Surface Water Rebate

Marmajuke_2 · 22 October 2007 at 1:30PM

Have this last week been in communication with Thames Water since my surface water (i.e. rainwater), is not collected, (it just shoots across the public footpath!) Should I be grateful that they have agreed to a rebate (backdated to April 2007), or should I insist the refund be backdated for the last 8 years. Since that's how long I've been living here & paying for a service I've not recieved!
Thames Water say they can only backdate up to 1 year. Though in practise, that's only back to the beginning of the 'billing year'.

Boxing gloves, or a white flag?

Cardew · 22 October 2007 at 4:46PM

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.

This subject of backdating rebates has been covered lots of time if you do a search on this forum.

Essentially the water Regulator(ofwat) has agreed that companies only need to backdate for the current billing year, and that seemed to be complied with by all companies.

However if you read the threads on this subject you will find that one person has managed to get a rebate backdated for 7 years with Thames see:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=192960&page=5

Certainly worth a few rounds with the Boxing Gloves methinks!

Good luck and let us know who wins

Psykicpup · 23 October 2007 at 9:21PM

this may help
www.ofwat.gov.uk/.../jr05_YKY_RegulatoryAccounts.pdf/$FILE/jr05_YKY_RegulatoryAccounts.pdf

Cardew · 23 October 2007 at 9:43PM

The link above does not appear to work. However this is an extract from the ofwat site(is this the same?)

Why can't the surface water drainage rebate be backdated?
There is no legal obligation for companies to backdate any rebate of charges beyond the current charging year. In fact the Water Industry Act of does not prevent companies from charging for surface water drainage even where customers do not receive the service. Nevertheless, following a requirement from Ofwat, all companies have provided rebates for non-connection since April 2001.

We think it’s right that companies should not pay rebates retrospectively past the current charging year. Surface water drainage costs have historically been shared between all customers. As a result of offering the rebate to those not connected, other customers must pay slightly higher charges to recover the total costs of surface water. If rebates were applied retrospectively therefore, this would mean corresponding retrospective increases in charges to connected customers, who had previously paid too little for the surface water drainage service. This would be neither practicable nor desirable. Companies must ensure that this information is included in the billing literature sent with the customer’s bill.

As I stated in post#2 above, that regulation has always been quoted for those trying to get the rebate backdated.

That said somebody apparently has got a rebate from Thames Water backdated 7 years. No idea why!(see the link in Post #2)

Marmajuke_2 · 31 October 2007 at 4:47PM

Thanks Cardew. Admit that in my haste to 'put pen to paper', I didn't do my homework. i.e. Check out previous threads/posts. Will obviously post any progress made on this subject.

Surface Water Rebate

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