Help with 119% Increase to my water bill

scopio

Today I received an email from Severntrent notifying me that "That’s why we’re letting you know now that the latest reading we’ve taken shows an increase of 119% since your last bill and the bill we’re about to send is likely to be higher than the last one you had." They give a few reasons why my bill will increase by so much some being 1 my last bill was estimated which it wasn't, 2 A change in circumstances no change as I live on my own, 3 "Your usage is normally very low – if you normally use a very small amount of water, the increase might seem a lot, but really is nothing to worry about. This means in some cases the percentage increase looks worse than it is." meaning they are punishing me for using very little water! 4 "An incorrect meter reading – the latest reading could have been read incorrectly. If you can, double check the meter reading to be sure." The meter was recently updated with a new one.
My circumstances are; I am a frail 76 old man with heart and COPD health issues living on his own I don’t have a garden; I don’t have a shower, and I cannot get into the bath, so I have to wash in front of the basin. My usual bill for the past 20 years or so has been in the region of £10 to £14.
I have emailed Severntrent customer care informing them about my circumstances and I am waiting for a reply. Is there anything else I should be doing to stop them increasing my bill by 119%?

Ayr_Rage

As you have a meter, what has been your average usage in cubic meters per month ?

What is the usage from the latest bill and over what period?

Re point 3 : they are not punishing you for anything, just pointing out that if you only normally use 1 unit, then using an extra 1.19 means a very large percentage increase.

In that case a small continuous leak could account for such a change.

Flugelhorn

I was wondering about a leak - or a cistern constantly filling and overflowing 

scopio

As you have a meter, what has been your average usage in cubic meters per month ?
Over 183 days is normally 2m3
What is the usage from the latest bill and over what period?
Over 179 days again 2m3
With a bill of £13.86

scopio

Flugelhorn said:

I was wondering about a leak - or a cistern constantly filling and overflowing 

No leaks or system flowing as the property is in the first floor and the only flat in the building and easily and constantly inspected.

Ayr_Rage

scopio said:

As you have a meter, what has been your average usage in cubic meters per month ?
Over 183 days is normally 2m3
What is the usage from the latest bill and over what period?
Over 179 days again 2m3
With a bill of £13.86

Is the bill just in whole m3 ?

What you have just posted is NO increase in usage at all !

scopio

Precisely my water usage has always been between 1.41 cubic meters and 2 cubic meters for more than twenty years.

Ayr_Rage

scopio said:

Precisely my water usage has always been between 1.41 cubic meters and 2 cubic meters for more than twenty years.

So where is this 119% increase if the last two bills have been the same?

scopio

The increase will be according to Seventrent on my next bill which will be in this months "August".

tim_p

scopio said:

Flugelhorn said:

I was wondering about a leak - or a cistern constantly filling and overflowing 

No leaks or system flowing as the property is in the first floor and the only flat in the building and easily and constantly inspected.

I think what @Flugelhorn meant was that there could easily be an imperceptible leak from the cistern into the toilet bowl which could go completely unnoticed. It’s a very common cause of water ‘leaks’ and difficult to spot without either lifting lid of cistern or feeling for water at the back of the pan. Sometimes it’s possible to see a slight disturbance in the water in the bowl too. Certainly worth checking. 

Flugelhorn

tim_p said:

scopio said:

Flugelhorn said:

I was wondering about a leak - or a cistern constantly filling and overflowing 

No leaks or system flowing as the property is in the first floor and the only flat in the building and easily and constantly inspected.

I think what @Flugelhorn meant was that there could easily be an imperceptible leak from the cistern into the toilet bowl which could go completely unnoticed. It’s a very common cause of water ‘leaks’ and difficult to spot without either lifting lid of cistern or feeling for water at the back of the pan. Sometimes it’s possible to see a slight disturbance in the water in the bowl too. Certainly worth checking. 

exactly what I meant @tim_p - I have a property I go to at weekends, we turn off the water when we leave on a Monday (it is a flat - trying to prevent leaks to flat below) , on Friday when we return we switch the water on - and one of the cisterns is always empty and refills immediately, there is clearly a leak but you don't notice anything most of the time
(I know, I must get it fixed)