Anglian Water Debt – Must You Pay?

Have you received a surprise letter from a debt collector about Anglian Water debt? Are you wondering if you should pay it?

You are not alone. Every month, over 170,000 people visit our site seeking advice on debt issues. We know how it feels to get such letters, and we are here to help. 

In this friendly guide, we’ll explain:

•  How to check if the Anglian Water debt is truly yours.
•  What happens if you have Anglian Water debt.
•  If Anglian Water can stop your water supply.
•  Ways to reduce or even clear some of your Anglian Water debt.
•  What you should do if you have Anglian Water debt.

We understand your worries about unexpected debts. Sometimes, you might not even know where the debt has come from. We will help you to figure out your options. 

What happens if you have Anglian Water debt? 

Depending on how you pay your water bill, it can be easy to miss a payment accidentally. You may get a notice that it’s due every few months but then forget to settle your account. But what happens in such an instance? Anglia Water, like many utility companies, follows a fairly common set of procedures when it comes to debt: 

• First, they’ll send a reminder notice letting you know that you’ve missed your payment. There might be a few of these, depending on the situation. 
• Next, they’ll send a final reminder, which usually gives you seven days to pay. 
• They may also phone you during these times to try and arrange a payment or assess your situation. 
• If you don’t get in touch or make a payment, your account will default. Effectively this means it’s closed and will impact your credit score. 
• At this stage, they may pass your Anglia Water debt to a debt collection agency. They will then start hounding you for the money. 
• As a last resort, Anglia Water may try and take you to court by issuing a County Court Judgement to recover the money. This could result in a visit from the bailiffs. 

Clearly, this process can escalate fairly quickly, especially if you start to ignore Anglia Water. 

What should I do if I have Anglia Water Debt? 

So, if you have Anglia Water debt and you aren’t sure what to do about it, where should you turn? It can be an agonising position to be in, but there are some positive steps you can take to help resolve the situation:

Follow our ‘prove it’ guide with letter templates and get them to prove that you owe the money.

Don’t ignore them 

So many people simply try to ignore their debts and hope that they go away. It can seem like the appealing thing to do, but in reality, it’s not going to solve anything. Ignoring Anglia Water will mean that they keep trying to contact you about your debt. What’s more, they’ll eventually pass your account on to a debt collector, who will try even harder to get you to pay. 

Figure out your finances

If you’re struggling with Anglia Water debt, you’ll want to figure out what your financial position is. Although you may not be able to pay the full amount you owe straight away, you might be able to work out how much spare cash you have each month. This gives you an idea of what you’ll be able to afford going forward, which comes in useful. 

Get in touch 

Whether you think you might miss a payment or you’ve already missed several, you should always get in touch with the utility company you owe money to. Anglia Water has an extra care service that helps those who are in a difficult financial position. They have a specialised team who can help you find a solution to paying your water bill. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Can Anglia Water disconnect my supply?

People often wonder whether their water company can disconnect the water to their house if they don’t pay. While this might have been the case in years gone by, it no longer is.

Domestic customers (those who aren’t businesses) cannot have their supply restricted or disconnected if they owe money on their account. 

What options do I have for help? 

Anglia Water offers several forms of help when it comes to paying your water bill. These will generally be tailored specifically to you, but only if you get in touch with Anglia Water to discuss the matter. Some of the options available include: 

Discounted tariffs 

Those on a lower household income may be eligible for a lower tariff. This option is useful for those who have a water meter and pay measured charges. 

Payment plans 

Essentially, this type of help allows you to pay back what you’re able to afford over a timescale that works for you. So, rather than pay a lump sum every few months, you might be able to pay small amounts each week, fortnight or month. If you receive benefits, you might be eligible to have payment taken directly from these. 

Payment pause 

If things are really difficult, you might be allowed to pause payments for a brief period of time. This doesn’t mean that your bill goes away, but it gives you some breathing space to get things back on track.

Assistance fund

Anglia Water has an emergency fund for those who are most in need. So, if you’re struggling with money and simply cannot afford to pay your bill, there is a chance that the utility company can cover some of the cost. 

Will my water bill affect my credit score?

Your utility bill doesn’t usually appear on your credit report. This does depend on your provider, as some companies can elect to report to credit reference agencies.

However, missed payments will usually end up on your credit file and will stay visible for 6 years. If you continue missing payments and don’t make any move to repay some of your debt, your water company may choose to seek legal action. This is usually a CCJ.

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Anglian Water Debt Contact Information

Can I get help with my water bill?

If you are facing financial difficulty, you might be eligible for some relief schemes. If you are unsure if you qualify or want to find out more, you can contact Citizens Advice or National Debtline for some guidance.

WaterSure, for example, is an initiative that caps your bill if you are benefits and have to use a lot of water for medical reasons. You can also be eligible if you have several school-aged children living in your home.

Those in Wales or have Dwr Cymru as their supplier will need to look into the WaterSure Wales scheme.

You can check to see if you are eligible for alternative schemes using the CCW website or by asking your water supplier directly.