United Utilities watchdog claim

kat21

Over the last few years United Utilities have refused to issue me with a deadlock letter, despite failing to resolve my complaint, the cc chair also claims that "BBcs Watchdog series" were economical with the truth stating that they get very few complaints to the level of Chairman, this does not supprise me considering (a) the chair for CC water operates on all boards (to the best of my knowledge) and suggests they have only ever had five complaints.

I have been billed early for the last five years and I mean early and each time the company blame the meter reading companies. Please be aware everyone that the water companies are after everyone going on direct debit pay in advance (keeps their share holders happy).

How would you feel if somebody said "pay the !!!!ing bill or we will take you to court"! despite the bill being early! yes, I got an appology for "confusion arrising from my account". If only more of you would write to your Member of Parliament he has the power to progress the matter to the ombudsman.

katrina

Cardew

What do you mean by getting the bill early?

Are they attempting to bill you for water you haven't used? i.e. anticipating that you will have used xxx cubic metres by a certain date?

Gothicfairy

What is a deadlock letter ?

What is the problem ?

Bill being early > Did you get a change in your billing cycle due to a relook of routes ?
Also anyone can go to OFWAT but they do ask that you have tried to speak to the company involved first. You don't need a member of parliament and believe me ( or not) they are not taken any more seriously then anyone else. no one goes "oh a MP we must act on this". everyone gets 5 - 10 working days for a reply from a complaint no matter who you are.

kat21

Cardew,
because its been going on for several years the company send me a letter in which it states they are sorry for the erratic billing nature this is due to seimens with whom we contract out to. They then go on to say your next bill (water meter smart technology) will be due in the month of xxxxx please accept our appologies for any inconvienence caused. Smart meter technology can be read over the air meaning no lost visits but when you are saving up for a gas or electric bill in the full knowledge that your next water bill is not due for several months there is no pressure (budgetary allowance) I am disabled on a low income and paying my water bill every 12 months helps me gather sufficient funds to pay for gas electric, television ect.
producing bills out of the blue as and when they feel like it then threatening to take you to court is very upsetting especially when they agreed that the bill was not due for a few more months.

kat21

I have spoken to OFWAT and the Consumer Council as well as Consumer Direct, OFWAT do not deal with individual disputes, the correct route as my MP has pointed out is to obtain a deadlock letter (it means that the water company has failed to resolve the issue to the agreement of both parties concerned) Once you have your deadlock letter you can then progress via your Member of Parliament whom will represent your case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman, he is an independant body whom has the power to make all companies either offer compensation or make the company concerned review its procedures, if their are enought complaints the Ombudsman can bring the matter before parliament to amend regulations and tighten up procedures.
this information regardless of what posters may think has been thoroughly investigated and legal advice taken do a search on the powers of the parliamentary Ombudsman most MPs (Members of Parliament) have documents which they can send out to constituants to progress the matter.
katrina

Gothicfairy

I have never heard of a deadlock letter, nor have ever seen anything from OFWAT or the CCW mentioning deadlock letters.
OFWAT do deal with private disputes they only ask that disputes have first gone through the water company and CCW (consumer council for water http://www.ccwater.org.uk/)
CCW do deal with members of the public all the time and do get things resolved.
I am aware of the standard letters sent from MP's but I am also aware of how they are treated.

All I can see so far is that you are complaining about your billing cycling being changed.. Metered customers get a bill about every 6 months but that can change depending on the read route. You are given a chance to have a payment plan and also supply a meter reading if billed to an estimate reading so I am not really sure what you are complaining about.
You don't get 12 months to pay your metered bill anyway and I am sorry to say but being disabled makes no difference to the situation unless you use more water then normal and can apply for watersure.

Cardew

Kat 21 =Please be aware everyone that the water companies are after everyone going on direct debit pay


I am disabled on a low income and paying my water bill every 12 months helps me gather sufficient funds to pay for gas electric, television ect.

kat21,

Nice to see you back. I remember your previous posts well!!

Seems to be something of a change of mind here as last year you were complaning of just the opposite.

Kat21 = I have always liked to pay one bill in one month and another in another month being on low income this is the only way I can afford gas and electricity.

P.S.
I don't work for a water company, or a gas and electricity company, or a bank!!!

kat21

Cardew, excellent well done
yes that holds true, I pay my gas quaterly, electric Quarterly, television ect in opposite months, so that I can spread the cost, water of course is all over the place.

Gothicfairy

water is not 12 months apart though.
I am still not sure what the problem is and I guess you are not telling so can't really see the point of the thread to be honest as nothing has been explained.
water bills on a meter are normally every 6 months and if you can read the meter yourself you can supply a reading and they can bill to that.
There are payment plan options that really help people budget .

sardarji

If you expected any help from Ofwat, you were wasting your time