I’d prefer this in writing, after all they could deny that they had agreed it and I don’t know how you’d prove you’d spoken to them. I assume you would put a note on your records but imagine the scenario
OP recovery at £9.15 per week
****day. Tel call “Anywhere DC, good morning & how can I help you?”
caller ” HB dept please” Call is transferred to HB
Caller “You’re currently taking £9.15 of my HB to clear a debt of £xxx.xx. Could I repay it at £15.00 per week to clear it more quickly please?”
HB staff ” Yes, of course. I’ll sort that out today”
End of conversation. Recovery amended to £15.00 per week.
Some time later
Caller (after being put through to HB unit) ” You’ve been taking £15.00 from my payments for an OP and my landlord/ the housing officer has been demanding more rent from me. Why have you been doing this?”
HB staff ” You asked us to increase the recovery rate on ****day so we agreed”
Caller ” No I didn’t. That must have been someone masquerading as me. ([b:8a0b56460b]Masquerading is [i:8a0b56460b]my[/i:8a0b56460b] choice of word![/b:8a0b56460b]) I’m now heavily in arrears and likely to be evicted. can you reduce this please? If you don’t I will make a formal complaint”
HB staff ” Yes we’ll put it back to £9.15 per week”
My point is where is the evidence that the claimant requested the increase if it’s not in writing?
Do I know what I'm doing? The jury's out on that........................
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