Being VERY ripped off by United Utilities

anthony94_2

Hey,

This has been really aggravating me since my initial contact with United Utilities, for a one-bedroom flat in Manchester they are charging me over £40 a month (I am also a single resident) for water that I hardly ever use - I only stay at my property 2-3 nights a week and the water is hardly ever used. I requested a water meter be but in but they refused to on the grounds it was obstructed, they gave me a form where the man said I can save 5-10% off my bill because I couldn't get a meter.

This was in March, I have not sent the form off due to my refusal to be paying them over £40 a month for a 1 bedroom in Manchester (not even London!!) - I moved in in November and now they are billing me £291 for a six month period, I have looked around on the internet and for even TWO bedroom properties they aren't even paying half of that - I am downright refusing to pay such an extortionate amount, I am a student on Income Support and that amount is six-weeks of cash for me.

Now they have a monopoly on the water supply here, they are overcharging extortionate amounts and I have even requested that they stop the water flow as I genuinely do use that little water (I shower elsewhere, as I said im not there that often at all) but they refused that, so by definition I am currently being extorted, they are threatening me and I have no options (I'm not some cheap person by the way, its just the simple fact im being overcharged for something im genuinely not using, my gas and electricity bills are extremely low).

Any options anyone can think off? I've got the money to pay them off but I would simply rather be sent to prison over the sheer principal of being extorted by them, it's really really really aggravating me.

Thanks for your time

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.


Water charges for the various companies are laid down by the Regulator(Ofwat) in accordance with The Water Act.(of Parliament). Also all water companies have a monopoly for their catchment area..


If they cannot fit a meter, which is quite a common occurrence in flats, you are entitled to an 'assessed charge'.


The charges are laid down here:


http://www.unitedutilities.com/our-charges-2015-2016.aspx


You will see that for a single person in 2015/16 the Assessed charge is £248.08 and that charge should be backdated to the date you applied for a meter.

samsmoot

anthony94 wrote: »

I've got the money to pay them off but I would simply rather be sent to prison over the sheer principal of being extorted by them

No chance of prison - it's civil. Their next move will be a County Court claim + credit destruction etc if you don't pay. Look at the possible consequences and then make your choice.

giraffe69

There seems to be a mismatch between the 5-10% you quote and the reduction to £248.08 pa so I'd find out which it is fairly quickly as at the very least you may be able to half your bill and benefit from backdating.