Overcharged - Unsure of Grounds???

kopkingkenny

Hi all,

My water company is Severn Trent and for past 40 years my property, originally Mum and Dads has been charged water rates 'unmetered' at a cost of £651 in 2020.

I/we were always of the opinion of better the devil you know where this was concerned as with a fixed bill there's no nasty surprises.

However 14 months ago I succumbed to a water meter on the advice of a neighbour. In the past 14 months I have used 33 cubic metres of water, this amount includes trying to grow a 70 sq metre back lawn, watering twice daily in the spring/summer.

My bill for a year with the above mentioned 'excessive' use comes in at £180, some £400+ cheaper than the unmetered bill. This leads me to work out that over 40 years some figure in the ballpark of the equivalent of £15000 has been overpaid without a good reason?? I mean £50 either way is a margin of error, £100 is borderline fraud, but £400 a year is nothing short of theft surely??

My question is, is there any point chasing this or am I going to have to swallow it and forget it? I'm hoping someone has some experience of which they can advise, as my initial reaction is to skip the niceties with Severn Trent and go straight thermonuclear!!

Will someone please help me avoid looking foolish, or is it 'red button' time?? Lol


Thanks for any advice in advance.
👍

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

kopkingkenny said:

I/we were always of the opinion of better the devil you know where this was concerned as with a fixed bill there's no nasty surprises.

Thast was your mistake, sadly. There have been various campaigns encouraging people to get water meters (and explaining that they are often cheaper) but take-up has been spotty.

kopkingkenny said:

My bill for a year with the above mentioned 'excessive' use comes in at £180, some £400+ cheaper than the unmetered bill. This leads me to work out that over 40 years some figure in the ballpark of the equivalent of £15000 has been overpaid without a good reason?? I mean £50 either way is a margin of error, £100 is borderline fraud, but £400 a year is nothing short of theft surely??

No. £400/yr extra is what you've agreed to pay by not asking for a water meter.

My question is, is there any point chasing this or am I going to have to swallow it and forget it? 

No, there is no point chasing it. Severn Trent Water would have been happy to fit a water meter for you at any time. You chose not to.

matelodave

Dunno about Severn Trent but every bill I've had from my supplier has urged me to get a water meter and pointed me towards their website for more information.

TBH its a no brainer as you've always had the option to try one to see if you could save and to revert to RV billing if you didn't

As said above as you chose to ignore it then that's down to you.

We've had a water meter for a very long time (well over 20 years) and even now we are still saving over  £300 a year just on standing charges.

kopkingkenny

Thanks to the above, ref QrizB in particular, you are 100% correct in what you say.

Can I just add, just because they've not done anything wrong (Severn Trent), I reserve the right to sulk about it anyway!!!

Thanks however for stopping me make myself look a prat.

Thanks given.

Robin9

I was a bit like you @kopkingkenny  ignored all the ads from ST, thought it wouldn't pay. Bit the bullet 3 years ago and wished I done it 20 years ago.  My mistake not ST's

QrizB

kopkingkenny said:

Can I just add, just because they've not done anything wrong (Severn Trent), I reserve the right to sulk about it anyway!!!

No-one can take that from you

kopkingkenny

Robin9 said:

I was a bit like you @kopkingkenny  ignored all the ads from ST, thought it wouldn't pay. Bit the bullet 3 years ago and wished I done it 20 years ago.  My mistake not ST's

It appears it's a lesson learnt the hard way!! I'll stop crying soon. Honest!!

You live and learn.....