Water Bills questions and comment

overthetop7

I have unknowingly been paying Essex& Suffolk water company for rain/surface water to exit my property via their sewerage system. It has come to light that my property is serviced by a system of soakaways thus none of my rain/surface water enters the sewerage system. Upon reading up on the subject I've learnt that I don't have to pay the charges. I contacted my water company and explained my situation, they replied that I should be exempt from the charges but I'm not entitled to any refund for prior overcharges. Does anyone know my rights here?

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Under most circumstances you are not entitled to a back-dated refund, and this was the original ruling fromOfwat. It was up to you to claim relief from the Surface Water Drainage(SWD) charge and this is covered in the terms and conditions of your account - the small print that few read.

However a couple of years ago the situation apparently changed with some companies. If the companies could be 'reasonably expected to know' you had soakaways and water from your gutters/garden/drive did not enter the sewerage system then  they could/should refund up to 6 years charges(6 years being Statute limited)

However they don't define 'Reasonably expected to know' and I fought a battle with Severn Trent on behalf of a friend who had lived on an estate for 20 years and several neighbours did not pay SWD charges. However Severn Trent would not budge. That said several posters on this forum have managed to get up to 6 years refunds.

Loads more information on this forum if you search this section for 'SWD'

thor

A little while ago to a big fanfare the water authorities were told to reduce the prices by Ofwat(I think) and while some did so, others did not. Yorkshire water were one of those who have relentlessly kept putting up bills year in year out claiming some !!!!!! and bull story about why they need to charge their customers ever more. Does anyone know how they can get away with this?

Cardew

thor said:

A little while ago to a big fanfare the water authorities were told to reduce the prices by Ofwat(I think) and while some did so, others did not. Yorkshire water were one of those who have relentlessly kept putting up bills year in year out claiming some !!!!!! and bull story about why they need to charge their customers ever more. Does anyone know how they can get away with this?

The simple answer is they 'cannot 'get away with it'.

In 2019 the regulator Ofwat published a 5 year plan which mandates the money each water company can charge as well as targets for leakage etc. This is done after each company argues their case. The outline is in this publication  https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-companies/price-review/2019-price-review/final-determinations/ If you dig down into this document you will see the year by year increases/decreases in the revenue each company can raise - or contact Yorkshire water.

IMO opinion Water should never have been privatised, but at least the Regulator has teeth(unlike many others) and is prepared to use them.

suenorm

We live in the Severn Trent region and have a water meter.
I would like to apply for my 88 year old mother to have Watersure.
She has a medical condition that qualifies but the benefit she receives (Attendance Allowance) is not on the Government list of qualifying benefits.
The problem is that she would be entitled to one of the listed benefits if she was younger i.e. PIP or DLA  - it's ridiculous that she's too old and is therefore excluded from the Watersure scheme due to her age!!  Talk about age discrimination!!

Anyone come across this issue?

Obiwan_kinobe

I recently received a communication from Southern water saying they wee going to increase my Monthly D/D. from £25/ Month TO £34/ Month!. Based they said on my projected  future usage.
   When I challenged this , it transpired they collate data on my Metered usage and project it forward for the next 6 months.
Just one MAJOR snag with that. They were using my SUMMER usage of 102 cubic meters , to estimate my likely WINTER (Actually 30cubic meters) usage. Cheeky b'stards. They were under the impression this was entirely fair/normal practise. 
 I have come to a more realistic judgement and got them down to £27/ month , to be reviewed after the winter. I will be keeping a very close eye on them.. Watch out for your Water company trying this UNDERHAND trick.

Jayde38

We recently switched to metered billing following a letter from Thames Water saying that we could save if we switched.  We were pay £16 a month then.  From January our saving with Thames Water will be -£26 as our new payment has shot up to £42.  According to Thames Water this is the new “average”.

Cardew

Jayde38 said:

We recently switched to metered billing following a letter from Thames Water saying that we could save if we switched.  We were pay £16 a month then.  From January our saving with Thames Water will be -£26 as our new payment has shot up to £42.  According to Thames Water this is the new “average”.

Thames Water are fitting compulsory water meters. See:

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-meters/getting-a-water-meter

'We're fitting compulsory water meters for all our customers, starting in London. When it’s your turn, you’ll get a letter from us telling you we are going to be fitting meters in your area. '

The principle of water charges, laid down by the Government, is that you pay for what you use. Water companies had the power to fit meters to everyone who moved into an unmetered property after 01 April 1990 and should have exercised that power.. Unfortunately most companies didn't bother to exercise this option and this meant some households had unlimited water and paid much less than metered households.

The stupidity of the financing of water companies means that they are allowed to raise a level of revenue by the Regulator(ofwat) and by allowing unmetered customers to pay low charges it meant that metered households subsidise some unmetered households.

Now some 30 years after the event it seems that water companies are having to correct this situation.

Goldenholme

Mum is in nursing home since October. Her house is empty. Could this effect the costs of water to/from the property. I fill a kettle once a week and possibly a bucketful for cleaning and a flush of the loo.  

JJ_Egan

Will be using less .

Ask water company what is best .