had emails demanding payment from another department. When I queried this I was told no emails had been sent.

Unless I start to pay immediately which I can't, they say the recovery action will continue.

[renegadeimp]

You first make a complaint to their CEO detailing what happens, and you include that basic summary. If they continue, then you get a formal complaint into the ombudsman as well.

 

I would just start paying them at a rate you can afford. You dont need their permission to start a repayment plan. Sure they dont have to agree to it, but they sure as hell cant refuse to accept any payments towards an outstanding amount.

 

Pay the debt as you can while the complaint is ongoing, and theres not much they can do at all apart from accept the offer.

 

Think of it this way. If they were to do court action ( they wont), it would go like this.

 

Court: So tell me whats going on

 

Swalec : He wont pay his bill at the rate we demand

 

You: But ive been paying what i can afford like i have told you in multiple emails, and been passed from pillar to post. I have been paying, have never avoided paying and have evidence to this fact.

 

Court: show me

 

You show the court your evidence, plus your full I&E and they kick swalec into touch

 

Court: why did you bring this frivolous claim swalec when y ou can clearly see he cant meet your stated proposals

 

swalec: we want more and think he should pay more

 

Court: tough luck, he can only pay this amount. No more.

 

 

Sure you might get a judgement, but swalec know theyre in the wrong. Just get a Formal complain off to the CEO and head it formal complaint to start the statutory 8 week timer. Keep paying what you can afford during that time, and youll get the resolution you want.

 

regarding the letters, almost all of them are automatically generated. Even the ones that appear to be written as if a human sent you it. Theyre designed to scare you into paying and doing what THEY want you to do.