Should I Pay Orbit Debt Collection for Water or Ignore?

Handling a debt collection notice from Orbit for your water bills can be a worry. You may have lots of questions and concerns.

You are not alone. More than 12,000 people visit this site each month for advice on worries just like yours. 

In this easy-to-read guide, we’ll share:

•  Who Orbit Debt Collections are, and why they might contact you
•  If you need to pay Orbit Debt Collectors for your water bills
•  What happens if you ignore Orbit about a water debt
•  Ways to deal with Orbit and your water debt
•  Steps to take if you think you have been tricked by a false debt collector

We know how hard it can be to owe money; some of our team have been where you are now. We are here to help you understand what to do if you get a letter from Orbit about your water bills.

Let’s get started!

Should you pay Orbit straight away?

No. You shouldn’t pay a debt collection agency straight away, not before checking if all the details on the demand are correct.

Moreover, there are two important things to check before you fork any money over to Orbit!

• First, check whether the debt is too old to enforce. Second, check if the debt is yours to settle or if is Orbit contacting the wrong person?

Mistakes happen and debt collection agencies often contact the wrong people about an alleged debt. Also, the debt could be deemed statute barred which means it can’t be enforced through the courts!

Can you ask Orbit to prove the debt is yours?

You have the right to ask Orbit to prove the debt is yours if they haven’t already done so.

Water companies are legally obliged to provide households with water. It’s the law. In short, the supply of water doesn’t fall under any sort of contract because it’s a legal obligation.

As no ‘contract’ exists between yourself and the water company, you need to contact Orbit directly to find out if they’re pursuing the right person.

What can Orbit legally do?

Orbit is perfectly within its rights to contact you when a water company passes your account to them. However, they must remain within the law when pursuing a debt.

That said, debt collection agencies can:

• Contact you by letter, email, or text or they can phone you. If all else fails, Orbit can send a debt collection agent to your home
• Discuss the outstanding debt with you discreetly showing empathy for your personal circumstances
• Request that you pay the outstanding to them rather than the water company

You can’t prevent the debt collector from doing any of the above. However, you can ask them not to bombard you with phone calls, texts etc.

Moreover, you have the right to ask a field agent to leave your property if they visit you at home. They must respect the request!

What can’t Orbit do?

Orbit would be acting unlawfully and against the CSA code of conduct if they do or say any of the following things:

• You can’t be shown documents that seem to be issued by the courts when they are not
• You mustn’t be pressured into borrowing more money to settle a water debt
• Debt collectors can pretend they’re bailiffs (court-appointed enforcement officers)
• Your possessions can be seized or your vehicle clamped
• A debt collection agent can’t use legal jargon to confuse you
• Debt collectors don’t have the right to force their way into your home or visit you at work
• They can’t talk to a family member, your friends, neighbours or your employer about the money you allegedly owe
• They can’t harass or threaten you in any way

Is the water debt too old to enforce?

If you’ve moved house and left without paying a water bill, chances are the outstanding never got paid. Especially, if you didn’t leave a forwarding address and have a new water supplier at your new home.

It could be that the water supplier gave up trying to contact you and passed your account to Orbit.

In this instance, the debt could be quite old and therefore too old to enforce. It means a court won’t take on the case and therefore, no Order to Pay could be issued against you.

However, for a debt to be statute barred, it must meet specific criteria.

Check out what happened to one person who posted this message on a popular forum website:

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Would Orbit let you pay in instalments?

Orbit may offer you an affordable payment plan to clear the outstanding. It could be a way of settling the debt by making monthly payments if you’re struggling to pay bills and other debts!

Fortunately, unlike many other debt recovery companies, Orbit has a reputation for taking a more empathetic approach to recovering money owed.

What happens when you ignore Orbit over a water debt?

Things get complicated and stressful when you don’t respond to Orbit when they contact you. For example, you’d get more threatening letters, phone calls, emails and texts all demanding payment.

The demands will have a more threatening tone which includes legal action!

When you continue to ignore things which include a Letter Before Action (LBA), you could be faced with court action. If you still don’t respond, a judge will issue an Order to Pay which makes you liable for the outstanding debt!

Could you get a County Court Judgement?

Yes. You’d get a County Court Judgement (CCJ) if you don’t pay Orbit when they contact you over a water debt.

Of course, the court has to rule in favour of the creditor to issue the order, but if you’ve ignored things, chances are the judge would!

Having a CCJ on your credit file over an unpaid water debt will negatively impact your credit rating. You’ll find it hard to get a bank loan, mortgage or credit card.

Does Orbit have the power to cut off your water supply?

Absolutely not! All households in the UK must have a constant supply of water even if there’s an outstanding water bill! 

In short, a debt collector or water supplier has no right to cut off your water because you’ve fallen into debt!

Can you file a complaint against Orbit Debt Collection?

You have the right to complain about debt collectors when they act unlawfully and when they harass you with phone calls.

Plus, if you ask a field agent to leave your property, they must respect your request. If they don’t, it’s another reason to file a complaint against them.

How do you complain about debt collectors?

First, you have to file a complaint with Orbit and see if they’ll make things right. However, if they don’t, you can then report them to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

The FOS should investigate your complaint and take the necessary actions against the debt collector.

You could receive compensation if the ombudsman finds a debt collector acted unlawfully!

Can you prevent Orbit from contacting you?

You can’t prevent Orbit from getting in touch with you about an outstanding debt if the provider passes the account to them. Debt collection agencies have the right to pursue debts.

However, you have the right to dictate how a debt collector contacts you.

For example, you may not want to speak to one of the representatives over the phone or receive constant emails/texts!

If so, you can write to Orbit telling them to only contact you by letter. It’s a good move because you get to have everything they ask for in writing.

Make sure you send the letter by recorded delivery and keep a copy of it for your records!

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

How do you contact Orbit Credit Services Ltd?

I’ve listed ways to contact Orbit Credit Services Ltd in the table below:

Via the website	https://www.orbitservices.co.uk/
By post	PO Box 92 Malton YO17 1BN
By telephone	01653 604434
Opening times	Mon – Thu 9 am-  8pm Fri – 9 am – 6 pm Sat – 9 am – 1 pm

What free debt advice is there in the UK?

If you’re struggling to pay bills and drowning in debt, it’s worth contacting one of the major UK charities. They provide free debt advice which could get you out of a hole!

Moreover, it stops things from escalating when you tell Orbit you’re seeking independent debt advice. But don’t wait too long to let them know otherwise they might think you’re ignoring things.

I’ve listed some of the leading UK charities in the list below:

• StepChange
• Advice Direct Scotland
• Citizens Advice
• National Debtline
• Money Advice Scotland