Surface water charge rip-off

alexure

Has anyone noted how water companies charge all tenants in a converted building the same surface water charge?

So, if the building has 4 tenants, the water company charges 4 times what it would get if the building was unconverted

The surface water charge is based on the roof area and yet the water companies get away with this and charge each tenant as if they own the whole roof.

I have raised this with Yorkshire Water in the past and have been told that "Unfortunately, that is the way it is."

Perhaps Martin could take this up on behalf of the many tenants who are unknowingly being ripped off?

Cardew

Your point has been covered many times.

Firstly the surface water drainage(SWD) charge is not based on the roof area. The companies have a variety of ways of charging e.g.

1. Based on the Rateable Value.

2. Based on the amount of meter water supplied.

3. A fixed charge for all properties regardless of type/size and amount of land.

4. On type of property - my company(Severn Trent) have charges for Terraced/flat - semi detached - detached.

Secondly the Government(of Maggie!) when they privatised Water, decreed that the default position would be that all properties would pay SWD and would have to claim exemption if the surface water didn't enter a sewer.

Of course it is a complete nonsense that all occupants of a, say, 20 storey block of flats could pay the same charge as a single house with perhaps a couple of acres. The whole subject of SWD is indeed farcial.

Lastly, you need to understand how water companies are funded before you make accusations of a 'rip off' and the 'companies getting away with this'

It makes no difference to the company's profits if they charge for SWD or not. The Regulator OFWAT determines how much revenue the company can raise and their profit level, and this is strictly controlled.

If, say, they didn't charge you and all other flat occupants anything for SWD(notwithstanding they are not allowed to do so) and lost, say, £1million pa in revenue, then they would simply increase other charges by £1million to raise the same revenue and hence make the same profit.

Please don't think I am defending water companies, as the whole structure needs sorting out and the SWD saga is but one small aspect. There are far more injustices, but there is no incentive for the companies to sort them out - they get their profits regardless.