Water bills cost cutting article

Cardew

Get a meter(they are free) or, if that is not possible they will get an assessed bill.

They presumably have a high rateable value(RV) which will be the reason for their high charges. The other possibility is they are paying the charges based on the RV for all 4 appartments. Do the other occupants pay the same? The worse case scenario is your parents are paying for everyone!!!!

However ST charges did not rise by 15% this year; so that might need further investigation.

Pollycat

Cardew
thanks for the prompt response.

My parents' water bills have definitely risen by 15.35% because I deal with all their finances and I've done the comparision from last year to this.
2006/07 = £284.06
2007/08 = £327.66
MY BILL 2006/07 = £200.76. This is on a water meter and me & my husband are retired and at home most of the time.

They are definitely not paying for all the 4 flats as they've discussed this with the other tenants and they have also had increased water bills.
I'm not sure what the other tenants are paying - I'll ask my parents if they can find out.

Is it likely that purpose-built old people's flats would have a high rateable value?

My parents do not get any benefits such as their rent or council tax paid for them.

Thanks
Polly

Cardew

Pollycat wrote: »

Cardew
thanks for the prompt response.

My parents' water bills have definitely risen by 15.35% because I deal with all their finances and I've done the comparision from last year to this.
2006/07 = £284.06
2007/08 = £327.66
MY BILL 2006/07 = £200.76. This is on a water meter and me & my husband are retired and at home most of the time.

They are definitely not paying for all the 4 flats as they've discussed this with the other tenants and they have also had increased water bills.
I'm not sure what the other tenants are paying - I'll ask my parents if they can find out.

Is it likely that purpose-built old people's flats would have a high rateable value?

My parents do not get any benefits such as their rent or council tax paid for them.

Thanks
Polly

Hi,
This is the OFWAT information sheet for water rises so perhaps you can contact them to find out why your parent's increases are so much more than the approx 5% OFWAT state.

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/navigation_household_charges2007-08

Your parents will not have a high RV if they are only paying £300 or so - that is below average for a unmetered account(I am with ST and if I were not metered I would be paying £1,200pa)

Pollycat

Cardew
thanks again for the information you've provided.
I'll look into all this for my parents and definitely contact Severn Trent re the massive increase as well.

With just a tiny increase in their pension, they need to look after the pennies going out.

Polly

Cardew

free_water wrote: »

? but you must remember water is a cheapp commodity its the sewerage that runs away with the costs (excuse the pun):rotfl: lol

You have posted this on another thread.

How do you reach that conclusion?

Pollycat

Cardew
thanks for your help, I've looked at the OFWAT info and the increase on my parent's bill (15.36%) is definitely above the percentages shown.

Severn Trent supply the water and Yorkshire Water take it away.
The respective increases appear to be:
Water (RV) 5.4% (Severn Trent)
Sewerage (RV) 7.7% (Yorkshire Water)
ST show a combined RV increase of 5.8% and Yorkshire Water combined RV increase 7.1%.

So does that mean that, theoretically, my parent's bill should have risen by no more than 7.1%?
Or, because they have dual suppliers, have they been hit with a 'double-whammy' increase of 13.1%?

OFWAT do state that "Individual charges can go up by more or less than the overall limit, but we check to ensure that there is no undue preference or discrimination to any group of customers."

We're looking into water meter installation, but as this is Council accommodation that may not be an option.

To add insult to injury, my water rates have DECREASED. I'm on a meter and am paying less than half what my parents pay. I can't bring myself to tell them that.

Thanks again for your help.
Polly

Cardew

Pollycat wrote: »

Cardew
thanks for your help, I've looked at the OFWAT info and the increase on my parent's bill (15.36%) is definitely above the percentages shown.

Severn Trent supply the water and Yorkshire Water take it away.
The respective increases appear to be:
Water (RV) 5.4% (Severn Trent)
Sewerage (RV) 7.7% (Yorkshire Water)
ST show a combined RV increase of 5.8% and Yorkshire Water combined RV increase 7.1%.

So does that mean that, theoretically, my parent's bill should have risen by no more than 7.1%?
Or, because they have dual suppliers, have they been hit with a 'double-whammy' increase of 13.1%?

OFWAT do state that "Individual charges can go up by more or less than the overall limit, but we check to ensure that there is no undue preference or discrimination to any group of customers."

We're looking into water meter installation, but as this is Council accommodation that may not be an option.

To add insult to injury, my water rates have DECREASED. I'm on a meter and am paying less than half what my parents pay. I can't bring myself to tell them that.

Thanks again for your help.
Polly

Their total bill increase should be between 5.8% and 7.1%.

Check with whoever sent the bill the reason for the increase.


See also my reply on Rateable Value thread.

Pollycat

Cardew
thanks again.
I've drafted a letter to SevernTrent asking why the percentage increase is so much higher than the general increases agreed by OFWAT - it's ready for my Dad to sign.
I'll report back on the result.

Polly

fussell

I just bought a brand new house, with watermeter... I have applied for the soak away discount, which has been approved!!:j
But, the developer had to put in a sewerage pump, to raise the sewerage to enter the main system. They told me that Thames Water refused to put it in.
So, myself and the other residents are now liable for the upkeep of the pumping station. And of course we've paid for the installation via our purchase price... :mad: (I was told this is fairly common in new estates...?)
But, surely we should be able to claim a discount on our sewerage rates as we're doing part of their work for them...?:rolleyes:
Any advice grately appreciated...
fussell

Cardew

fussell wrote: »

I just bought a brand new house, with watermeter... I have applied for the soak away discount, which has been approved!!:j
But, the developer had to put in a sewerage pump, to raise the sewerage to enter the main system. They told me that Thames Water refused to put it in.
So, myself and the other residents are now liable for the upkeep of the pumping station. And of course we've paid for the installation via our purchase price... :mad: (I was told this is fairly common in new estates...?)
But, surely we should be able to claim a discount on our sewerage rates as we're doing part of their work for them...?:rolleyes:
Any advice grately appreciated...
fussell

Sorry but I wouldn't agree that you are doing any of Thames Water's work for them.

In any normal sewerage system the waste is delivered to the sewer by gravity.

If the sewer pipes in my property get blocked, it is my reponsibility to get them unblocked(pay dyna-rod) so they can deliver the waste to the main. sewer.

Many old houses convert their basements to apartments. They have exactly your problem and have to fit special toilets that pulverise and then all sewerage(including waste water from baths etc) is pumped up to the level of the main sewer.

So the precedent is that it is your responsibility to get the sewerage to the mains sewer.