MSE News: Anglian Water SoLow customer? It's axing the tariff meaning bill hikes

veryintrigued

For anyone else who didn't receive a copy of this latest letter here it is:


“Dear

Changes to your bill
You’ll recall from your last bill that we are phasing out the SoLow tariff. We originally planned to remove it over three years, starting in April 2015. However, following feedback from customers, we are extending this phase out period until March 2021.

This means any change to your bill will now be smaller each year. On average, bills will increase by around £10 per year.

Making bills fairer
SoLow customers were paying less because other customers were paying more. This means someone struggling to pay could be subsidising someone who isn’t. SoLow was also rewarding small households, not water efficient households. We hope you agree that’s not a fair way to pay.

We won’t make any extra money from this change. We’re simply sharing out the cost in a fairer way.

What will change?
You will still only pay for the water you use, but the cost of each unit you use will reduce. A standing charge will be included to cover the cost of looking after the pumps, pipes and equipment that provide your service, regardless of how much water you use.

Helping those in need
If you are worried about your bill there may be ways we can help:
· Our LITE tariff is designed for people who struggle to pay and have a low income.
· The Aquacare Plus tariff can help customers in receipt of state benefits.
· Our Assistance Fund may be able to help those facing real financial hardship.
Details and how to apply are available on our website, www.anglianwater.co.uk.

Talk to us
A full explanation of our policy on the SoLow tariff is also on our website, but if you have any questions or concerns, please call us on 03457 919 155.

Yours Sincerely

Jane Taylor
Head of Customer Experience”

Mee

Thanks for a copy of the letter.

Mee

Ken68 wrote: »

Don't see, Mee, how you can prove you didn't receive notification.
Complain using the number I gave in post 119 and if they admit fault, you may be in line for compensation.

No, I can't prove it, but I keep all my bills stuff and I know I didn't receive it.

Cardew

veryintrigued wrote: »

Still no letter here - hope am not the only one.


Cardew is quiet ;-)

What is the point of repeating something that Anglian Water has explained perfectly well.

Whenever there is something that causes increased prices to an individual, there will be protests on MSE.

Any increase in SoLow charges will not be of benefit to AW as under the Water Act their revenue and profit are fixed by the Regulator.

The simple fact is the SoLow tariff existed on a cross-subsidy from other AW customers. That cross-subsidy wasn't on the grounds of financial need or economy with water.


The latest letter published in post#122 makes this perfectly clear(again!):

Making bills fairer

SoLow customers were paying less because other customers were paying more. This means someone struggling to pay could be subsidising someone who isn’t. SoLow was also rewarding small households, not water efficient households. We hope you agree that’s not a fair way to pay.

We won’t make any extra money from this change. We’re simply sharing out the cost in a fairer way.

If anyone believes that is inaccurate then report AW to the Regulator.

Ken68

With the reservoirs being full, and likely to remain so, there is no need to incentivise people to economise. Rather than state the obvious, Anglian Water choose to set customers against each other.

MiserlyMartin

Cardew wrote: »

Making bills fairer

SoLow customers were paying less because other customers were paying more. This means someone struggling to pay could be subsidising someone who isn’t. SoLow was also rewarding small households, not water efficient households. We hope you agree that’s not a fair way to pay.

We won’t make any extra money from this change. We’re simply sharing out the cost in a fairer way.

Cardew wrote: »

If anyone believes that is inaccurate then report AW to the Regulator.

That is totally inaccurate! Absolute rubbish PR from Anglian Water. They really are clutching at straws at trying to justify the axing of the tariff. I'm certainly water efficient which is why my bills are so low. I'd say also are most other customers or there wouldn't be any point in being on SoLow. Anyone who isn't water efficient on solo will pay much more per unit than those on standard, which is why the tariff works for low users and penalises those that waste water.

I think I will report AW to the regulator what a fantastic idea. Its actually the opposite of what they claim - moving those off SoLow will encourage those people to use more water - they've paid a massive standing charge for the privilege for lower unit prices, so why not use more water??¬!

Cardew

How is it 'totally inaccurate'?

Do you not understand this explanation from AW? Especially the bit about it 'rewarding small households not water efficient households'

Making bills fairer

SoLow customers were paying less because other customers were paying more. This means someone struggling to pay could be subsidising someone who isn’t. SoLow was also rewarding small households, not water efficient households. We hope you agree that’s not a fair way to pay.

We won’t make any extra money from this change. We’re simply sharing out the cost in a fairer way.

A family of, say, six people could use half the water per head than a single person household but not benefit from SoLow

Its actually the opposite of what they claim - moving those off SoLow will encourage those people to use more water - they've paid a massive standing charge for the privilege for lower unit prices, so why not use more water??¬!

The above doesn't make any sense. 'Why not use more water?' Because, like every other metered water user in UK, the more water they use, the more they pay.

veryintrigued

Cardew wrote: »

A family of, say, six people could use three times as much in total than a single person household but not benefit from SoLow

.

Edited for you

Cardew

Originally Posted by Cardew


A family of, say, six people could use three times as much in total than a single person household but not benefit from SoLow and thus would pay for three times the water and sewerage consumption charge.

veryintrigued wrote: »

Edited for you

Also edited for you;)

Eagalitarian

Mee - I appreciate you now have been supplied with the text of their latest letter, but still want to point out that the ORIGINAL announcement was just a few lines on a billing statement and not highlighted, so could easily have been missed. (Tucked away on page 2.) It was only by writing to them last May that I got any kind of explanation. They admitted then that they had only written directly to those customers who "would be most affected by the change". As my own bill has already increased by around 30%, I dread to think what sort of increase those "most affected" are facing. Wonder how many of the 300,000 SoLow customers were in the "most affected" category.
It would also be interesting to know whether they have written to ALL SoLow customers about the increased phasing out period. The letter I received about this was briefer than the one quoted to you, and signed by someone in their Customer Relations Dept. rather than the Head of Customer Experience, probably because I wrote to them about this matter last year.