We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

First Water Bill

Options
Hello
I received my first water bill after 3 years living in a new development.
When we moved in we contacted all the local utilities suppliers and whilst the electricity and gas was taken care of, the water bill never arrived even though we contacted them on several occasions.
After a year trying we stopped and now have received our first water bill.

It is in the wrong name (our neighbors are in the same situation and also received a bill in a different name, they must have tried guessing as these are new houses and nobody lived here before us :huh:)
anyway the bill does not state any meter reading at all. It starts with a Balance as of Jan this year then a Debit for Charges between Jul 09 to Jan 10 and the Current Balance.

Can they charge us in arrears of over a year?? Is it correct to issue a bill without stating the usage?? I find this very strange to pay a bill without knowing for which amount??


hope someone can advice in the right direction. thanks

Comments

  • Gothicfairy
    Gothicfairy Posts: 3,060 Forumite
    All water companies can back bill for 6 years and as long as they have one read a year they can bill the rest to estimates.

    Not sure what you have is a bill though, it sounds like a payment schedule.

    What is the name on the bill..Not the occupier by any chance ?
    Do you have your meter readings from the day you moved in ?
    Who is your water company ?
    There is a race of men that don't fit in; A race that can't stand still;
    So they break the hearts of kith and kin, and roam the world at will.

    Robert Service
  • bikebarbie
    bikebarbie Posts: 598 Forumite
    hi thanks for your reply :)

    When the houses were built they forgot to put a water meter reading. (that's why I dont have a meter reading of when we moved in)
    Last summer we noticed workmen fitting the water meters and so assume that this first bill is from a reading from July 09 to now.

    The letter it's an Account Statement with a Gyro slip at the end

    The name on the bill / Statement is not known to us and nobody lived at this address previous to us.

    The water company is Southern Water.


    thanks again
  • Hi,

    I have a similar problem. I moved into my flat 21months ago. We never recieved a water bill, and (stupidly) assumed our landlord was paying it. We've just recieved a bill dating back to the month we moved in, it stated on it that this was our first bill for this property. Someone told me that if a utility company doesn't chase you with a bill then they are only entitled to bill you for a year previously... does anyone know if this is true? Secondly, assuming we do have to pay, what is the law regarding whether we have to pay the full amount we owe in one installment, or can we insist that they set up a payment plan for us?

    Thanks in advance.
  • Gothicfairy
    Gothicfairy Posts: 3,060 Forumite
    The law around the water companies is not the same as the other utilities.
    They can back bill for 6 years and chase for longer.

    There is no hard and fast rule about paying the balance.They can give you a payment plan and more then likely will do if you ask but it might be higher then you expect as it will also cover future bills.
    It might be worthing looking at the trustfund option.
    Call your water company and ask for their advice, most are helpful.
    There is a race of men that don't fit in; A race that can't stand still;
    So they break the hearts of kith and kin, and roam the world at will.

    Robert Service
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.