My partner is already ill with mental health problems and the constant calls and letters from them are making it worse.

Also, she refuses to ignore it and will answer their calls or even call them when i'm not there to make arrangements to pay.

They coerce her into making arrangements she can't afford and say if she doesn't contact them they will send a doorstop visit to collect the full £220 in full.

She of course defaults on these payments before they even start and then they carry on calling.

She is already on the vulnerability water plan for the current bill/usage but this 2 year debt is from previous address and it's been ongoing for 2 years now.

The letters are just constant and now they have the landline number due to her giving it them and they won't stop calling.

I have argued with her constantly about this because she just will not stop talking to them and being bullied by them into payments she can't afford.

My question is how do i get in touch with the water company directly to make an arrangement to deal with it?

Since they passed it to debt companies i can't find any account number or anything referencing this debt to write to them about it.

How do i correspond directly with the water if it's regarding previous address?

Suggest a written complaint to CSL about their harassment of a vulnerable person. They are are members of the CSA and have rules thay apply to them. Ask for a statement of account showing how much is outstanding and also get them to confirm who the payments have been passed onto.

http://www.csa-uk.com/assets/documents/compliance-and-guidance/code_of_practice.pdf

Make sure a full log of telephone calls and letters is kept.

Which company is it?

Also, have you any idea why the account went into arrears? Did she simply not pay – or did they simply not bill her correctly, or at all?

Which company is it?

 

Also, have you any idea why the account went into arrears? Did she simply not pay – or did they simply not bill her correctly, or at all?

The letters and calls are from a company called CSL. It went into arrears because the water company (Severn Trent) at the time took forever to agree to a manageable payment plan and by the time they had arrears had built up and then we moved from that property so left behind the 200 arrears. She was paying them small amounts off it but they were constantly demanding more like £15 a week etc

The problem is i don't know how to make payments direct to the water company regarding a previous address arrears. I have a water payment card here but that is for this address and the current vulnerability scheme she is on for current bill/usage. I don't know to pay them direct without dealing with these CSL debt collector people.

If you want to pay Severn Trent directly, you need a long reference number they apply to accounts, so when you pay, it is allocated against the relevant account.

If you don't want to deal with CSL, then write to Severn Trent advising them what is happening and saying that you refuse to deal with CSL, as they are breaching Financial Conduct Authorities guidelines on debt collection, as well as the code of conduct CSL agreed with the Credit Services Association.

Ask Severn Trent for an up to date statement of account for the relevant period the debt is owed and the customer reference number applicable, so online payments may be made over a period towards the debt.

Here's a laugh – so far as I know, if a debt collection agency is acting on behalf of the non-regulated company, then their activities are not themselves regulated. I'm pretty certain of my ground here – though stand to be corrected. This would mean that CSL would have no duty to follow FCA guidelines.

Simply ignore CSL

They are a powerless DCA they are not bailiffs

If anything owed

You liaise and pay the water co.

Dx

Who is your phone line provider?

Most now can block numbers if goj ask them

That way she can't answer them

Dx