Southern Water metered charges ( meter not working ) legal standing?

Horsesforcourses

On 13 February 2013 I've received my metered statement March 12 - September 12, showing I'm in credit by £334.16
I pay their calculated amount each month via DD

I called Southern Water today to be advised that the meter they installed in 2011 isn't working, so I'll be sending a pay on demand bill once an engineer attends to fix the meter.

They plan to bill me from 2011 until present.

What is my legal standing.

I've withdraw the credit which they attempt to dispute, though the cheque will take up to 14 days to arrive

HappyMJ

When did you first notice the problem? As you have paid up to now and not complained about the amount why should you ask for the credit back? ....that's up to you... With water bills I would recommend paying the whole bill rather than monthly instalments. You will never be in credit and can stop payment if you dispute the bill.

Legally they can charge you an estimate and backdate it to when you first noticed the problem or the last 12 months or so depending on when the meter was read. They can backdate further if they wish but a few carefully written letters should only mean a backdate of one year as they should have noticed no consumption and sent you a letter or visited your property last year.

Horsesforcourses

I've lived in the property since 2007, always paying DD.
Never any issues, always within my usage of the DD amount, for the last year I've only been here 2/3 times per week
This bill arrived advising of the credit on my account, which I thought was over paying, therefore wanted the excess as my usage would never 'eat' into the credit no other correspondents with Southern Water and no requests for any payments.
Surely it can't be correct to back date that far? back to 2011 as they've said
2011 was around the time a meter was installed outside my property in the street
I'm not sure when there's ever been a meter reading, I've never been asked to submit one

Cardew

They normally monitor consumption over a couple of weeks or so, and base their backdated charges to 2011 on that consumption.

Your 'legal standing' is that you pay for a reasonable estimate of what you have used. The tricky part is 'reasonable estimate'!

Bear in mind that many properties are left vacant, and 'The Computer' works out bills and accounts are 'untouched by human hand'.

I sense you feel that you might have a case for paying nothing??

Horsesforcourses

I just don't see how their error (faulty meter) should impact on me. In good faith I paid a DD for the amount they set. If the back dated estimate should be higher than the credit in my account and they send me a pay now demand, I can't see the legal standing as over two years my DD would have been adjusted to cover a higher consumption.
Though I guess with water, there's not really seasonal usage, I don't have a garden to water etc

I guess in short, I don't want to pay anything as I've not caused the error with the meter and had paid the DD to cover the usage that Southern Water set.

I'll contact the consumer council once my estimated bill arrives.

I'm sure I will find ample time to write to Southern Water complaints department, including the time my property was vacant, as in the past year, I've lived with my girlfriend in another property, returning only for a few hours to check on my home.

Cardew

On a point of principle, and looking it 'from the other end of the telescope' if you pay nothing because the meter is faulty; isn't that an incentive for customers to 'ensure' their meter is faulty?;)

dan3811991119

Surly you should have noticed by now. I would have asked why my account is in credit long before now. If your company don't send the six monthly bills out while in credit I would want to know where my statement is at. Also never rely on the water company reading the meter always take one yourself then you would have spotted a duff meter by now. Some of the blame lies with yourself. If you are prevented from reading the meter for what ever reason get someone else to do it like a relative once a month. Plus you would have readings for your records. I shudder to think how much your bill would be if you had a underground leak and did not spot it.

macman

Horsesforcourses wrote: »

I just don't see how their error (faulty meter) should impact on me. In good faith I paid a DD for the amount they set. If the back dated estimate should be higher than the credit in my account and they send me a pay now demand, I can't see the legal standing as over two years my DD would have been adjusted to cover a higher consumption.
Though I guess with water, there's not really seasonal usage, I don't have a garden to water etc

I guess in short, I don't want to pay anything as I've not caused the error with the meter and had paid the DD to cover the usage that Southern Water set.

I'll contact the consumer council once my estimated bill arrives.

I'm sure I will find ample time to write to Southern Water complaints department, including the time my property was vacant, as in the past year, I've lived with my girlfriend in another property, returning only for a few hours to check on my home.

So, should the situation be the other way around, in that the meter had been over-reading, and you were now due a substantial credit, you'd be quite content to waive that credit?
Your DD does not automatically 'cover your usage', it's a monthly amount paid to offset against your actual bill-it can be more or less than your actual usage.