Incorrectly billed for surface water drainage

Mrs_Money

My father-in-law has been incorrectly charged for Surface Water Drainage (he lives in a marina development so water goes in the sea!!!) for 20 years - Southern Water have agreed to "refund" him - straight away after his phone call - but refused to actually give him the money back - only credit the bill - as it runs into hundreds and they were in the wrong - surely this is not legal?

Cardew

It doesn't run into hundreds I am afraid.

They will only refund to the beginning of the financial year.

Discussed many times, protests to ofwat(the Regualtor) about backdating have been made and ofwat have backed the right of the company to not backdate.

They are not 'in the wrong'. Under the Water Privatisation Act everyone had to be charged for surface water drainage. How would the Water Company know that the water didn't enter a sewer? Carry out a detailed survey of the 30 million homes in UK?

Your Father in Law should have claimed for relief from this charge.

Threads on this if you do a search.

Mrs_Money

Yes, I did do a search but nothing came up - by the way the BBC 1 programme Rip Off Britain featured the problem this week and Southern Water agreed to do refunds. You sound like you work for a water company! So you think it's okay for utility companys to bill us for something we don't use? I don't.

Cardew

No I don't work for a water company and I heartily dislike them. They never should have been privatised, so you can blame Maggie Thatcher!

They(the Government) in their wisdom decided that every property in UK would pay for Surface Water Drainage.(SWD) The revenue the water companies are allowed to collect by the Regulator is based on collecting that money for SWD.
When people claim relief from that SWD charge, the companies are allowed to charge more for drainage to compensate.

Don't forget the Regulator still controls how much money the companies can charge.

The vast majority of those who should not be charged for SWD have soakaways(large pits filled with rubble buried in nearby ground). It is not easy to ascertain if you have a soakaway - as many owners have discovered.

Do you seriously expect water companies to inspect - often a detailed survey required - every property in UK to discover if they have a soakaway? How many thousands of men and billions of pounds do you think it would take?

Of course it is ***** stupid that this SWD charge is made - there should just be a standard charge for sewerage. However that was, and is, a Government controlled decision - not the water companies.

If you do a search on this forum for 'Surface Water Drainage' you will find plenty on this issue.

Or if you want go to this ofwat link and it will explain why they don't backdate claims.


http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumerissues/surfacewaterdrainage/prs_web_swdrebates

If you want to have a rant(and I can understand why) then take it out on the Government; not the water companies or myself!!!!