Vastly difference water supply/waste bills?

makedamnsure

I've just moved into a student house with 3 other people, and we're in the process of setting up utilities but I'm confused by the water bills. We don't have a water meter at the property.

The water supply is by Portsmouth Water whose billing period is 1st July-30th June. They sent us a bill for £140ish for the year, although the house was empty 17th July - 17th August (when we moved in) so they're revising the bill.

The waste water is through Southern Water and when I called to set up an account they said the charge to cover from now till 31st March (the end of their billing period) is £300! I don't understand how a years water supply can be £140 but just 8 1/2 months of waste can be over double that amount?

I've never had to sort out utilities before so hoping someone can tell me if that's right or not

Gothicfairy

I am afraid it often happens. Different companies apply different charges per RV

If you are on RV billing you should be billed from April 1st to April 1st and then any rebate applied for the property being empty but the bill is for a whole year so not sure why it would be June to June as the price increase is set by OFWAT for April so they must pro rata the bill > Seems odd and more complicated then it needs to be.

makedamnsure

Gothicfairy wrote: »

I am afraid it often happens. Different companies apply different charges per RV

If you are on RV billing you should be billed from April 1st to April 1st and then any rebate applied for the property being empty but the bill is for a whole year so not sure why it would be June to June as the price increase is set by OFWAT for April so they must pro rata the bill > Seems odd and more complicated then it needs to be.

Yes we're on RV billing, I have no idea what the RV for the house is though. Not sure what you mean by the second paragraph sorry, is billing normally done April-April?

Gothicfairy

To be honest it doesn't really matter what the RV is (as there is no way to check it is correct or change it )but each company will charge a different pound / pence per RV so it is quite possible for one service to be more then another.

Normal billing is like council tax. . April to April with the price increase set for April 1st too.

Cardew

Portsmouth Water claim they have the cheapest water in England and Wales.

You will find your Rateable Value on both printed bills and they should be exactly the same.

This link explains Portsmouth Water's charges:

http://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/customer_services/default.aspx?id=230

So for a bill of exactly £140 pa you deduct the standing charge of £23.20 and divide £116.80 by 34.90p which gives an RV of £335

Then looking at Southern Water's charges here:

http://www.southernwater.co.uk/DomesticCustomers/aboutYourBill/

For sewerage you pay £1.219 per £1RV plus a standing charge of £66.46.

So sewerage will cost 335 x £1.219 = £408.36 + £66.46 = £472.82.

Unfortunately, unless you use well below the UK average, 4 people won't pay any less on a meter!

boingsaidzebedee

I'm on Portsmouth Water and Southern Water also.
Single person-3 bedroom house.
Just paid my 6 monthly metered bills(actually 197 days)

Portsmouth Water--
Usage 25 cubic metres at £0.64 per cubic metre---£15.57
Standing Charge--£13.63
Total Charge--£29.20

Southern Water--
Wastewater Drainage+
Surface water Drainage+
Highway Drainage+
Standing Charge.
Total Charge £72.43

For 4 people in the house on a metered supply being reasonably careful you could expect £800+ a year.So agree rateable value hands down.