WATER BILL - Overcharged for years - What chance a refund?

josephine1matiz

My mother has been living alone in a council flat (now a housing assoc.) and been charged seriously well over the odds for her water bill since maybe 2000. She has just had a water meter fitted. What are the odds on getting some sort of refund?

macman

How exactly has she been 'overcharged'? If she has been on RV billing and is now saving money with a meter, that is not overcharging, because she could have applied for a meter back in 2000 or anytime since.
There are no retrospective credits for those who switch, because their billing was correct under the RV system.
If she was being charged on the wrong RV, or if there is an error in all her billing calculations (both highly unlikely), then yes, she would receive revised billing and a credit if due.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.


This question comes up time and again - this was last week:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5155200


It is a Government law that people must be charged on the Rateable Value unless they apply for a meter, or a meter is compulsorily fitted.


It is pertinent to point out that it doesn't affect the finances of the water companies if people are charged for a meter or on their Rateable Value(RV). The companies are allowed to raise £xxx million in charges and thus make £y million profit. If they have less revenue from customers because they have meters fitted, all other customers have their charges increased slightly to compensate.