Something is very wrong!

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gw23
gw23 Posts: 78 Forumite
First Anniversary Combo Breaker
in Water bills
My Dad's flat has a meter. Everything was fine until he sadly passed away last November. I had the account transferred into my name and apparently, I used £50 worth of water from November - January. It seemed rather a lot as the flat is unoccupied but with everything else I was having to deal with I just paid it and submitted a meter reading. Then blow me they send me a cheque for £49.80 as my Dad was in credit. I've now received a bill for Jan 6 - March 6 for £159! I spoke to Southern Water who first of all told me that the bill they issued before I submitted the meter reading must have been underestimated. Well it may well have been, but my Dad's bills were pretty much the same for the last 3 years so I can't see why they would have so dramatically underestimated it and it still seems way too high as his bills were very small - plus the fact that he was in credit! This represents almost a year's worth of water. The meter reading I gave them in January hasn't changed as no water is being used. She then said I had to do a water test and she quickly reeled off what I'm supposed to do which I now can't remember! I'll google how to do a test and try and do that but before I go through all that I just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts - am I missing something or being dumb? I just can't work out what's going on.

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  • footyguy
    footyguy Posts: 4,157 Forumite
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    gw23 wrote: »
    My Dad's flat has a meter. Everything was fine until he sadly passed away last November. I had the account transferred into my name and apparently, I used £50 worth of water from November - January. It seemed rather a lot as the flat is unoccupied but with everything else I was having to deal with I just paid it and submitted a meter reading. Then blow me they send me a cheque for £49.80 as my Dad was in credit. I've now received a bill for Jan 6 - March 6 for £159! I spoke to Southern Water who first of all told me that the bill they issued before I submitted the meter reading must have been underestimated. Well it may well have been, but my Dad's bills were pretty much the same for the last 3 years so I can't see why they would have so dramatically underestimated it and it still seems way too high as his bills were very small - plus the fact that he was in credit! This represents almost a year's worth of water. The meter reading I gave them in January hasn't changed as no water is being used. She then said I had to do a water test and she quickly reeled off what I'm supposed to do which I now can't remember! I'll google how to do a test and try and do that but before I go through all that I just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts - am I missing something or being dumb? I just can't work out what's going on.

    Any bill should detail exactly what it is for. i.e. how the cost is made up.
    If you don't understand what it says, then either post a legible image here so that people can read it and try to explain (remove personal info first), or take a copy along to the local CAB who I'm sure will assist you.

    If you don't have a copy of a fully detailed bill, then request one from the supplier.

    When you "had the account transferred into [your] name", what you actually did was instruct the supplier to close down the account in your father's name and create a new account in your name.

    You will be billed from the day the new account was created. The supplier would have produced a final bill for the previous account holder (your late father), and it would be this account that would have been in credit. (Water charges often are billed in advance, at least in part, except for actual metered usage. e.g. standing charges).
  • undaunted
    undaunted Posts: 1,870 Forumite
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    If the property is empty & yet consumption appears to be rising I would have thought one of a few things could be happening


    You have developed a water leak


    You or your Dad previously have misread / misreported the meter reading in some way


    There has been an administrative error somewhere
  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    Standing charges and water surface drainage perhaps.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    Hengus wrote: »
    Standing charges and water surface drainage perhaps.


    It has been reported on MSE that an occupant may have claimed exemption from Surface Water Drainage(SWD), but with some companies on change of occupant, the computer 'defaults' to charging for SWD!
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