Water company increased bill after enquiry

bibliboo

Hi all, 

I'm wondering if this normal.  I received a bill from Yorkshire water (where the average bill is £602) saying that my bill has increased from £760 per year to £980.

I don't have a water meter.

I rang up to enquire about this as I was aware that I was already paying £100-200 more than most people in my area. 

They took some details from me with regards to water support.  I am the sole earner in my household and my salary is £37.5k a year and am not on benefits and since moving into my property my family, bless them have grown from 4 to 6 as well have had two more children.

 After taking my details they basically said my bill will now increase to £1380 a year. Because I have two more children than when I first moved in!  I tried escalating my complaint to the complaints department and they kept saying I have been paying less over the years.  It was a very stressful call and they were very unsympathetic.

The problem is you don't need to let your water company know that you have had more children and I genuinely regret making the phone call.  But the simple enquiry has led to me having my bill doubled, yet they would have been none the wiser had I not enquired. I feel tricked and it's very upsetting and feel genuinely stupid for enquiring about this in the first place. 

Is this normal? And is £1360 a normal bill? Is there anyway I can get help for this? I have escalated this complaint to what Yorkshire water call 'stage 1' but I honestly have no trust in the water company and only raised it to stage 1 after clarifying my bill won't increase further than this.

MattMattMattUK

bibliboo said:

Hi all, 

I'm wondering if this normal.  I received a bill from Yorkshire water (where the average bill is £602) saying that my bill has increased from £760 per year to £980.

I don't have a water meter.

If you have a water meter installed then your water bill will likely more than halve. 
https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/water-meter-calculator/

bibliboo said:

I rang up to enquire about this as I was aware that I was already paying £100-200 more than most people in my area. 

What other people are paying is irrelevant, it is based on rateable value.

bibliboo said:

They took some details from me with regards to water support.  I am the sole earner in my household and my salary is £367.5k a year and am not on benefits and since moving into my property my family, bless them have grown from 4 to 6 as well have had two more children.

If you are taking home £15-17k per month why do you think would you be entitled to water support?

bibliboo said:

After taking my details they basically said my bill will now increase to £1380 a year. Because I have two more children than when I first moved in!  I tried escalating my complaint to the complaints department and they kept saying I have been paying less over the years.  It was a very stressful call and they were very unsympathetic.

That sounds like you are on assessed charge, which is based on the number of occupants when they are unable to have a meter fitted, have you asked for a water meter to be fitted? Why was the call stressful, how did you expect them to be sympathetic?

bibliboo said:

The problem is you don't need to let your water company know that you have had more children and I genuinely regret making the phone call.  But the simple enquiry has led to me having my bill doubled, yet they would have been none the wiser had I not enquired. I feel tricked and it's very upsetting and feel genuinely stupid for enquiring about this in the first place. 

You were not tricked.

bibliboo said:

Is this normal? And is £1360 a normal bill? Is there anyway I can get help for this? I have escalated this complaint to what Yorkshire water call 'stage 1' but I honestly have no trust in the water company and only raised it to stage 1 after clarifying my bill won't increase further than this.

There is no "normal", it depends on rateable value, assessed usage or metered usage. Your complaint will be rejected because you are being billed according to the regulations, nothing to do with trust, everything to do with not having a valid complaint. A complaint will not increase your bills, other factors can.

bibliboo

MattMattMattUK said:

bibliboo said:

Hi all, 

I'm wondering if this normal.  I received a bill from Yorkshire water (where the average bill is £602) saying that my bill has increased from £760 per year to £980.

I don't have a water meter.

If you have a water meter installed then your water bill will likely more than halve. 
https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/water-meter-calculator/

bibliboo said:

I rang up to enquire about this as I was aware that I was already paying £100-200 more than most people in my area. 

What other people are paying is irrelevant, it is based on rateable value.

bibliboo said:

They took some details from me with regards to water support.  I am the sole earner in my household and my salary is £367.5k a year and am not on benefits and since moving into my property my family, bless them have grown from 4 to 6 as well have had two more children.

