£2,000 Water Bill

drunkalarm

Hi,

I dont really know where to strart but here goes:

We run a pub and above the pub is the residential part of the property where we live.

We moved in in July and a few months later we had a water bill for £200 (were on a meter). Four months later weve now got a bill for £2,000. We've had them out to check the meter but everythings fine. A property of this size should use approx £700 per year according to Welsh Water.

They've called us today demanding payment of the £2,000 by the end of Nov or they will cut us off. They wont accept installaments and want the full amount. There is no way I can pay this in the time scale given. The water for the pub is on the same supply to the residential part of the property (which incidentally houses my two children - age 11 and 18).

Can they cut me off? I was under the impression they were unable to cut residential properties off?

Thanks,

Lee

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

I believe you are correct that they cannot cut off residential properties.

It sounds very much as if you have a water leak after your meter.(or a faulty meter - not very likely)

The other possibility is that your meter is connected to another property(the pub? or next door?) This often happens. Easy to check a leak or wrong connection - switch off all your water and check the meter.

Presumably you moved in in July 2006?( I can't understand the timings - bill a few months after July and another a few months after that.)

What are your meter readings?
The average consumption should be approx 60 cubic metres per year, per person, - so for 4 people 240 cu mtrs or aprox 20 per month.

I would have been surprised if your bill should be as high as £700 -£400 would be closer.

drunkalarm

Hi Cardew,

Thanks for the reply.

I've dug the bills out so I could get the correct info.

We moved in towards the end of July 2006 (we run the pub but live in the residential part upstairs also. Both the pub and the residential part are supplied via the same meter)

We recieved a disconnection notice on the 23rd April for £700.50. We rung them and gave them the correct meter readings as the bill was estimated.

They sent us a revised bill on the 26th April 2007

Amount brought forward £700.50
Customer divident -£20.00

---

Total £680.50

Water 01/04/07 to 26/04/07: 26 Days £2.06
Sewerage 01/04/07 to 26/04/07: 26 days £4.62

Water 06/03/07 to 31/03/07: 26 days £1.92
Sewerage 06/03/07 to 31/03/07: 26 days £3.56

Decrease in charges due to amended reading
Readings -
Original 2605 on 5/3/07
New 2399

---

- 206 cubic metres

Consumption - 206 cubic metres @ 113.59p £234.00Cr
Consumption - 196 cubic metres @ 131.70p £258.13Cr

Total Bill £200.53

=======

Then the new bill recieved 30th August 2007

Previous Reading 26/04/07 = 2399
New Reading 30/08/07= 3216
Volume used 817 cubic metres

Water standing charge 27/04/07 to 30/08/07: 126 days £9.98
Consumption: 817 cubic metres @ 122.60p £1001.64

Sewerage standing charge 27/04/07 to 30/08/07: 126 days £22.38
Consumption 776 cubic metres @ 138.21p £1072.51

Total bill £2106.51

The bill has increased by £1900 odd. One hell of a difference.

They tested the meter and theres nothing wrong with it. When the pub was closed all water was switched off and for the residential premises we took a reading of 03242 [963] the next day it showed 03242 [971]. Welsh water advised this is the equivelent of a toilet flush in the night.

I dont really know where to go with this one. Ive spoken with my mother and the water usage for the pub is for toilets only and the rest is domestic so were going to try and push welsh water to deal with us as domestic customers which is what I feel we should be classed as after all we do live in the residential parts irs jsut unfortunate it runs off the same meter.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your help in advance

Cardew

What the whole problem boils down to is the apparent use of 817 cubic metres of water in the 4 months from 27/4/07 to 30/8/07;(from meter reading 2399 to 3216) that is about 4 years supply for a family of 4.

That is 6.5 cubic metres a day.

Your meter test and overnight consumption test demonstrates that everything was OK. You don't say the date when you did the overnight test but from 30 August 2007 to the date of the test you used 26 cubic metres.

All I can think of is that someone left the taps running and it wasn't noticed, or a toilet cistern faulty and again not noticed.

drunkalarm

Thats basically it yes.

Do you know where I stand in regards to them cutting us off? Are they able to do that because of the residential side of the property?

Also do you think i'll be able to argue that because the majority use is for residential that we should be treated as consumers and not a business?

just want a few ideas before I try and argue with them.

While I'm unhappy to pay the amount, if I have to I will... I just cannot afford £2,000 by November.

Thanks again

Lee

Cardew

Have a look at the Regulator's site - OFWAT. Or give them a call - they can be quite helpful.

If you were a 'straight' residential customer you couldn't be cut off; but the pub will complicate matters.

Even the mention of OFWAT to these utility companies will get them to soften their approach.

lazza_w

[quote=Cardew;6465012The_other_possibility_is_that_your_meter_is_connected_to_another_property(the_pub?_or_next_door?)_This_often_happens._Easy_to_check_a_leak_or_wrong_connection_-_switch_off_all_your_water_and_check_the_meter.[/quote]

This happened at my work place. The chappie reading the meter came in to say he though we had a leak, as the meter was flying around, and the business recieved a bill for £1500 for the quater.

The incorrectly placed meter only came to light after plumbers came in to try to find the mystery leak and turned the water supply off next to the meter. The next door neighbour poked his head in to find out if we were suffering from a water shortage as he suddenly had no water supply.

Obviously the meter was incorrectly placed and the neighbour was the one with the leak.

Before this came to light the water company agreed to defer persuing the bill as it was obviously not normal useage for the business. In the end the extra charges were wiped off the bill.

deanos

drunkalarm wrote: »

Also do you think i'll be able to argue that because the majority use is for residential that we should be treated as consumers and not a business?

I very much doubt it to be honest, the only way round it would be to fit a sub meter for the residental part and im sure you would have to pay for this, and you would then get 2 bills one for business and one for residental.

whatatwit

I think you will struggle to get classed as a domestic customer throughout, but it probably would not make much difference as the cost per cubic metre is the same. (for me in Lancashire)
Presumably you also have glass washing facilites and possibly an ice making machine....could either of these be faulty.

Is your meter easily accessible, maybe you could try reading it every day at the same time and seeing if there is a large usage every day, or only on certain days.

whatatwit

Just thinking, my commercial bill now includes my old style water rate.
I used to get 3 bills:-
1) an annual one old style rates for the surface water drainage
2) a quarterly one for water in.
3) a six monthly one for water out (effluent), I have a launderette.

Now, bills 1 and 2 have been combined....onto 1 quarterly bill.

Would this make any difference?


Having re-read your bill post, your bill is a combined incoming and outgoing charge, the outgoing is a lower amount, as they allow X amount per person working there for toilet use.

over 6 cubic metres is an awful lot of water to use every day, :eek: