Had a bill after supplier said we're not liable

Gothicfairy

I am never 100% sure that live chat works for utility companies anyway but the best thing to do first is write a letter and ask for a written reply within 7 working days.
They have to do that or they have failed certain rules.
As them to put the situation in writing and if you still don't agree or understand write a CROSS complaint. Then if that fails go to the CCW as they will ask you to do the above first anyway.
You are liable for water from the moment you take responsibility of the property but if it is empty and no water used you can apply for the VOID status

samsmoot

Cardew wrote: »

OP, Samsmoot has had a problem with a water company and spends his time on this board trying to get people not to pay their valid bills on any pretext

Your lies would be more believable if they weren't in a thread where I just said:

samsmoot wrote: »

In your letter you should offer whatever regular payments you can afford to clear the arrears

Or is this a different samsmoot?

macman

Water is being used at the property (albeit not much), so no reason why it should be void for RV billing.
OP, since it isn't metered, you must either pay the full RV rate (which is nothing to do with the water company), or apply for void status. You can't get a discount off RV billing just because you'll be a low user.

JustAnotherSaver

I've sent the letter off this morning, although i forgot to include things such as "reply within 7 days" etc. Hopefully they'll respond quickly anyway.

I'm not denying that we're using water. We've gone to the toilet there. We've washed our hands there & that's about all we do. I'm not trying to get out of paying either. I'm just wondering why we've been told 2 different things.

fiesta04 wrote: »

Is this for supply of water and sewerage?

It is. IIRC my mum pays half yearly to the same supplier & she only pays £60 a half year.

Gothicfairy wrote: »

I am never 100% sure that live chat works for utility companies anyway

If they come out with this then that's very poor IMO.

ATEOTD, it's still someone giving out information on behalf of the company, so it needs to be correct, whether that is coming from a live chat employee, a telephone employee, a letter employee or whether i talk to the top dog in his office. The information given should be the same as they're all in a position of trust.

but the best thing to do first is write a letter

Sent that off today but forgot the 7 days thing.

You are liable for water from the moment you take responsibility of the property but if it is empty and no water used you can apply for the VOID status

It is empty, but we have used water (toilet, hand wash).

What is this void status & would we even qualify?

bluewire

No need to demand a reply within 7 days. Their maximum reply for a general letter is 5 days. If you provided a telephone number they will most probably give you a call to sort it out there and then and confirm in writing.

Why didn't you re-chat before coming on here?

I notice on your chat that you never actually gave your address and so the agent you were "talking" too would not have seen that you had an account already set up. This could have been done when the previous occupior left and told them who moved in.
A simply chat with the the account information and I am sure that they would have just closed the account down until you move in.

Thanks

JustAnotherSaver

bluewire wrote: »

Why didn't you re-chat before coming on here?

The chat shuts at 7:30pm. Some times i finish work too late. Tonight i had to change the tyres on my car & having sent the letter off anyway, this was more important for now.

I notice on your chat that you never actually gave your address

Of course you will :rotfl:It's blacked out. I'm hardly going to post it up on an open forum but for the record - i did tell them. That's how they know it's not metered.

you had an account already set up

No idea how this was done. I didn't do it. Not knowingly anyway. If turning the tap on opened up the account then yeah i did that, but that was it..

This could have been done when the previous occupior left and told them who moved in.

Ah i see. Chances are they wouldn't do that for us though & they'd just leave it to us i guess.

macman

What is the relevance of what your Mum pays, in a different property, with a different RV? Prices vary by more than 250% nationally.
The fact that a call centre agent gave you some misleading info (presumably thinking half way through the conversation that you were actually on a metered supply) does not negate your liability.
The only grounds for not paying water rates is if the property is able to be considered as vacant under the regulations, and if you register it as such with your supplier. However if you are using the supply there during building works then why do you think that water charges are not payable?
Any other conversation with your supplier is a waste of time.

JustAnotherSaver

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I'm not denying that we're using water. I'm not trying to get out of paying either.

macman wrote: »

why do you think that water charges are not payable?

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I'm not trying to get out of paying either.

Gothicfairy

OK void status does not apply as you are using the supply but you do have the option to ask for a disconnection and that puts it into void and they don't disconnect domestic properties.
It sounds like someone at the water company didn't understand your question or just plan got it wrong.
The fact is that if water is used a bill is produced and thus payable.
You could apply for a meter as that would mean the future bills would be much cheaper with so little water used.

Sorry to say that there is probably nothing you can do about the bill and it is just bad customer service

JustAnotherSaver

Gothicfairy wrote: »

OK void status does not apply as you are using the supply but you do have the option to ask for a disconnection and that puts it into void and they don't disconnect domestic properties.
It sounds like someone at the water company didn't understand your question or just plan got it wrong.
The fact is that if water is used a bill is produced and thus payable.
You could apply for a meter as that would mean the future bills would be much cheaper with so little water used.

Sorry to say that there is probably nothing you can do about the bill and it is just bad customer service

Thanks. Straight to the point. Understood what i said & didn't judge or get the wrong idea. Top answer.

I'm not sure about a meter. There's only 2 of us. We might have a kid one day but at the same time we might not. For now there's only 2 of us. We're not wasteful people but at the same time we wont be measuring every last drop. The wife is unsure about a meter (though i think this is due to others having more to pay on a meter, which doesn't relate to us at all, but there you go).