Shock & Horror my Water Bill!

barca38

We have a meter with East Anglia Water, usually our bill is around £ 120 and has been like this for the past 10 years.
We were horrified to receive a bill for August to November '09 of nearly £ 3,000! Our water usage is always the same for 2 people and a cat.
Together with this bill, there was also the one for December '09 to March 2010 which is back to the usual £ 117.
Strangely our meter is over 100 yards away from the house by-passing 4 houses and is located on the main high street after these properties, while our next door neighbour's meter is on our front garden.
East Anglia also attached a letter saying that there is no water leak in the meter.

HELP ANYONE!!!!!:mad:

HannahIOW

Either a huge mistake on their part or someone is somehow pinching your water...

RuthnJasper

Bl**dy hell! I'd have wet myself if I'd seen that! Got my water bill today; it was £66 and I can't afford THAT...

If you have copies of previous bills, either scan them on your computer (if you can) or go to the local library or wherever and photocopy them (the previous 12 months' worth, if you can). Then send them with a covering letter and a copy of your £3k bill to your water company, asking them to investigate. They cannot deny the evidence of your previous bills.

If necessary, go and see a financial person from the CAB. Or, if the water co. fail to assist you, contact Ofwat (the regulator) or the ombudsman. It may help if you copy your letter and the bill copies to Ofwat in the first place, and mention in your letter that you have done so. Not implying anything ... but that might help the water co. to see that you are not to be messed with and inspire them to take action more thoroughly than they might otherwise.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

Gothicfairy

First thing to do is read the meter and check that the reading on the bill is correct.

barca38

Thank you for your advise, who is the CAB?
Will write to East Anglia a.s.a.p.

cajef

barca38 wrote: »

who is the CAB?

Citizens Advice Bureau, there is one in nearly every town.

minnie123

This happened to me we got a huge bill there was no physical way we could have ever used such an amount of water. We contacted severn trent and they sent someone to invesitigate they found a leak turns out they had replaced the meter and not told us and it was leaking. They amended the bill. I hope this reassures you. Just get on the phone to them.

Nessynoo

Turn off all taps, washing machine, don't flush the loo. Go and check that the dials on the meter are not moving. If they are, your water is going astray.

Gothicfairy

Barca before you write to anyone you need to check your meter reading. It might be a simple case of a misread and nothing more, so rule that out first.