Seven Trent Over Charging

johnfitz26

I live in a house above a shop it has an upstairs with 3 bedrooms.

Severn trent are trying to charge me £50 a month water. My landlord wont let me fit a water meter as they cannot be uninstalled. My neighbour pays £25.

Ive called to complain but its like talking to an indian brick wall.

Any advise help would be greatly apreiceated

macman

Is a water meter specifically forbidden in your tenancy agreement? If not, then I can''t see that it's any of his concern.
Meter's don't need to be uninstalled, you can just revert to RV billing in the first 12 months if you wish.
If it technically can't be fitted then you can apply to be charged on an assessed value, but to do that you have to apply for a meter first and be refused.
PS: How are ST 'overcharging'? Your bill is based on the RV- that is not anything within ST's control.

Cardew

Who have you "called to complain"?

It is simply an issue between you and your landlord.

johnfitz26

The current bill is based on that its a 3 bedroom house on the old ruling. Seven trent said the people who set up the pricing structure dont even exist any more. Its not in the tenancy agreement he just told me he dons't want one fitted. Theres only 2 of us living there dont use much water at all. This is my first rented property so maybe thats what it should be. It just seems alot.

macman

Makes me wonder if you are being charged based on the RV for the whole property rather than just the flat?
If your tenancy agreement does not forbid it, then just ask ST to fit a meter, it's nothing to do with your landlord what utilities you use or how they are metered. If a meter can't be fitted for some technical reason (possibly not an individual supply to your part of the property) then you can apply for an assessed bill instead.
PS: ST were correct in what they told you-the RV's were set back in 1973.

Toomuchdebt

I had a meter fitted last week-I am also in a rented property and basically they told me the landlord had no say in the matter I did ask his permission to be polite and he agreed after I explained how much less I would be paying.My RV was a huge £612 a year.

Norman_Castle

Have you tried asking Severn Trent?.

Cardew

johnfitz26 wrote: »

The current bill is based on that its a 3 bedroom house on the old ruling. Seven trent said the people who set up the pricing structure dont even exist any more. Its not in the tenancy agreement he just told me he dons't want one fitted. Theres only 2 of us living there dont use much water at all. This is my first rented property so maybe thats what it should be. It just seems alot.

The 'pricing structure' is charges based on the Rateable Value(RV).

RV was an old method(finished in 1990) of charging for what is now covered by the Council Tax.

It most certainly is not Severn Trent's fault as they are obliged by law to charge on the basis of the RV that was in force in 1990 unless you apply to have a meter.

Macman has a good point above in that it is possible that the RV is for the whole building and the shop is paying no water charges; which might explain the reluctance of the landlord to allow you to fit a meter. Severn Trent would probably find out when they came to fit a meter.

Anyway, as said above, your gripe is not with Severn Trent but your landlord.

Gothicfairy

johnfitz26 wrote: »

Ive called to complain but its like talking to an indian brick wall.

Any advise help would be greatly apreiceated

Is the Indian bit really important ? Are you referring to the water company ? My advice would be to ask for a meter to be installed but if your tenancy agreement does not allow for any changes then you might be stuffed.
Either put up with it, apply for one anyway or talk to your landlord but no water company is going to get involved with a 3rd party dispute so no point complaining to them