should I be paying sewerage charges to water company

allycat999

When we moved into our new build property we were told we had a soakaway but we had to prove to the water company that it was true. We had to provide a plan to scale of all pipes and direction of slope of the drive - to prove that the water could not drain into the road. We also had an inspector then visit to confirm the facts. It was not just a case of them accepting a phone call.
On a previous property we had a septic tank and as all water drained into it we were not charged for either foul or surface water. The street did however have surface water drainage.
My water company - severn trent - did seem to make it a very difficult process to claim, but persevere it saves you money!!!

Lorian

We have a Klargester BioDisc with all clear water from the house going to a local watercourse and soakaways.

I didn't notice in the first year and paid the bill for sewerage and surface water drainage that Welsh Water had presented.

In the second year I noticed. They asked for drawings locating the soakaways and pipes to the watercourse. They took them on face value and very quickly issued a new bill for water supply only (which it has been ever since) and sent me a cheque for the sewerage and surface water drainage I had paid the year before. So don't forget to backdate any claim if they agree you don't use the service they have been billing you for!

Cardew

iainkirk wrote:

As for it being a 'liberty' for the water companies to assume that they can charge for foul and surface water draiange by default, that is unfortunately what the Regulations and OFWAT say they must do.

Perhaps I should re-phrase my original comment and say it is wrong for the Regulations and OFWAT to stipulate that customers should be charged for a service(surface water drainage) that a great many do not use.

I wonder how may incorrectly pay this charge? Millions?

devon-gnome

Hi Switch
We pay water charges only to the water company because we too have a cesspit which is emptied annually and the cost is shared between the 7 households that empty into it.
You should definitely not be paying sewerage charges to the water company and should ask for a refund.

Switch

After invesitgations this weekend, it turns out that I do have soakaways, and therefore should not be paying the sewerage and surface water charges.

Spoke with the water company this morning and they accepted that I did not have mains drainage when i gave them the address.

Charges for sewerage/surface water dropped and a full refund will be given for previous payments.

Result.

Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped out on this thread.

Switch

pixie1

An excellent result switch - well done! But.....soakaways dont have anything to do with sewerage so when your amended bill comes through you may need to go back to them regards to that unless Ive misread you rpost that it if thats the case just ignore me