Water Rates and Rateable Values

macman

Unmetered supply is unfair full stop, because you could be using twice (or half) as much as your neighbour, and paying the same (or more, or less). Nevertheless you are wasting your time with complaining to SW, as they are required by staute to bill according to the historical RV data.There is no process for apelaing RV's until such time as the gov't decide to do another national reval, which is not going to happen in the forseeable future.
If your stopc*ck is not accessible, then you would be well advised to get it moved as a priority, as should you have a pipe burst you will have no means of turning off the water other than from the street stop valve.
If you have been refused a meter for technical reasons (shared supply), then you can get your bills reduced by requesting assessed billing instead.

Gothicfairy

casuarina wrote: »

I want to draw a line under this. I had hoped that perhaps someone had successfully challenged this ridiculous arbitrary form of billing I am afraid there is nothing to challenge, you can complain about it all you like but it is a perfectly legal way to charge . where people must pay different amounts to the same company for unmetered water, even though all circumstances are identical.
Recapping:
I can’t have a metered supply because the 3 houses are supplied from the same SW stopcock, and the house’s internal stopcock is inaccessible for meter fitting First off, I would get the internal stoptap moved as you might need that one day, and if you can not have a meter fitted you can apply for assessed charges. That might work out no cheaper though..As them about the assessed charge for your property.
I am old. We used to do sums in school calculating Rates from varying Rateable Values. So, yes I do understand how it used to work, and how different houses could pay different Rates, though their Rateable Values were the same I am sorry but this is not correct, you don't pay more to the same water company if you RV is the same..The RV charge is the same per £ and there is NO way in hell anyone would pay more having the same RV..Sorry but this is just not right.
My monthly bill has just gone up. So have my neighbours’ bills. And I am still paying £7 a month more than they are. And our houses are still identical. The bills do go up each year and clearly your RV is higher then theres..There is really nothing else to it. There is no different charge for you or anything like that. Your RV is just higher so at some point your houses were not identical
Thank you all for your input. I shall pursue this via the official SW Complaints procedure, then the Ombudsman As is your right of course but it will be a waste of time as there is nothing to complain about other then you should have been offered assessed charges when you were turned down for having a meter.etc. I wish I was part of a lobby though. I must be one of thousands who would benefit from correction of this anomalous situation.
I’m sure that when the issue over unfair and incorrect Council Tax Banding was first mooted, everyone said ‘….oh that’s how it is…….never mind’

This is not the same as council tax banding, as those are still in use today and can be changed. RV's can not be changed, they are fixed now and will remain that way until everyone is either on a meter or on assessed charges.
RV's are unfair as I have a very low one and can use as much water as I like but my neighbour might be on a meter and have to watch every drop.
Until everyone is metered there is always going to be something unfair about it and that includes assessed charges as they are based on property size.

Gothicfairy

Oh and please please before you do complain get the RV thing sorted out as if you complain with the wrong info it will make your complaint less valid.
Your RV is going to be £xxx and that will be charged as £xxx (RV) times £xx (price per pound )
The price per pound on the RV does not change and is the same for everyone in your area.
It is the RV amount that changes from property to property.

There is no other way it works

macman

The other explanation for bills varying on the same RV is of course if one house has different surface water drainage charges due to having it's own soakaways etc, and applied successfully for a rebate.
Assessed billing is not offered automatically when a meter is refused, you have to request it.