water bill

pappa_golf

I'm going to swap from Yorkshire Water to Christian Aid, they reckon they can supply water to a whole village for a tenner, the **** at Yorkshire Water are charging me £350 a year for one house!

GetRealBabe

pappa_golf wrote: »

I'm going to swap from Yorkshire Water to Christian Aid, they reckon they can supply water to a whole village for a tenner, the **** at Yorkshire Water are charging me £350 a year for one house!

Hi

Is that in the UK or their aid work? Can you change water supplier?

System

GetRealBabe wrote: »

Hi

Is that in the UK or their aid work? Can you change water supplier?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


I'm with Yorkshire water my bill is £245 .

Razoo

pappa_golf wrote: »

Yorkshire Water are charging me £350 a year for one house!

Bargain!

I'm with money-grubbing Thames Water who are charging me £598 p.a. for a smalll bungalow that is in council tax band D.

Thames Water hike up their charges every year with impunity. Even in the middle of a recession, or when OFTWAT instruct water companies to reduce their charges, Thames Water still exploit their captive customer base and increase theirs. Always have, always will.

I wish I could vote with my feet!
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Razoo

Cardew

Razoo wrote: »

Bargain!

I'm with money-grubbing Thames Water who are charging me £598 p.a. for a smalll bungalow that is in council tax band D.

Thames Water hike up their charges every year with impunity. Even in the middle of a recession, or when OFTWAT instruct water companies to reduce their charges, Thames Water still exploit their captive customer base and increase theirs. Always have, always will.

I wish I could vote with my feet!
_____
Razoo

Surely Thames water have just about the cheapest water/sewerage charges in UK.


It is irrelevant if your bungalow is Band A or Band H, unmetered charges have nothing to do with Council Tax banding.


If you could 'vote with your feet' where would you go? South West water charges are about 3 times as much as Thames.


Assuming your £598 is for unmetered charges, why not get a meter?

Razoo

Cardew wrote: »

Surely Thames water have just about the cheapest water/sewerage charges in UK.

I don't think 'cheap' is synonymous with 'water charges'.

During 2014, the eighteen water companies operating in England and Wales were investigated by OFWAT due to ever-increasing bills, soaring profits and above-inflation dividends being paid to investors.

In December 2014, it was announced that OFWAT had taken action to reduce water bills in real terms over the 5-year period commencing April 2015. In fact, the news was trumpeted all over the media. The average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales for 2015-16 was to fall by £9 (2%). I thought that at last OFTWAT had found a set of teeth. Although the planned reduction was small, at least it was to be a reduction. Or was it?

Unfortunately, the concept of reducing charges completely escaped Thames Water, and somehow they misinterpreted OFWAT's instructions.

Thames Water did reduce their charge for supplying water as OFWAT had instructed, begrudgingly I'm sure. Then, somewhat predictably, Thames Water stuck two fingers up at OFWAT and their captive customer base and increased wastewater charges by twice that amount, thereby ensuring that customers were hit with increased charges as usual. There was no reduction for Thames Water customers!

For 2016-17, Thames Water have increased their charge for water supply by 2.08%, and their charge for wastewater services by 4.48%. I'm not sure how that complies with OFWAT's instruction to reduce water bills.

As long as water companies have a captive customer base and OFWAT remains ineffective, this exploitation will continue.

Water charges have soared by around 80% during the past decade.

It is irrelevant if your bungalow is Band A or Band H, unmetered charges have nothing to do with Council Tax banding.

I know that. Inequitable, unmetered water charges are based on a property's rateable value. By quoting my property's Council Tax band, I have given an indication of the size of my property that other people can relate to. I would suggest that a Band D property is about average. It is stated that for 2015, the average annual UK household's bill for water and sewage was £385. Thames Water charged me £571.61, which seems a lot!

If you could 'vote with your feet' where would you go? South West water charges are about 3 times as much as Thames.

Well, not to South West Water for a start! Would South West Water really charge £1,715 for an average property like mine?

I would (obviously) move to the most competitive supplier. What I hope for is the introduction of the right to switch water suppliers like we presently can with gas and electricity suppliers. OFWAT are currently looking into introducing such a scheme for non-domestic water customers. This statement is from OFWAT in response to an enquiry I sent:

"You raise a point about the introduction of competition. Ofwat recognises the value of this and, for the non-domestic market, is working on introducing competition and the ability to switch to different providers. Information is available at:"

http://ofwat.gov.uk/competition/review/.

I suggested to OFWAT that they should urgently introduce a similar scheme for domestic water customers to bring some competition into the sector. The reply I received from OFWAT said:

"While there are currently no plans to extend competition in the domestic market, but I am confident that the outcome of the work in relation to non-domestic water users will inform our future thinking."

Don't hold your breath (either underwater, or otherwise)!

Assuming your £598 is for unmetered charges, why not get a meter?

Two reasons: firstly (not insurmountable) is a shared water supply with next door. Secondly, according to Martin, with four adults in a 3-bedroomed property, I'm unlikely to benefit from the fitting of a water meter. When the children leave home (hollow laugh!), it will make sense to get a water meter fitted.

Has anyone else noticed how the bulk of the meagre increase in State Pension this April has immediately been swallowed up by greedy utility companies and councils?
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Razoo