Water Bills questions and comment

PW_26

Cardew wrote: »

The last RV were allocated prior to April 1990 and were assessed by the Council not water companies. Thames Water and all other water companies were allowed to carry on using the RV as the basis of water charges for unmetered properties.

If this is the case, what rate do Thames Water use for properties built after 1990?

Cardew wrote: »

More detail from bill required - in particular what is meant by 'Chargeable rate'

Sorry I meant "Chargeable value of the property" - for me that is £245, they then times it by the rate for fresh water and the rate for wastewater, to work out my annual bill. Eg £245 x 71.82 pence + £245 x 40.90 pence.

If I am on assessed charges I'd expect my bill to be a lot cheaper than it is for a 1 bed flat. Nobody I know in London pays anywhere near the amount as I do.

nids

sorry for the brief question, but does an RV for 347 pounds for a 3-bed flat in west london sound about right?

just had a bill through for 85 quid for 2 months and it's a bit of a shock!

Drew1980

Hi, I have a 2 bedroom semi, with 2 of us living here. I shower at work and Dee valley water have just increased our bill to £39 a month from £23. We moved in 3 months ago, it makes no sense!

tried to add an image of the bill but I'm not allowed as a new user!

mumofthree...

hello help needed, i've just got my water bill from yorkshire water for this year £423.74 in the new house but the old house bill was £245.12 and its only 10 minutes away phoned them up and they told me it's because i live in a better area and bigger property size but its smaller and not any better.

Lollybean

Hi, I live in an apartment block where the water and heating is served by Insite Energy. We are unable to choose water companies as it is all run internally from a pump under our building. I, along with numerous other residents have had endless problems with the company such as taking out three times the bill amount from our accounts. Further despite my usage staying the same(we are on meters) my bill ranges from 29 to 100 per month). I've had meter readings taken which are correct but there must be a problem as I'm living alone in a 1 bed flat! I've tried to complain but insite don't want to know. I've had a look on consumer sights but they don't seem to be regulated by anyone. What can I do to get the problems looked into??

Cardew

mumofthree... wrote: »

hello help needed, i've just got my water bill from yorkshire water for this year £423.74 in the new house but the old house bill was £245.12 and its only 10 minutes away phoned them up and they told me it's because i live in a better area and bigger property size but its smaller and not any better.

Welcome to the forum.

The new house will have a bigger Rateable Value(RV) than your previous house.

The RV was assessed by the council(not the water company), probably in 1973 or in the period 1973 to March 1990.

The RV was based on the notional rent(not value) the house could command when it was assessed, and this RV was the basis of 'local taxes' - now the Council Tax.

There were many factors that determined the RV - area, amenities, modernisation(at time of assesment) garage, etc etc.

The RV cannot be changed.

You can apply for a meter. If the charges are not cheaper, you can revert to paying on your current RV basis as long as you do so within 12 months.

Cardew

Lollybean wrote: »

Hi, I live in an apartment block where the water and heating is served by Insite Energy. We are unable to choose water companies as it is all run internally from a pump under our building. I, along with numerous other residents have had endless problems with the company such as taking out three times the bill amount from our accounts. Further despite my usage staying the same(we are on meters) my bill ranges from 29 to 100 per month). I've had meter readings taken which are correct but there must be a problem as I'm living alone in a 1 bed flat! I've tried to complain but insite don't want to know. I've had a look on consumer sights but they don't seem to be regulated by anyone. What can I do to get the problems looked into??

Welcome to the forum.

If the company supply water and heating it is not surprising that the charges vary from month to month.

You don't say if you are letting or own the flat.

Complain to the landlord or letting agent if renting.

Get up a petition if you own, and try talking to Council or trading standards.

robotrobo

mumofthree... wrote: »

hello help needed, i've just got my water bill from yorkshire water for this year £423.74 in the new house but the old house bill was £245.12 and its only 10 minutes away phoned them up and they told me it's because i live in a better area and bigger property size but its smaller and not any better.

its all priced on the rateable value of your new house i believe , i had a meter fitted & save over £450 per year !, but there are only 2 of us at home.

alvinboobar

Why should you pay more for your water just because your house is worth more than someone elses. I live in a 3 bed detatched property (3 occupants) and my water bill is £450 a year with Northumbria Water. A 2 bed semi opposite me with 5 people in will be paying a lot less, why? They will use more water than us. More toilet flushes, washing machine on more, more baths/showers, etc. How can this be fair

Cardew

alvinboobar wrote: »

Why should you pay more for your water just because your house is worth more than someone elses. I live in a 3 bed detatched property (3 occupants) and my water bill is £450 a year with Northumbria Water. A 2 bed semi opposite me with 5 people in will be paying a lot less, why? They will use more water than us. More toilet flushes, washing machine on more, more baths/showers, etc. How can this be fair

Unmetered properties have their water charges based on the Rateable Value(RV) and this is not based on the value of the property. In extremis a Band H mansion worth £millions can have a lower RV(and hence pay less water charges) than a Band A 1 bed flat.

You, understandably, are really making a case for ALL properties to be metered.

When mandatory meters were introduced for new properties in April 1990(when the RV for houses ceased to be the method of collecting 'local taxes') it was agreed that as a temporary measure occupants of houses could elect to remain on RV based charges to prevent a large jump in charges. However as occupants changed, the water companies should have used their powers to fit meters.

23 years on and this is still not happening.