Advice please - 4 yr backdated water bill from UU

milton19700

Can anyone give any guidance please - the story in summary.

Moved into new build house approx 4 years ago - rang UU & advised of address & move in - followed up with a letter. UU were my previous supplier & "connected" new address to old address - waited for info pack / bill & DD request. In my view, I had taken all reasonable steps to ensure that UU could bill me for my supply.

4 years later (1 month ago) & recieved a "welcome letter" addresses to "The Occupier" - I rang / followed up advising of the issue & giving name, etc.

2 weeks ago received a bill for c.£1000 -for 4 years backdated charges - no apology ... just a bill - very annoyed.

Want to understand my rights - for example I am aware that Gas/Elec are limited to the length of time they can back bill (1 year I believe).

Annoying thing for me is that UU appear to suffer no consequences from poor admin etc .. & I am expected to fund this in efficiency. Accepting that I used the water.

All help / guidance welcome

Gothicfairy

Rights> They can backdate 6 years so no come back there I am afraid.

Did you give UU your meter serial number and your meter reading ?

Did you read your meter in the 4 years without a bill ?

Did you call and ask again ?

Problem being, They will say that you might have spoken to them once but that you did not chase it up and therefore as the person using the service you are responsible.
If they sent a letter to the occupier it would seem they did not have the account set up at all or was not sure if the property was empty.

Did you tell them you had moved in or did you say you were going to ? What I mean is, could they have applied a void period thinking you were not using the supply and then read the meter and that confirmed consumption hence the letter ?

To be honest there is little you can do but ask for a payment plan or apply to their trust fund for help.
If the reading on the bill is the right reading then it is water used by you so you are responsible for the bill.

I would however check the reading on the bill to make sure it is right

bluewire

Give them a call and ask them to split to back bill over the next 12-24 months to help reduce the cost to you.

I must say though that if you know that for some reason somone is not charging you for something that you are using I would have put a little away each month to cover the day when you get that knock at the door.