If you are taking home £15-17k per month why do you think would you be entitled to water support?

bibliboo said:

After taking my details they basically said my bill will now increase to £1380 a year. Because I have two more children than when I first moved in!  I tried escalating my complaint to the complaints department and they kept saying I have been paying less over the years.  It was a very stressful call and they were very unsympathetic.

That sounds like you are on assessed charge, which is based on the number of occupants when they are unable to have a meter fitted, have you asked for a water meter to be fitted? Why was the call stressful, how did you expect them to be sympathetic?

bibliboo said:

The problem is you don't need to let your water company know that you have had more children and I genuinely regret making the phone call.  But the simple enquiry has led to me having my bill doubled, yet they would have been none the wiser had I not enquired. I feel tricked and it's very upsetting and feel genuinely stupid for enquiring about this in the first place. 

You were not tricked.

bibliboo said:

Is this normal? And is £1360 a normal bill? Is there anyway I can get help for this? I have escalated this complaint to what Yorkshire water call 'stage 1' but I honestly have no trust in the water company and only raised it to stage 1 after clarifying my bill won't increase further than this.

There is no "normal", it depends on rateable value, assessed usage or metered usage. Your complaint will be rejected because you are being billed according to the regulations, nothing to do with trust, everything to do with not having a valid complaint. A complaint will not increase your bills, other factors can.

My salary is £37.5 k. That was a typing error. 

Brie

I believe the only way you might be entitled to some sort of tariff support is if one or more of your family have very high water needs.  This is usually to do with someone having some medical condition that, for instance, means they need to wash more than average or have their clothes and bedding washed more frequently.  

If that isn't the case then I'd ask to have a meter installed.

bibliboo

Brie said:

I believe the only way you might be entitled to some sort of tariff support is if one or more of your family have very high water needs.  This is usually to do with someone having some medical condition that, for instance, means they need to wash more than average or have their clothes and bedding washed more frequently.  

If that isn't the case then I'd ask to have a meter installed.

Thank you, I'm thinking about going for a meter as on other posts people have said it helped but unsure for now if it will make a difference especially as they've increased the price as much as they have. I don't know how much most families of 6 pay so it feels a bit risky 

DullGreyGuy

bibliboo said:

Brie said:

I believe the only way you might be entitled to some sort of tariff support is if one or more of your family have very high water needs.  This is usually to do with someone having some medical condition that, for instance, means they need to wash more than average or have their clothes and bedding washed more frequently.  

If that isn't the case then I'd ask to have a meter installed.

Thank you, I'm thinking about going for a meter as on other posts people have said it helped but unsure for now if it will make a difference especially as they've increased the price as much as they have. I don't know how much most families of 6 pay so it feels a bit risky 

The advantage of a water meter is you pay for what you use, you want a lower bill? Use less water. Even with 6 people in the house there are reasonable and some more extreme ways to reduce water use beyond everyone sharing the same weekly bath. 

https://www.yorkshirewater.com/bill-account/water-meters/could-i-save-with-a-water-meter/

The above gives you an idea of the typical bills for those on meters but it can vary significantly based on use

bibliboo

DullGreyGuy said:

bibliboo said:

Brie said:

I believe the only way you might be entitled to some sort of tariff support is if one or more of your family have very high water needs.  This is usually to do with someone having some medical condition that, for instance, means they need to wash more than average or have their clothes and bedding washed more frequently.  

If that isn't the case then I'd ask to have a meter installed.

Thank you, I'm thinking about going for a meter as on other posts people have said it helped but unsure for now if it will make a difference especially as they've increased the price as much as they have. I don't know how much most families of 6 pay so it feels a bit risky 

The advantage of a water meter is you pay for what you use, you want a lower bill? Use less water. Even with 6 people in the house there are reasonable and some more extreme ways to reduce water use beyond everyone sharing the same weekly bath. 

https://www.yorkshirewater.com/bill-account/water-meters/could-i-save-with-a-water-meter/

The above gives you an idea of the typical bills for those on meters but it can vary significantly based on use

Thank you for the helpful information, I feel like there's no choice but to go for a meter now! I was enjoying my meter free life but they've completely over priced me!

bibliboo

MattMattMattUK said:

bibliboo said:

Hi all, 

I'm wondering if this normal.  I received a bill from Yorkshire water (where the average bill is £602) saying that my bill has increased from £760 per year to £980.

