18 months ago, I set up a Direct Debit with United Utilities Water for my account. They failed to collect any payment. I moved house, informed the company of my new address and lived my life knowing my water bill for my old address was paid.

A year later, I received a letter from United Utilities demanding payment. I telephoned my bank, who told me that United Utilities had two (count 'em!) direct debits from my account, but had not collected any money. I cancelled both the DD's and telephoned United Utilities with my problem. They said they would send me a new Direct Debit form so that I could pay my bill.

4 months later, I receivd a letter from them threatening court action. I called them and said I was waiting for them to contact me, as they had said they would. They claimed to have sent out a Direct Debit Mandate form to me, I assured them they had done no such thing. They promised to send one out immediately.

4 weeks or so later, I received a letter from a debt collection agency telling me that United Utilities had instructed them to collect the outstanding money - all £63.74 of it. I contacted both the Agency and United Utilities, and after several phone calls, it was agreed that United Utilities would charge the account to the one my partner and I have set up with them for my new address (this account is in my partner's name) - we were told not to worry, that everything was sorted out.

Two weeks or so later, we got another letter from the Debt Collection agency threatening baliffs and court action. We spoke to the agency again, and to United Utilities again. The cycle continued - we were assured that they had sorted themselves out and would be collecting the money from the direct debit as agreed, and were very sorry, etc, not to worry, blah blah blah.

A final demand from the debt collection arrived. Yes, another one. We called, some bloke claiming to be the manager at United Utilities who said he would personally sort out the problem. At every stage we requested written confirmation of the agreements we had made - these were never forthcoming as apprently no action had been taken at any stage by United Utilities.

Today -18 October 2001- I received a letter from a solicitor - not the debt collection agency any more, a solicitor, telling me they have been instructed to collect the payment.

I would not mind if I had not made several attempts to pay United Utilities, and have spoken to them on the phone many times and been assured that the matter was taken care of.

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