£950 bill from Thames

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I've mentioned on here before - I've been trying to get Thames Water to set up an account for me since I moved in October 2010.

As far as they were concerned, the house didn't exist.

It existed when somebody from them came out in early 2011, sprayed a big blue W on the cover of both mine and my neighbour's house, said I wouldn't be able to have a water meter and not to worry, they obviously knew the place was there or he wouldn't have been given my name.

But it didn't exist enough for them to set up an account for me, despite asking repeatedly.

In the end, last year, I submitted a formal complaint to them. But I heard nothing.


In any case, I've just received my first communication from them now, with an account number (as they've just set it up) and wanting £950 for 2011, 2012 and 2013.



I will be escalating the complaint, but I want to check what the law says before I make too much of a prat of myself.


1. It's not my fault they failed to set up an account.

2. I told them repeatedly by their 'contact us' email system, I was here and could I have an account, but they didn't bother acting on it.

3. I even complained, but they did nothing.

4. They did know the house was here, or they wouldn't have come two years ago.

5. Had I been given an account number, I would have

a) Been entitled to the reduced payments for homes where a meter is not suitable - as the builders have connected both my water and my next door neighbour's water off the one main under the public footpath. Hers runs on from mine. This was explained by the TW guy that came around. I am definitely a low user.

b) Set up small regular payments so I didn't get lumbered with a huge bill I have no hope of paying.



There is no way I can find a thousand pounds upfront. No way on earth.

I don't object to paying for it in the sense that I used water, but it's not my fault they couldn't get their act together to set up a way for me to pay it - but their not doing anything means I didn't benefit from the reduced charges, and now they want it all at once, plus next years.



Where I've lived before, it's always been included in the rent, so I've never had to worry about it or deal with Thames Water, I've just had to pay my rent and then they dealt with it.

I'm not happy.


Are there any laws or procedures that I should know about regarding this?

HELP!

Own_My_Own

Did you not put anything away each month towards this ?

When I moved to my current address, it took AnglianWater 13 months to set up an account, but I just put the money away each month as I knew they would set it up on day.

Have you been in contact with them and asked about making monthly payments to clear the arrears ?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

My water rates in my previous home were under four pound a week.

What I have in the bank doesn't cover it. They couldn't tell me how much to expect, as I didn't have an account and the property didn't exist, as far as they were concerned, so they couldn't tell me anyway (do you get the feeling I've been dealing with call centre staff, going by the lack of constructive advice from them? )


I have only got the bill this evening when I came in. So I wanted to check what the law says before I contacted them again.

Own_My_Own

When mine finally found me,(as plot adjacent to no 22) they added what I owed to the DD I asked them so set up. So I paid double for 12 payment.

Cardew

I suggest that you contact The Consumer Council for Water. http://www.ccwater.org.uk/

Unlike Gas/electricity there is no restriction on back-billing. They can back-bill you for 6 years.

If a meter cannot be fitted, then at the very least you should only have to pay the appropriate Assessed Charge for your property instead of the, presumably, charges based on Rateable Value.

You obviously should be given the opportunity to pay back the arrears over a long period, and you have IMO a case for a 'goodwill' reduction - which hopefully the Consumer Council might help you obtain.

samsmoot

I would offer 50p or £1 per week to clear the arrears. If they don't like they can ultimately claim for their money in the county court, but if you pay as much as you can afford there would be little to gain and arbitration can be asked for if it went that far.

That's their weapon - threats of getting you put in front of a judge, but judges don't like vexatious claimants - which is what they would be if you kept up regular payments of what you can afford.