Get a rebate on your sewerage rates charges

frivolous_fay

Just rang up and asked for a form - I've just moved into my first house and it would be very satisfying to make a significant saving on water. (we've also had a water meter put in) I was given a copy of their annual water bill and I'm keen to see how our new setup compares!

herdeep

Thanks to the forum I applied for a rebate and got one years discount.I appealed for more but was brushed off,instead got 12 months to pay my next bill rather than 10.
I think we should fight for at least 2/3 years discount.
HSS

herdeep

Sorry forgot to mention that I am with thames water

teddyco

I also wanted to mention to folks who are not aware of this:

OFWAT recently fined Southern Water £20 million for lying to them about payments per the GSS scheme, and as a result of this deception, Southern Water was able to raise rates on their customers to the tune of £10.50 per customer.

See OFWAT original complaint:

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/pn1306

What is the GSS Scheme?

The GSS (Guaranteed Standards Scheme) basically says that:

Customers of water and sewerage companies are entitled to guaranteed standards of service, as laid down by the Government. This information note sets out these standards and the conditions. The Director General of Water Services (the Director) monitors the scheme and recommends changes. Ofwat publishes details annually about company procedures and payments made under the scheme.

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/content/guaranteedstandardsscheme

I don't know if most folks know this, and water companies are obliged to alert their customers to the GSS agreement. (funny how I just now heard about it), but if your water company does not respond to a customer complaint by writing or email in 10 days, you have the right to file for £25 compensation from said water company.

I think the rules say that your complaint must be in email or writing, not by phone call, and you can file for the fine.

Apparantly, Southern Water told OFWAT that they had been paying out the GSS fines 100%, but that was a lie. They had about 100,000 customers who had not received the fine for poor service.

Southern Water then filed to increase their rates, and since OFWAT thought they had fulfilled 100% of their GSS obligations, OFWAT allowed Southern Water to raise their rates by £10.50 per customer, as if we aren't paying enough already.

So now my concern is about complaints via phone: Since most customers complain to their water company via phone, if there is a problem with poor customer service, because it was not sent via email or letter, the customer cannot claim for £25 per the GSS rules.

Does that mean that we should all be complaining to our water companies via email or letter? Makes no sense to me!

geordie_joe

Cardew wrote: »

Look at plans if you can. Local council, builder etc. Speak to your water company.

If not find and remove a cover on the sewer that serves your house and run a hose pipe into a gutter and see if the water is reaching the sewer.

Nearly all new properties have their surface water into soakaways - it became mandatory years ago.

Sorry to drag this up Cardew, I read the last few posts then jumped to the beginning of the tread.

To save me reading the entire thread, my house is only five years old, what are the chances of the rain water going into a soakaway?

Cardew

geordie_joe wrote: »

Sorry to drag this up Cardew, I read the last few posts then jumped to the beginning of the tread.

To save me reading the entire thread, my house is only five years old, what are the chances of the rain water going into a soakaway?

Very high indeed!

It would be extremely unlikely for a property built 5 years ago to be given planning permission UNLESS the surface water went to a soakaway.

geordie_joe

Cardew wrote: »

Very high indeed!

It would be extremely unlikely for a property built 5 years ago to be given planning permission UNLESS the surface water went to a soakaway.

Thanks Cardew, can't find it now but sometime this evening, while studying my water bill I read that they would reduce it by £17 per year if I had surface water soakway. Definitely worth looking into.

methusala_2

Dear Sir,
In August of 1991 I completed the purchase of the above property from XXXXX County Council.
At that time responsibility for the payment of Water Bills passed solely to myself as the owner occupier.
In February 1992 I received my annual water Bill and a discount for
Surface Water Drainage going to my soak aways was not applied despite it having been applied the previous year of 1991/1992.
At that time I telephoned the water company.
I pointed out that, whilst there had been a change of ownership in the property, there was no change in the occupier or circumstances regarding surface water drainage. I was told that yes they were aware that surface water drainage did not enter the main sewage and that there was no need to make a further claim.
The discount would be applied for 1992/1993 bill and would be reflected in the next and subsequent bills.
This year 2008/2009 my water statement required me to make a telephone call to the water company and during that discussion I have discovered the discount was not being applied and in fact, nor had it been the previous year.
From this I deduce that it has never been applied since 1992 when it was inadvertantly ceased, despite assurance at that time that it would be.
Because I now pay by direct debit I do not receive a water Bill but I do receive an annual Water Statement and payment schedule. I have always assumed the discount was being applied to the sewage charges before the charge was placed in the statement and the discount did not show as a separate item.
I am now aware that this is not the case and would like you to
investigate your records and refund me the charges I have paid since 1992 for your dealing with my Surface Water Drainage.
This refund can be applied to my account arrears which obviously reflect the extra charges that you have knowingly/mistakenly been applying.
Yours Faithfully
XXXX

claimed today via welsh water web site

OldFartPlumber

Interesting comments about this company here on the forum..... I received a Standard Letter saying that (the author) " Believed my house surface water ....connected to their sewer ".....To paraphrase Sir Alan Sugar :- I Believe in Miracles....But that don`t make me Erroll Brown:D Top Class BS from them -they should be politicians ! I got the bit between my teeth on this one . Bureauracracy- The only growth industry in Little ( going to the dogs) Britain.:mad: Sorted with one phone call to the right dept. So their service is good in VERY small parts.

lancasterchelsea

i never posted the result 2 years ago
I got approx £70/year off about 15% off because all my surface water goes into dyke and not down sewer
they didn't backdate it more than a few years though pity