Refund if in credit

Paddington75

Hi everyone.  I've just logged on to my water account online and I'm just over £400.00 in credit!  I'm on a water meter and pay a set amount each month - £44.00 per month which I think is way too much but I've not really been bothered about it before.  However my last bill for the quarter was only £125.00.  On my last bill they had my payments down as being £44.00 per month until July 2021, which is when I assume my next bill will be.  By then I will have paid another £220.00  Has anyone been able to get a refund from the water company if they are in credit?  I don't want the whole £400.00 back as I know the payments go towards your next bill, but I don't want to be that much in credit either!  I am planning to give them a call anyway, I just wondered if anyone had managed to get a partial refund.

freesha

Yep, just call them. They'll be able to work our roughly how much you can have back and still have enough to cover the next bill.

wild666

They should refund you at the end of the tax year before they produce the next years' bill. YW credited me £75 last year and reduced my monthly payment to £11, Im expecting another refund this year as I've used even less water than last year.

Paddington75

Thanks both, I rang them and they said to wait until the next bill which apparently is due in April, then if the account is still in credit (which it will be!) then I can ring for a refund.  He didn't offer to lower my monthly repayments but I've done that myself online  Actually when I went through the process of amending the direct debit it suggested a monthly payment of £21.50 so I've gone with that.  I was tempted to cancel the direct debit altogether as with being £400.00 odd in credit that surely wouldn't be far off being nearly a whole year's worth!

pokora

Are you sending regular meter readings ?

BeerSavesMoney

Good point @pokora, you don’t need to wait for them to come read the meter @Paddington75 as you should be able to submit your own reading online. 

For water I tend to do this every couple of months so I can keep an eye on it.

Paddington75

Hi, sorry for late reply.  No I don't take meter readings.  The water company read the meter twice a year and issue bills based on that every April and October, and adjust the direct debit accordingly.  However I can log into my account online and adjust the direct debit amount myself which is what I did.

BeerSavesMoney

You can still read your own meter and submit them through your online United Utilities account if you wish to. They are my water supplier and this is what I do in between their meter readings.

I do it for my own peace of mind as I like knowing the account is up to date but I’m guessing the majority of their customers will stick to every 6 months.

pokora

Not the only reason, is good to check regularly to avoid skyhigh bills due leaks.