BristolWater/Searchlight Collections Door-stepper broke DPA

[nuclearshark]

Had an issue over a water bill for some time which has resulted in non payment.

Due to my somewhat poor state of health I've not had the energy to deal with things as well as I could do.

So I've done the worst thing possible and ignored it until today.

 

Searchlight Collections attended my property this afternoon. I was not at home at the time.

The agent spoke to someone who came to my property to collect some belongings, they do not live here.

They are a completely different gender to me also.

 

From what I've been told the doorstepper had the cheek to ask for me

and state that I owed money for a water bill and to make contact with them.

 

They left a menacing looking card with a box ticked next to "An application for a bailiff or HCEO to seize possessions" ...

I have nothing of value,

I don't drive on medical grounds so really that course of action is not going to end well for anyone.

They are also lacking a defaulted CCJ against me so I don't see how they could even do this without one!

 

They handed this over to the girl at the property and left.

They did not enter the property at any point.

 

I received a phonecall from the lady in question

and said that if he'd not gone to politely tell them that I was busy and not to be disturbed.

 

Needless to say I'm rather angry that this clown has breached the DPA in this manner.

Therefore I want to follow that up.

I've no interest in discussing the account with Searchlight.

I'd be happy to speak to water company directly however and get the billing issue resolved.

 

How should I proceed in this?

I don't want any compensation as such.

 

 

However I do want to raise the pulse-rates for them a little bit.

Thinking a letter asking them what they were doing and copy of their complaints procedure?

Then threaten the ICO but actually raise the matter with them anyway?

 

Tyia

Edited June 7, 2016 by nuclearshark
added further info.

[Bazooka Boo]

Searchlight collections IS Bristol Wessex Billing Services Ltd.

 

So your complaint will go to them, can you scan and post up a redacted copy of that card they left?

 

Lodge an immediate formal complaint http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/faq/what-is-your-complaints-procedure/

[nuclearshark]

Thanks for that, yes I agree, research shows they're BWBS Ltd. Here is the card they left.

 

 

I'll make a formal complaint tomorrow lunchtime. Anything particular I should add to the complaint?

[dx100uk]

someone has ticked the wrong box obv.

 

 

dx

[nuclearshark]

Lodge an immediate formal complaint http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/faq/what-is-your-complaints-procedure/

 

The code of practice at that link gives me a 500 - Internal Server Error. That just the awful bus WiFi or should I phone them tomorrow and ask for a copy via email?

[unclebulgaria67]

How far in arrears are you with the account ?

 

Have you notified them of your situation ? Water companies should have a team that deal with accounts where people are struggling to pay due to health and/or financial position. There should be a telephone number on your bills to contact.

[nuclearshark]

Around 2 years.

 

I had notified them of my position both medically and financially.

 

I was told to expect a pack to be sent out to complete and return to them.

 

The pack never arrived.

 

Contacted them again numerous times and this pack just wasnt materialising.

 

Needless to say I got tired and felt ignored so I started ignoring them.

 

With hindsight that was an unwise decision I agree.

 

I'd be happy for them to deduct from my benefits, I've no issue with that there.

But the DPA issue has really got my back up.

 

Should also point out that they've threatened to take me to court on numerous occasions over that period and never done so.

 

So should I be adding that to the complaint also?

[dx100uk]

to be honest

i'd deal with the debt

and worry about the DPA stuff another day.

 

being in dispute is not a reason to withhold 'some' sort of payment.

 

though ofcourse your health issues may have compounded this..

but its no excuse.

 

what do you owe?

how far does it go back?

 

I wouldn't gamble on them ignoring court for ever

tell us the full story

 

dx

[nuclearshark]

I moved out of a property in April 2014 which I was sharing with another.

They advised me when we moved in there in 2013 that they would be taking over the water bill.

However this was never the case.

 

 

When I moved into a new property on my own, wessex water wanted to transfer the arrears across even though I was advised it would be taken care of.

 

I disputed liability for that debt and explained that I would only be willing to pay half of the amount charged

and they would need to pursue the other tenant for the remaining half.

Although met with resistance this was agreed upon.

This is where I was sent a pack to fill out.

That never turned up.

 

I chased it up a few times and was told they had sent one so would be sending another.

This brought us to the time where I was hospitalised due to requiring significant surgery

from which to present day I have never fully recovered,

has left me with several permanent complications and general bitterness.

 

My medical conditions also causes me to use copious amounts of water due to using the toilet alot.

I don't have the exact amount owed to hand right now, sat on a train at the moment.

 

I'm also not looking to avoid or offer excuses as to what happened.

It is something I want to resolve.

I have no issue paying what I owe.

 

 

I've also discovered at a youth center I volunteer at there are several of the packs from Wessex Water

so I am tempted to collect one tomorrow and fill it out, send off recorded delivery with a token payment.

[dx100uk]

no that's good thanks for the background.

 

 

i think they are taking you for a ride then.

if there was a dispute that they may never have even supplied the water

then i'd let it run.

 

 

as further background

if they never did supply it..who did?

and was any water bill paid to anyone

if any was ever owed?

 

 

was it a rental and wre you responsible for the water or was the LL?

 

 

dx

[nuclearshark]

as further background

if they never did supply it..who did?

 

They are the supplier for the property I lived in from 2013 - 2014. However there were discrepancies with the meter as the property was a new build but was the showhome, so the account was held by the builders for a while. They wanted to transfer these arrears over to my account at my new property I've lived at since 2014

 

and was any water bill paid to anyone

if any was ever owed?

 

Co tenant was 'supposed' to be taking care of the bill but never did. They moved out before the tenancy ended which is when I discovered they never paid any of the bill at all

 

was it a rental and wre you responsible for the water or was the LL?

 

Rental, joint tenancy agreement. Tenants responsible. I paid gas + electric. They paid water and council tax but never did on both counts.........

[dx100uk]

They are the supplier for the property I lived in from 2013 - 2014. However there were discrepancies with the meter as the property was a new build but was the showhome, so the account was held by the builders for a while. They wanted to transfer these arrears over to my account at my new property I've lived at since 2014

 

 

 

 

good on you..not on IMHO, if you owe anything it can only be a small amount for one year or less and certainly not the usage as a showhome.

was it a metered property or yearly thing.

[nuclearshark]

Metered property

[unclebulgaria67]

Metered property

 

I believe you are only responsible for the water usage at a property while you lived there. So it a case of evidencing when you lived there and the usage level during that period. If there were not regular meter readings, it is a case of working out approximate usage and then coming to an agreement.

 

My suggestion is to write to Bristol Water with as much information as you have got and advise that you are willing to work with them to come to an agreement regarding usage for which you have any responsibility.

[nuclearshark]

I've put in an application for Water Direct this evening online,

Hopefully this will be relatively straight forward.

 

 

I've advised that I would like to deal with the debt from the previous address separately and not to include this.

 

 

Whether they do or not doesn't particularly worry me.

 

 

But at least with Water Direct I've stopped the situation escalating any further than it already has.

 

I'll advise what happens over next week or so. Thanks again for the responses folks