Thames Water bills

[Geestra]

Hi

 

Would appreciate some help with my partner’s Thames Water billing issue.

 

They’ve reported many missed payments to his Equifax credit file and he wants to purchase a property next year so this data will affect his mortgage chances no doubt.

 

He hasn’t received bills for many years.

He hasn’t ever followed this up though!

 

 

Feb 2002 - account began when he moved into his rented flat where he’s lived ever since.

March 2017 - Feb 2019 - they’ve reported “missed payments”

March 2019 - April 2019 - they’ve reported “no data”

May 2019 - March 2020 - they’ve reported “on time”

April 2020 – March 2021 - they’ve reported “missed payments”

It says £287 in arrears.

 

We made an email complaint to Customer Services asking for evidence to support the data but their reply was useless so we escalated the issue to the CEO.

 

The CEO’s office has arranged a credit (didn’t say how much) for Customer Services’ failure to help.

 

They also:

provided last 3 bills back to Dec 2019

told him to do a SAR for bills prior to this

said they sent bills to his address and because no payment was received they reported following data to Equifax

Sept. 2015 - Feb. 2019 - missed payments

Feb. 2020 - Feb 2021 - missed payments

July 2016 - default

said a payment of £30 was made in Nov 2009 (which he doesn’t remember)

the current balance is £338.50

that previous balances owed have been archived but could be re-applied to the account in the future.

 

 

The last line has thrown us – why would they archive balances?

And reapply them at a later date?

 

Also, their missed payment information covers more months than those they’ve reported to Equifax and there’s no default on Equifax either.

 

We wanted to try and appeal to their good nature and ask for the Equifax missed payment markers to be removed because he didn’t receive the bills.

 

He would pay off the outstanding balance in one go and set up a DD for future payments as well as change to online billing.

And not take the credit they’ve offered for Customer Services’ poor response.

 

I know it’s a big ask to get them to remove the markers but is it worth a try to ask and if so, is there a way to ask which would be more successful?

 

Also, could his request draw their attention to the discrepancy with the Equifax markers and theirs?

This could lead them to update Equifax with all the missing months and the default which would not be good!

Also, they may reapply the archived balance?

 

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

Many thanks,

 

Gee

[BankFodder]

Send them an SAR immediately - for everything

[dx100uk]

  

1 hour ago, Geestra said:

They’ve reported many missed payments to his Equifax credit file and he wants to purchase a property next year so this data will affect his mortgage chances no doubt.

 

incorrect...

why are you bothered about late payment markers?

no-one bar the owner of that debt and person the credit file is about can see them...

certainly not a prospective mortgage company doing a credit search.

 

this july 2016 default, you mean a D for that month in the calendar section? like the above L markers?  not a registered default  with a registered defaulted date in the debts summary.

 

just be aware that water debts are no different to any other consumer credit like a credit card or a loan.

they are not a priority debt, (like gas/electric) , they can't cut people off under human rights act so can only use the county (civil) court system (CCJ's) .

 

you also mention or appear too, debt going back outside of 6yrs? said a payment of £30 was made in Nov 2009 (which he doesn’t remember)

 

they can't (now) include any debt outside of 6yrs from today.

[Geestra]

 

Thank you both for the info.

 

I had no idea other companies can’t see the late/missed payment markers or that water isn’t a priority debt!

The thing is it says “arrears” on the credit file – I presume that will affect a credit search?

 

Yes that’s right, there’s no D or registered default date regarding the July 2016 default – should there be?

 

Their response mentioned a payment of £30 but we have no idea whether that was towards a debt or a bill.

 

He has just emailed them a SAR as instructed so will wait for what they send which should clarify things.

 

When you say they can't (now) include any debt outside of 6yrs from today, is this because of the backbilling rule?

Thing is the last 3 bills they sent with their email are dated for the period they relate to, not the present date.

Does backbilling still apply then?

 

Many thanks,

 

Gee

[dx100uk]

as said, it is not classed like a utility so no back billing rules could ever apply.

 

you need to know 'what' is making up the sum of what they are claiming to be owed today.

should that sum be made of anything outside of 6yrs, then they cannot include those sums.

 

its puzzling why TW has not simply gone for a CCJ themselves nor not sold the debt to a DCA..........

 

in the above cases...what we often find is the sum claimed is made from the totals on their annual bills ...

so say joe blogs fails to pay anything toward his 2014-2015 annual bill, well that sum can't now be claimed as the bill was issued april 2014, and is outside of 6yrs.