Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
The book is easy to understand and clearly explains the rights
a bailiff has, and also what they cannot do when collecting debts and repossessing goods etc.
My daughter is a single parent,has a small daughter 16 mths old and goes to college full time.She lives on benefits and lives in a small privatly rented house.
She was paying NPower £25 a fortnight for her gas,with a payment card but they then tried to increase it to £75 a fortnight which was way to much for her .The bill she received was for £547 .............
She continued to pay the £25 until they wrote to her and said they had cancelled the card payment facility and that she was to make arrangements to pay the full £75 fortnightly and they would issue a new card.......She told them that she was on a low income and that they could send a new card but she would not be paying anymore than she has been........
They are now threatening to cut off her gas supply unless she has a prepayment meter fitted and they would take £10 a week in debt from her before any gas would go on.......... So she would be spending £40 a fortnight being careful which again is too much for her.
She has spoken to the landlord who will not allow prepayment meters fitted.................No w she is worried to death they will cut her off how would she cope with a young child??? Any advise welcome please
Yes The bill they sent her for this quarter was £547 so the £25 she was paying is not enough to cover her usage.......But they came up with that fiqure in the first place.............For her to pay £75 a fortnight she would have no money left...............I have visions of her and the baby having to come and live with me..........
I contacted them last month when they wanted my sis to increase weekly payment of £15 to £30.same as your daughter was threatened with meters.
rang and complained and told them that she was single parent and on benefits,and in order for her to afford this amount they would not be able to eat.
was told that we could call their FUEL DIRECT TEAM who would sort out a more affordable repayment.
called them and if you are on income support (as she was) its scale 1.
they have scales from for repayments depending on what benefit is received.
the maximum that the could take is £3.25 a week.
also they said that they COULD NOT force prepay meters for households with children under the age of 5.
would give them a call.fuel direct team.
0845 1663450
Info is correct they cannot fit prepayment meters or cut the supply off if there are vulnerbale people in the proerty (e.g. elderly, children, chronically ill or disabled persons).
Speak to fuel direct, also why not get some advice from CAB or similar? If they send in documentation to the company it carries a lot more weight. The reality is they will have to accept what she can afford.
Ask about other schemes, thier social tariff is full at the mo but there is something else the name of which escapes me (not fuel direct).