Shock Letter from Water Authority

rollon65

Hello Cardew - I see you are still out there!

Would you believe, after all the grief that my water authority has piled upon me, that the saga continues?
My account situation has been passed into the uncaring hands of "the (computer) system".
Computer says "No". This person has the best part of £300 worth of arrears, so we need to put his monthly direct debit amount up.
Computer doesn't know that a human being has agreed that as its master was responsible for the arrears situation, owing to allowing Computer to set firstly a derisory direct debit amount of £2.00 per month and then in recognition of its error, revising that to a still inadequate £17.40 per month and therefore has agreed with me that £35.00 will be taken each month (even if it takes to eternity to pay off the arrears).
Subsequently, I have had to locate my cudgels, polish them up and sally forth into battle once more!
They want more than £75.00 a month from me now and I'm not having it!
As they say "It's not all over until the fat lady sings".

Best regards - rollon65.

Cardew

This will probably be my last post on this topic as I now know the extent of the refund I have got from my water authority.
The total amount of the refund is approximately £500. It has been a long battle, but worth the fight.

I hope you have had the above in writing? Someone once stated “A verbal agreement ain't worth the paper it's printed on,”

rollon65

Yes - I had the £500 knocked off the total arrears caused by them. This is what's remains after that and whatever is contributed from my direct debit of £35 after the water services are paid for each month.
I imagine the computer is blissfully unaware of what has transpired and is looking to obtain the outstanding arrears as quickly as possible.
The bar chart on my bill states: "Your usage (317 litres a day) is the same as an efficient two person household with a garden".
That's exactly what were are . . . and always have been - so why have I been told since February of this year that my water consumption is unusually high?
The same bar chart shows our current consumption as being more than a year ago (then, approx. 290 litres a day) and marginally more than my last bill of 6 months ago (then, 286 litres a day), despite the measures I have previously detailed in order to reduce our consumption.
I understand my case has been passed to a different human being to go forward with, so I can't imagine that it will be all plain sailing from now on.

Best regards - rollon 65.

Jaystoke

Formally dispute the bill, advising that you will pay the amount that you agree that you have used and require immediate resolution of the matter.

Further, as this is now the second time there has been an issue; you have no confidence in their Direct Debit system, and that no further amendments will be made to your account unless this is discussed and agreed with you in advance.

Notify them immediately to ensure that the Direct Debit is returned to the previous agreed amount; and that if any additional payment is taken without strict consent and authorisation, the water company agrees to:
1) permit the payment to be recovered from your bank through the Direct Debit Guarantee scheme;
2) agree to the cancellation of your Direct Debit and to contact you to set up a new payment at the agreed amount;
3) agree to credit your account with the Direct Debit amount that should have been taken;
4) agree to credit your account with a further £50 as compensation or gesture of goodwill to account for your time, distress and inconvenience with this matter;
5) agree to waive any charges they may seek to apply to you for their failures