Problems with water bill & Mackenzie Hall Dept Collectors

[boshdmg]

Hello

 

I woke this morning with a nice red letter of court action from Mackenzie Hall, for a sum of £400 that is supposedly over due on my account with Northumbrian Water, and the letter says that I must pay by the 22nd of the September to avoid the action, it’s the 23rd today!

 

This is also the first I have ever heard of any problems, I haven’t received any prior warnings, no red bills, nothing. I rang up Northumbrian water and they couldn’t tell me any thing, so I contacted the people who sent me the court action and they treated me like some sort criminal and basically weren’t interested in anything I had to say, all they could tell me was the address the charge was concerning, but not the period that I edgily have not paid the bills for. The address they mentioned was somewhere I have not lived for 3 years though.

 

I then took this info back to Northumbrian water and they still couldn’t tell me anything, they said the account was locked and they referred me to a third party which is the solicitors handling the case, which aren’t open till 9 on Monday.

 

I am almost certain that all the bills where paid up, my fear is the next tenants did not bother to put the water in their name and did not bother to pay the bills. Am I still liable?

 

I am also worried about how I will prove I wasn’t living there, like all students I’ve had many addresses since then and I didn’t keep my tenancy agreements etc. What do I do?

[nathal]

reply with letter disputing the debt and then you'll see what response you get

[boshdmg]

Write a letter to who? mackenzie hall, Norumbria water, the solicitors?

 

What sort of responce will i get? are you implying something?

[NailPost]

Send the complaint to Northumbrian Water. Tell them you will not deal with their debt collecting muppets. Also send a copy to Ofwat, the water company regulators.

 

Check to make sure that it is a real court action. Are the papers signed, do they name the county court, is there a seal - Mackenzie Hall have a habit of sending out fake or court-looking papers. There have been suggestions the company has had its knuckles rapped over action of this kind.

 

If this is what they are doing write to the OFT, they won't do anything but at least you've told them. You may also consider reporting it to Trading Standards, your area and East Ayrshire Council

 

There are also suggestions, contained in the minutes of Northumbrian Watervoice, the consumer's panel, that Mackenzie Hall will not discuss anything with third parties like CAB's. They had their knuckles rapped on this too so a note to them would not go amiss.

 

To conclude - make a fuss

 

If Mackenzie

[boshdmg]

The letter is titled in red "Notice of Court Action" and it say in the first paragraph, "documents have now been prepared to enable the Issue of a Claim against you in your Local Court"....and when i rang MH they said they would give me 7 days to prove that iv paid the bills or they will begin action. No court is expicitly mensioned and the letter is signed, but only using a different computer type face.

[NailPost]

Not up to you to prove the debt exists, that's for Mackenzie Hall to do. If thye say you owe it they should be able to provide the documents.

 

You have not been sent court papers. This is Mackenzie Hall posturing and threatening as usual and you should do as has already been suggested write to Northumbrian Water to complain about THEIR debt collectors and insist they take the account back. Whatever they may say about the matter being locked they are responsible for the actions of their colectors. Mackenzie Hall won't volunteer to give it back because they will lose money on it.

 

As I said earlier make a fuss and let everyone know about the actions of these scumbags

[boshdmg]

Do need i bother contacting Alexander James, the solicitor who is acting for Northumbria, and has probably contracted MH?

 

In the hope that they can tell me what period i have elgidly not paid the bills for? I know it cant be me either way, because i and my flatmates paid the water bills regularey while i was there, and £400 would equate to 2 years of unpaid bills which certainly cannot be the case.

[NailPost]

Write to Northumbrian Water and address it to the chief executive - he can re-direct it to the appropriate deptartment. Send it recorded delivery so you have a record of it being received. Tell them you expect your costs in this matter to be set against your water bill.

[boshdmg]

I contacted Alexender James, and they said that the water account at the address is still in my name now....even tho i moved out in Jul 2003. They said they will call off Mackenzie Hall and have given me 14 days to prove the date that i move out of the property. Only one problem! i dont think i have anyway of proving it, i dont have my tennancy agreement, i dont have any old bills, and i cant reach the Landlord. what do i do?

[NailPost]

You don't have to prove anything to them. Simply write to them stating you moved out of the property when you did, you have no way of contacting the landlord and you will challenge any action they may take against you in court.

 

You should still write to Ofwat and the OFT to lodge complaints about both companies.

[boshdmg]

I like your strength NailPost, im a little scared of the big bad companies. I would like to take your line, but surely its partly my fault for not telling them i left the property, also it appears i may legimately owe them one months rates.

 

So should i say im willing to pay anything before july 2003, anything there after i am willing to go to court?

[NailPost]

One months water rates in my house would be £16. A whole year's rates is less than £200. Mackenzie Hall are having a laugh demanding £400 - and its at your expense.

 

I own a property which is let to students. While they pay no council tax (exempt the lazy gits) they pay the other utilities. When they leave, usually in June, I hold onto their deposits until August to make sure they have no unpaid bills. As the landlord I am ultimately responsible for the utility bills. This may be the same in your case and it is your former landlord who should be chased by these ****.

 

You could find out the identity of the landlord by paying £2 to the Land Registry.