Water Bill Higher Than Quoted

beatthebookienet

I moved into my 1 bedroom flat as a single person (no washing machine or dishwasher), and was sent a water bill by UU for £728 for 13 or so months. This was based on the rateable value of the property as it used to be an 8 bedroom house which was converted into flats.

This was February and I contacted them asking if I could be put on the single person rate because of shared pipes it wouldn't be possible to have a water meter. They said that they can only do that if it is not possible to have a meter fitted, but if that is the case then my annual bill would be £261 (£21.75 per month) in an email.

My initial water meter assessment was cancelled due to the lockdown and it was only just last week I finally got an assessment for a water meter in which they agreed it would not be possible to fit one.
All the way through the lockdown I was threatened to pay up the £728 rate.

They have now sent me a bill for £398 for around 13 months, which works out at over £30 per month. Surely this can't be right when the single person rate is supposed to be £21.75 a month? I have done a lot of research online and see other peoples bills being around £22 per month. Can they make me pay an increased amount for the lockdown period based on the 8 bedroom house rate for my 1 bedroom flat before I got the meter assessment which they wouldn't do because of not being allowed in peoples houses?

Robin9

The new rate won't apply pre Feb 2020 - so you should have Feb 2020 - July 2020 at the new rate and 7 months pro rata at the old rate

beatthebookienet

Robin9 said:

The new rate won't apply pre Feb 2020 - so you should have Feb 2020 - July 2020 at the new rate and 7 months pro rata at the old rate

Sorry that confused me pre Feb 2020, I moved into the flat in February 2020 and that was when I first requested the meter. Where does the 8 bedroom rate come into it?

Robin9

Apologies  - didn't appreciate the start date of Feb 20. What actually does the new bill say - can we have a copy with the personal info deleted.

beatthebookienet

Thanks for your reply. Here is the current bill below. They took £73 off my initial bill due to covid to try and entice me into paying the 8 bedroom rate, so the actual amount they want for February 2020 - End of March 2021 (just under 14 months) is £398. I don't understand why it is this high when the single person rate is supposed to be around £260-275 (for 12 months) according to the UU website, their email to me and from what other people have said

JGB1955

They have put you on the single household rate from 27 July - £231.30 p.a., £19.27 per month.  Anything before 27 July has been charged at the 'old' rate.

beatthebookienet

JGB1955 said:

They have put you on the single household rate from 27 July - £231.30 p.a., £19.27 per month.  Anything before 27 July has been charged at the 'old' rate.

Are they allowed to do this, charge a 1 bedroom flat at a "6 bedroom mansion with swimming pool" rate for a few months because they refused to come into my flat to assess for a meter during the lockdown, and they refused to give me the actual  single person fixed rate I should be paying until they checked for a meter despite me telling them I have a shared laundry, hot water and toilet flush pipes?

molerat

I would contact them again and state that you asked to be put on the single person rate back in February and through no fault of yours they did not carry out a meter survey in a prompt fashion and insist that your single person rate should be billed from the date you made the request.  If they don't play ball then follow their complaints procedure.

beatthebookienet

molerat said:

I would contact them again and state that you asked to be put on the single person rate back in February and through no fault of yours they did not carry out a meter survey in a prompt fashion and insist that your single person rate should be billed from the date you made the request.  If they don't play ball then follow their complaints procedure.

Good idea thanks. I set up my water account as soon as I moved in and then applied for a meter shortly after receiving the £728 bill. Ever since I have been going around in circles with emails, calls and letters and they have tried every trick in the book to get me to pay up the 6 bedroom with swimming pool rate for my 1 bedroom flat. I feel sorry for those that they extort the full amount out of for years who just pay up

JGB1955

I don't think £556 per annum is a huge amount to pay for unlimited fresh water and sewerage removal - but obviously I don't live where you do... I guess if you were to live in South West Water land the bill would be hugely higher (paying for all those visiting groccles).

Cardew

The usual procedure is to backdate to the date of your application for a water meter.

If they don't backdate to that date I would contact the Consumer Council for Water and get them to sort it out