Essex Water Default 10 Years Later???

[LondonUser2015]

Ok ive sent the email off is there a certian amount of time she has to respond before I escalate it? Is it worth getting the ICO involved pretty soon as it seems by the water company guidelines and the ICO guidelines regarding defaults that they are entirely at fault and should remove it immediately, and with the ICO likely to agree is it worth involving him now?

[Bazooka Boo]

Unless you stipulated an exact timescale in which you required a response, then, I would expect a reply within 7 to 14 days,

however CEO's office are usually quick to respond.

[LondonUser2015]

Hey Bazooka, you were right I got an email this evening at 19:28 I will re-write it below,

 

Dear Mr Thompson,

 

I am very sorry to read about your recent experience.

 

Our Customer Service Team are investigating this matter and I have asked that their findings are reported back to me. We will provide you with a full response to the points you have raised by 4pm on Friday 24th April.

 

Regards,

 

Heidi

 

So it would seem that she has answered personally and I take it she is interested as she said the findings would be reported back to her. They will find that there has been no contact between me and the company for over 10 years and hopefully see sense and remove the default, also if she wanted to send me the bill for the 6 months I wouldnt have a problem paying it, as I was technically liable, its the default I have issue with, due to the time being since I lived there. If they had defaulted me back in 2004-2005 it would be gone by now and I wouldnt be talking about it.

 

Anyway big thanks to dx I think im gonna need your expertise with another matter Im trying to tackle for which there will be a new thread very soon, and also bazooka and all other members. And thanks for the email address I should in theory have an answer or explanation by friday so as soon as I do I will obviously be on here to either ask for advice or explain whats happened, so see you soon, and thanks for the help.

[Bazooka Boo]

I look forward to your new thread

[LondonUser2015]

Hi Guys, so an update on an email I received back from essex water.

 

Dear Mr XXXXXXXXX

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Thank you for your email addressed to our chief executive officer, Heidi Mottram, received on 22 April 2015. Heidi has asked me to personally investigate and respond to your concerns on behalf of the company.

 

I appreciate you taking the time to raise this matter with us so that we can explain what has happened and so that we may work with you to resolve your concerns.

 

Our records show that we received telephone contact from you on 1 August 2005 and an account was opened in your name from 25 July 2005. Regrettably we heard nothing further from you to tell us that you had moved and charges have continued to be raised in your name to date.

 

We did not receive any payment from you whilst you were resident and despite several visits by a representative, where notification was posted at the property, we were unable to make contact with you or any new occupier so we would have been unaware that you vacated the property.

 

An account can be defaulted at any time on or after 90 days of payment not being received. The default was raised on XX October 2014. We are not currently in a position to remove the default however; if you could kindly provide confirmation that you were living elsewhere at the end of the six month tenancy, we will be happy to look at this again with a view to removing the default.

 

We can accept a copy of a new tenancy agreement, a council tax bill or other utility bill that confirms you were in occupation elsewhere.

 

I apologise for any inconvenience this matter has caused and hope my comments have explained why this situation has arisen. I look forward to hearing from you in due course and working with you towards a resolution.

 

Should you wish to discuss any of the details contained in this letter or have any further points you would like to raise please contact me by telephone on xxxxxxxxx.

 

If after further discussion you feel that I have not handled your complaint satisfactorily, you can have it independently reviewed by one of our customer care managers. A copy of our complaints procedure can be viewed via the following link:

 

http://www.eswater.co.uk/your-home/your-services/g-standards-of-service.aspx .

 

Yours sincerely

 

xxxxxxxxxxx

Customer Care Team

 

Ok so it would seem as if they are willing to be reasonable with this but I want to ask a few questions. I have no problem getting a council tax bill or previous tenancy agreements from well known high street estate agents as Ive been living in rented property ever since then, but even if I didnt have they left themselves open here?

 

1) They admit the last contact was 2005 yet they continue 'to date' as they say to keep the account open? Is this a joke, no contact in 10 years and theyre still keeping the account open?

 

2) If I was to raise the matter with the ICO would he agree that the account being kept active for 10 years is highly unfair.

 

3) What is the best course of action?

 

I personally want to get the confirmation I was living elsewhere and see if they honour there 'with a view to removing the default' statement. Like I said it seems like a matter of common sense I wouldnt even have a problem paying the 6 months I used as it wouldnt be that much I just want it cleared up.

 

Let me know what you guys think.

[dx100uk]

well 'someone' owes the water bill

so 'an account' being 'open' is quite reasonable.

they've just got the wrong name against it.

 

 

just remember as I pointed out earlier

once this is sorted, don't let them fleece your mum past 6yrs from todays date.

 

 

dx