SWW stopped billing

cathd6

Hello,

SWW suddenly stopped billing us. I was sorting out the money this week and realised the last (quarterly) direct debit had been taken in August.

Apparently they had been working on estimated readings, and had estimated our water usage since June as zero.

I realise that we are about to get a pretty whopping bill for around £400. We're liable for the bill and I could have spotted it earlier. I appreciate that there are those on here who check their bank account several times a day in case it does anything untoward but as they've been taking quarterly direct debits with no trouble since we moved in 3 1/2 years ago it just wasn't high on my risk assessment.

Would it be reasonable for me to ask for a 10% discount to acknowledge that the (rather inexplicable) error was at their end, and for the payments to be split over 3 months? They have caused us significant trouble. I am going to have to postpone a needed purchase to cover the payment.

Thank you in advance for your kind advice!

samsmoot

Ask - you might get. Offer to pay over the three months - they will likely accept the offer. If they don't you can still pay over three months, whether they like it or not. As long as you are reducing the arrears they shouldn't get too stroppy.

matelodave

If they haven't taken it then you should still have it sitting there in your account.
Why should they give a discount when you've had the money and could have been earing interest on it.


Any inconvenience on your part is because you haven't kept an eye on your bills. Most of us would notice if there was a hundred or so extra in our account and wonder why, rather than just going out and spending it.

Cardew

cathd6 wrote: »

I appreciate that there are those on here who check their bank account several times a day in case it does anything untoward but as they've been taking quarterly direct debits with no trouble since we moved in 3 1/2 years ago it just wasn't high on my risk assessment.

Surely if you don't check your account that frequently, the money you budget for your quarterly direct debit should still be sitting in your account.


You have had an interest free loan.

macman

You can certainly ask for a goodwill discount, but they're certainly not obliged to give you one.