I don't have a water meter.

If you have a water meter installed then your water bill will likely more than halve. 
https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/water-meter-calculator/

bibliboo said:

I rang up to enquire about this as I was aware that I was already paying £100-200 more than most people in my area. 

What other people are paying is irrelevant, it is based on rateable value.

bibliboo said:

They took some details from me with regards to water support.  I am the sole earner in my household and my salary is £367.5k a year and am not on benefits and since moving into my property my family, bless them have grown from 4 to 6 as well have had two more children.

If you are taking home £15-17k per month why do you think would you be entitled to water support?

bibliboo said:

After taking my details they basically said my bill will now increase to £1380 a year. Because I have two more children than when I first moved in!  I tried escalating my complaint to the complaints department and they kept saying I have been paying less over the years.  It was a very stressful call and they were very unsympathetic.

That sounds like you are on assessed charge, which is based on the number of occupants when they are unable to have a meter fitted, have you asked for a water meter to be fitted? Why was the call stressful, how did you expect them to be sympathetic?

bibliboo said:

The problem is you don't need to let your water company know that you have had more children and I genuinely regret making the phone call.  But the simple enquiry has led to me having my bill doubled, yet they would have been none the wiser had I not enquired. I feel tricked and it's very upsetting and feel genuinely stupid for enquiring about this in the first place. 

You were not tricked.

bibliboo said:

Is this normal? And is £1360 a normal bill? Is there anyway I can get help for this? I have escalated this complaint to what Yorkshire water call 'stage 1' but I honestly have no trust in the water company and only raised it to stage 1 after clarifying my bill won't increase further than this.

There is no "normal", it depends on rateable value, assessed usage or metered usage. Your complaint will be rejected because you are being billed according to the regulations, nothing to do with trust, everything to do with not having a valid complaint. A complaint will not increase your bills, other factors can.

As I said in my previous reply that was a typing error and my salary is £37k. I've been thinking of your reply a lot, you clearly know you stuff and I really appreciate your honest reply but I'm honestly just asking out of interest - what would you do if you naively made an enquiry like I did and gave your details for water support only to be told your bill increase by a further £600? And how would it make you feel?

QrizB

I'm not MattCubed, but as far as I know there are only three charging options for domestic water in the UK.

1. Rateable value.

2. Metered.

3. Assessed charge.

The assessed charge is for households that can't have a water mete for some reason r, and is the only one that can vary based on the number of people in the household.

Are you being billed on an assessed charge? If so, I think there's an obligation on you as the householder to tell your water company if your household changes. This is probably why Yorkshire Water said you'd been paying less previously.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/your-water-bill/assessed/

If instead your bill is based on rateable value, having more residents shouldn't change the bill.

bibliboo

QrizB said:

I'm not MattCubed, but as far as I know there are only three charging options for domestic water in the UK.

1. Rateable value.

2. Metered.

3. Assessed charge.

The assessed charge is for households that can't have a water mete for some reason r, and is the only one that can vary based on the number of people in the household.

Are you being billed on an assessed charge? If so, I think there's an obligation on you as the householder to tell your water company if your household changes. This is probably why Yorkshire Water said you'd been paying less previously.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/your-water-bill/assessed/

If instead your bill is based on rateable value, having more residents shouldn't change the bill.

I've had a look at that link and it looks as though it might be an assessed charge based on the fact the they based it on the number of people in my household.  But the information on there clearly says that the assessed charge only happens if they refuse a meter and I have never applied for a meter and nor had the previous owner of my property.  

The water company also asked during the phone call if I would like a meter so it doesn't really makes sense to me

QrizB

If you look at a recent water bill, does it give you any information on what sort of charging they've applied? It should be evident from how they've described it.