Help needed with Anglian Water

[Scoobydoo58]

Hi all I'm new here, so apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place.

 

I have a problem with Anglian water, which I could really do with some help on.

I got into debt with them through no fault of my own.

 

 

I moved into a property where the landlord asked me to put the water into my name.

The property I moved into had had an extension built on which was converted into a flat.

I called Anglian water and gave them a water reading.

 

 

Imagine my suprise when 6 months later I received a large bill which was not only for my property but for the flat next door as well.

 

 

I called Anglian water and they advised me both properties were run from the same Meter,

therefore whatever water next door were using was being charged to me.

 

 

I contacted the landlord who was a complete arse and refused to acknowledge or do anything.

Anglian water said I was liable for any future debt by the other tenants

and although they admitted what was happening to me was crap could do nothing to help.

 

I couldn't afford to move at the time so was stuck in a really bad situation.

Eventually I borrowed money to move as my water bill was just getting bigger and bigger as the other tenants were just wasting water. I agreed a payment plan with Anglian water which I have kept up to date with.

 

However upon checking my credit file Anglian water have now marked it with a late payment.

I had a really squeaky clean record as I pay everything else on time

and now my credit rating has changed to poor.

 

 

I owe £925 even though most if this was from the other tenants.

Anglian water has also changed the date the debt us from making it sooner than it was.

 

Every month it's showing as a late payment of 6 months.

Is there anything I can do as this has severely impacted my credit score even though all my other accounts are up to date.

Just annoyed as I have never missed a payment from the payment plan I set up.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[dx100uk]

that's not on

you shouldn't be paying for someones elses usage and AW should have sorted that out

 

 

pers I think i'd be involving ofwat here.

 

 

and seek compensation too on the ruined credit file

[InternetGuru]

Hi,

 

I knew someone in a similar situation once, and I'm sorry to say that you are pretty much going to have to sort this out as a private matter, as I went to quite a bit of effort to look into this and help them with it.

 

Anglian Water only have a responsibility for the pipework/meters they originally fit apparently, so when someone builds an annex or extension on the back of another property, Anglian Water have no responsibility to fit extra pipes or meters to it, as it was done by a homeowner at their cost, and it's not Anglian Water's problem.

 

Anglian Water only have a responsibility to fit meters at the end of all supplies they lay. If someone decides to chuck another property on the back of an existing supply, Anglian Water won't go out of their way, at their own expense, to sort this out.

 

The only option you really have is to get a sub-meter fitted to that second property at the point the supply first reaches them. You'll still receive the full bill for the two properties, but you will then be able to see just how much water those other tenants are using, and you can sort it out among yourselves with regard to the bill.

 

The long-and-short of it is that AW don't actually have to do anything. People will shoot their mouth off and tell you to go to citizens advice or speak to a solicitor or even ofwat as the person above has said, but that won't do you any good I'm afraid. I agree it is a crap situation, and your landlord has screwed you pretty badly, but it's just a case of someone doing something privately, who has then left someone else to deal with the mess.

 

I hope this helps

[Scoobydoo58]

Thanks for replies. I moved out of the property as I was getting no where with anyone.

 

I'm just gutted as I got into debt a while back after being made redundant and although Anglian water knew this they did nothing to help. I applied for their assisted fund but was turned down.

 

I took on the worst job ever and worked every hour I could to pay off all my debts. I finally managed to pay all my credit debts and had slowly built my credit score up to excellent. Now I'm back to square one and have a poor credit record. Just gutted!

 

Never missed one payment from their payment plan.

 

Mum has offered to pay off the amount for me, but if I do pay it off do I have to wait another 6 years for it to drop off my file?

[InternetGuru]

Sadly credit implications do last for 6 years, especially if it's something like a default or CCJ.

 

The way Anglian Water work their payment plans is that you have to pay off all of your debt within one year, if you pay less each month than will clear it within a year, then it will affect your credit file whether you keep up to date with payments or not. Although this should be explained to you when you are set up on such a plan.

 

It does suck, as I say my friend went through almost the same thing, which is why I know the ins and outs as my sister is a solicitor and helped them out with it and I took an interest for my own sake.

 

I'm afraid all you can do now is work past it.

 

I hope it goes well for you

 

Guru