Water rates on empty property awaiting probate

Mary_Alice

We have just applied for probate on my Uncles estate and house. The house is now empty and the council tax has been suspended for 6 months while we wait for probate. The gas and Electric will remain on and the relevant providers will only charge for usage- which will be almost none. But the water rates with South Staffs will not give any reduction or freeze as he was not on a water metre. The bill is now due as he paid it in full at the start of April each year. I will phone them again tomorrow, does any know if I could get a discount for no usage as in Wales there is a 6 month grace period on an empty probate property. I have paid his house insurance, the DWP last pension recall and his gas and electric final bills so the account we are allowed to draw from is almost empty.
They said there is a charge for a disconnection and they advise not to do this as the water needs to be checked on the house surveys when we are allowed to sell. any advice will be appreciated. 

Thrugelmir

Mary_Alice said:

. The bill is now due as he paid it in full at the start of April each year. 

When the property is sold. Any overpayment will be refunded. 

Mary_Alice

Sorry I meant that he paid the 2021 bill in full last year and now the 2022 bill is now due on 1st April. I guess that if I pay it I can get a refund for any remaining months but I will struggle to pay it to begin with so was hoping for a reduction as no water will be used or drainage required. 

badmemory

You could try asking for a meter now & to pay monthy (over 12 months) via direct debit.  Just because he paid all up front doesn't mean you have to.

poppystar

Interesting as their website suggests South Staffs collect the charges for drainage etc on behalf of Severn Trent. Severn Trent themselves do not charge customers  for water or drainage for properties unoccupied after death (they even let you use water) so if the charges were collected directly by Severn Trent you would not have to pay. 

Did you speak to the bereavement department at South Staffs? Most large companies have one. I would certainly try again. They are correct though that disconnection would be expensive and might be a problem if you are selling the property. There should be no reason to do that. 

Thrugelmir

Mary_Alice said:

Sorry I meant that he paid the 2021 bill in full last year and now the 2022 bill is now due on 1st April. I guess that if I pay it I can get a refund for any remaining months but I will struggle to pay it to begin with so was hoping for a reduction as no water will be used or drainage required. 

Utilities may agree to defer payment until probate is granted. 

poppystar

This is from South Staffs own customer charge booklet:

“No charges will be levied in respect of furnished but unoccupied premises where the non- occupation is due to exceptional circumstances such as death or long-term hospitalisation of the customer.”

Might be worth mentioning this in your phone call?!


https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/media/3915/customer-charges-south-staffs-2022-23.pdf

Mary_Alice

poppystar said:

This is from South Staffs own customer charge booklet:

“No charges will be levied in respect of furnished but unoccupied premises where the non- occupation is due to exceptional circumstances such as death or long-term hospitalisation of the customer.”

Might be worth mentioning this in your phone call?!


https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/media/3915/customer-charges-south-staffs-2022-23.pdf

That is great, i looked but failed to find it, thank you for taking the time to help me. I will certainly tell them on my call tomorrow. 

BooJewels

I've just sold an estate property (different area) and we haven't paid any water bills since my father went into care and nothing changed when I advised them that he'd passed away. 

They told us we could continue using water etc and as it was metered, they'd monitor how much was used and if it hit the levels that were suggestive of occupancy, they'd write to us for an update. They even sent me a letter to leave for the new occupants once sold, which I've left in the property.

As others have suggested, ensure that you only speak to the bereavement department - they have authorities that other departments don't have - plus much greater empathy and sensitivity.

Savvy_Sue

Agree with this, the water company were great when Mum's house was empty, and nothing more was due. Definitely ask for the bereavement dept. 

Mary_Alice

Well after a little battle with them they agreed to close the account- I ended up quoting poppy stars reply as they said I was liable  for the 2022 bill as an executor until the house was sold. I told them this info was in their own web page so they eventually agreed. Thanks all, one more thing ticked off my list.