Right to claim from water utility company following hosepipe ban?

Sam1443

We are a two person household under Yorkshire Water paying £57.20 per month under the fixed tariff. As a gardener we had chosen not to be metered as we enjoy taking care of the garden with the hosepipe, we run a pond and have a few vehicles to wash regularly, we also consider we would have a family in the future. A 4 household relative pays approximately £47 a month so we were happy to pay the charges monthly. 

This bill has increased over the years (as have all bills) and we were then subject to the hosepipe ban on the 26 August 2022, preventing us from tending to the garden. (We do have a water butt for the most important plants).  There is currently an indefinite end to this ban. 

((Water companies forced to cut customer bills from April 2023 - here's what you need to know (moneysavingexpert.com))

Yorkshire Water are one of the 11 water companies forced to cut water bills by Ofwat after missing targets, to decrease water bills by £15.2million.

The National Infrastructure Commission has predicted there is a 25% chance of a severe drought in the next 30 years. It's hard to find figures for the amount of water lost by Yorkshire Water companies each year but for Yorkshire Water its estimated to be around 300megalitres a year.

I understand these are monopolies but wondered if there were any rights of consumers paying the unmetered charge to claim from the water companies for not being able to use water they are paying for due to the hosepipe ban, particularly when the water companies have so much mismanagement and leakage? 

Bradden

Could you not change to a meter and then only be charged for what you use?

freesha

I never understand this way of thinking. You have the option, and always have had, to change to metered billing.

mr_stripey

so you want unmetered supply so you can have "unlimited" water and then moan when drought causes a hosepipe ban?

mjm3346

Simple move and to save water is to always have a ban on hosepipe usage for unmetered supply anyway.

McKneff

Use a bucket, even on metered water we don't use a hosepipe. 

Grumpy_chap

Sam1443 said:

We are a two person household under Yorkshire Water paying £57.20 per month under the fixed tariff. As a gardener we had chosen not to be metered as we enjoy taking care of the garden with the hosepipe, we run a pond and have a few vehicles to wash regularly, we also consider we would have a family in the future. A 4 household relative pays approximately £47 a month so we were happy to pay the charges monthly. 

This bill has increased over the years (as have all bills) and we were then subject to the hosepipe ban on the 26 August 2022, preventing us from tending to the garden. (We do have a water butt for the most important plants).  There is currently an indefinite end to this ban. 

((Water companies forced to cut customer bills from April 2023 - here's what you need to know (moneysavingexpert.com))

Yorkshire Water are one of the 11 water companies forced to cut water bills by Ofwat after missing targets, to decrease water bills by £15.2million.

The National Infrastructure Commission has predicted there is a 25% chance of a severe drought in the next 30 years. It's hard to find figures for the amount of water lost by Yorkshire Water companies each year but for Yorkshire Water its estimated to be around 300megalitres a year.

I understand these are monopolies but wondered if there were any rights of consumers paying the unmetered charge to claim from the water companies for not being able to use water they are paying for due to the hosepipe ban, particularly when the water companies have so much mismanagement and leakage? 

Nothing to claim here.
Indeed, one of the rules of unmetered supply is the prohibition to use a hose unless you switch to meter.

Cardew

Unmetered water when bans kick in — MoneySavingExpert Forum

DullGreyGuy

You are paying them to supply water, your contract is based on a time period rather than volume but nowhere does it say its unlimited water.  They were still providing you water during the summer so met their contractual liabilities.

The  Flood and Water Management Act 2010 gives the legal basis for hosepipe bans and it doesnt require compensation to anyone for them being enacted. 

GingerTim

'Cake' and 'eating it' spring to mind!

matelodave

I'm just astonished at the cheek TBH