Themes Water are billing me twice

rosieknows

Hi,

(Sorry for along preamble!)
We moved into our flat (rented) April last year. Themes water sent us a 'welcome' letter with our account details and a bill for about £250 for 12 months water. This was fine and we paid.

Last month they wrote to tell us we were on a meter and this was our first bill to cover the first 6 months of us being there. The account number was different and under my name instead of both my name and my boyfriends.

We wrote to them to explain we we're not on a meter. they wrote back saying they would investigate. Since that letter we've had a final demand for the water meter and a new bill for next years water.

I've looked outside and there does appear to be a water meter. The estate agents haven't responded to me asking about it.

I want to pay the red bill as they are threatening to pass it on to debt collectors and its in my name. And then try and get a refund on the other bill. My boyfriend thinks we should refuse to pay until the confim which account is ours and give us a refund.

What do you think we should do?

Also reading a few things on hear will the water people say its our mistake for not knowing we had a meter and not refund the other account?

Had major troubles getting a refund from Npower last year as when we moved out they owed us over £300, so this is stressing me out!

Thanks for any advice

UPDATE; Thanks for your responses. After another letter to them, and three phone calls. They closed the water metered account. The differing address could explain the reason 2 accounts were set up but theres no real explanation about the meter.

Gothicfairy

First question

Is the address on both bills exactly the same ?

No differences at all ?

The reason for asking is that it can sometimes happen that they get a different address and think it is a different property
For example
Flat 16 Stone Road
is a new build and has a water meter
16 Stone Road is a old build and on RV..You could then get mail for both properties by mistake
Or a developer gave them 16 stone road when they build the flat/ complex/ house but then changed it to flat16 so that the water company think there is 2 properties when there is really only one.

So first, check addresses.

Second ask the to come out ( with an appointment ) to show you " how your property is supplied" .
Ask in those terms as they can send someone out to flow test your property and see if that is your meter and that you should be billed against it.

It is kinda your fault about not knowing about a meter ( in as much as you own/ rent the property) however they can not charge you for RV (sewerage which included SWD and water) and used water, water and SWD against the meter as well.
You can be charged water and used water and RV ( unmeasured) drainage though so double check what the bills are for.
We really need to know the exact words used as that can make a difference.

rosieknows

Thanks for the reply.

The addresses are slightly different and we pointed this out in our letter to them.

The bill that we paid was for 'water' and 'waterwaste' and the bill we haven't paid appears to just be for used water.

DVardysShadow

You have paid the bill for one account. I think you should stand firm now and write to them keeping a copy, saying that you have paid the bill on one account, you have only one premises and that TW must resolve or explain the situation so that you only have only one account. [Do make sure the bills are on different accounts].

It is important to write and keep a copy, so that if they decide to play cretins and take you to court without either explaining or resolving, you can show that you hae paid all the bills on one account and have asked them to sort the situation out.

Gothicfairy

I can't help but wonder if you have one bill for the metered supply
Water and used water and one for the drainage on RV which would explain the bill being yearly .
If I were you I would go back to them and ask them to explain to you what each bill/ account is for and what each charge is for.

macman

Does the number on the water meter correspond with the number on the metered bill you have received?