Wrong number of bedrooms on water bill

stueyindeep

Hi all,

Long time reader first time poster. Thanks all for all the help I've picked up to date. I can't find an answer to my question here but please direct me if it's old hat.

I noticed sometime ago that I was being billed for the incorrect number of bedrooms on my Thames Water Bill. I had never told them my 2 bed flat was a 3 bed but have been paying for it as such since I moved in 3 years ago.

As soon as I received my first bill I called and asked for a reduction given that it was a 2 bed with a couple living in it so they could have put that on their system then.

My question is this:
Can I apply for the change of bedrooms, and therefore bill amount/tarrif, to be back dated?

Thanks in advance.

Cardew

welcome to the forum.

Normally the number of bedrooms in a flat has not effect on your bill.

If it has no water meter you are charged on the Rateable Value(RV) of your property. That RV was fixed many years ago and there is no way of changing it.

If you have a water meter, you are simply charged on the amount of water you use.

The only exception to this is if at some time in the past someone applied for a meter and it could not be fitted. You then are given an assessed charge where the number of bedrooms/people in residence affects the charge.

If that latter case applies you can apply to have your assessed charge reduced, but I am pretty certain they won't backdate it before April of this year - but you can try.

stueyindeep

Funny you should mention that. I did apply for one but it couldn't fit at the flat's feed.

There must be some recourse for them having been overcharging me for three years.

McKneff

As Cardew says, you will only have been overcharged IF you were given an assessed charge after they found they couldnt fit the meter. this will probably not have happened automatically. Ring your water company and ask if it is aN RV charge or an assessed charge and take it from there.

Cardew

stueyindeep wrote: »

Funny you should mention that. I did apply for one but it couldn't fit at the flat's feed.

There must be some recourse for them having been overcharging me for three years.

You still need to determine if they placed you on an assessed charge or you continue to be charged on the old RV.

Depending on your RV it is not always cheaper to be on an Assessed charge, although it usually is.

So firstly you have to determine if you have been overcharged.

Then you have apply for a rebate, but loads of people have tried and failed to get it backdated further than April. ofwat(the Regulator) backs the company in that stance.