South West Water Single Occupants Pay Higher Charges than Multi Occupancy - Why?

stripling

It's bad enough that South West Water has almost doubled my annual fixed charges for water and sewage (no surface water) in one bill and increased the cubic meter consumption charges by 30% in one go 

BUT..... I have just discovered that a single occupancy house pays higher rates for the fixed charges than a multi occupancy household.  What warped logic justifies this?

Is this common to all the water companies or just us? 

MattMattMattUK

stripling said:

It's bad enough that South West Water has almost doubled my annual fixed charges for water and sewage (no surface water) in one bill and increased the cubic meter consumption charges by 30% in one go 

BUT..... I have just discovered that a single occupancy house pays higher rates for the fixed charges than a multi occupancy household.  What warped logic justifies this?

Is this common to all the water companies or just us? 

It would be "warped logic" if it were true, but it is not, see the link to their charges below.

Single service customers 

Unmeasured Domestic Water
Assessed Charge
One Person Assessed Charge 232.66
Two Person Assessed Charge 311.34
Multi-Occupancy Person Assessed Charge 381.87

Unmeasured Domestic Sewerage 
Assessed Charge (surface water / no surface water)
One Person Assessed Charge 327.07 / 276.56
Two Person Assessed Charge 443.67 / 379.99
Multi-occupancy Assessed Charge 549.17 / 473.58 

Similar cost differentials exist for dual service customers. 

https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/siteassets/documents/charges/household-charges/202526/sww-household-charges-scheme-2025-26.pdf

stripling

.@MattMattMattUK  I'm on metered water and South West Water themselves have just told me this 'higher charge' and illustrated it with the difference in my rates - they literally gave me a complete breakdown of charges applicable to me. 

I'm not contesting a bill - I don't receive mine until August. I was trying to find the information details about our bill increases. We used to get a £50 rebate annually as the south west has all the beaches everyone from all over the country uses but the government has axed it. They win the prize for not sharing information unless extracted by torture...

I have now put the question in writing through their system but I just phoned the CCW (Consumer Council) and they think SW Water were confusing their different tariffs as they agree it is warped logic for a metered user. 

MattMattMattUK

stripling said:

.@ MattMattMattUK  I'm on metered water and South West Water themselves have just told me this 'higher charge' and illustrated it with the difference in my rates - they literally gave me a complete breakdown of charges applicable to me. 

There is no difference in the standing charge/fixed rate charge when billing for metered connections, for single or multiple occupancy everyone household on metered pays the same fixed charges. I suspect you have someone from their customer service department who has not understood your question, or who has explained poorly and/or incorrectly. 

stripling said:

I'm not contesting a bill - I don't receive mine until August. I was trying to find the information details about our bill increases. We used to get a £50 rebate annually as the south west has all the beaches everyone from all over the country uses but the government has axed it. They win the prize for not sharing information unless extracted by torture...

The increases have been for everyone across the country, different percentages but in almost all cases by at least 30%. The information for each water supplier is published on their websites, they have all published their new tariffs online, some easier to read than others. 

stripling said:

I have now put the question in writing through their system but I just phoned the CCW (Consumer Council) and they think SW Water were confusing their different tariffs as they agree it is warped logic for a metered user. 

I agree with CCW, either the customer service person misunderstood your question or got mixed up, but your fundamental premise, that single occupancy homes pay more in fixed fees than dual or multiple occupancy homes is wrong. This is just a case of one or more people misunderstanding or miscommunicating, everything is published online and very clear. 

stripling

@MattMattMattUK
I agree with CCW, either the customer service person misunderstood your question or got mixed up, but your fundamental premise, that single occupancy homes pay more in fixed fees than dual or multiple occupancy homes is wrong. This is just a case of one or more people misunderstanding or miscommunicating, everything is published online and very clear.  

It was not "my fundamental premise" it was what SW Water TOLD me.  I phoned them to check the cubic meter price & standing charges that I had and the call handler told me the numbers were wrong. It was precisely because I found it bizarre that I posted. 

If it was all 'so clear' I would not have had to call them. They have been repeatedly hauled up for the opacity of their communications and billing - to the point where they have just had a redesign (which I'm told by their own staff, is not much better - I haven't seen it yet). 

They have since phoned me back and apologised for getting it wrong but as I don't stalk the forum all day I have only just had time to update this thread.  

@MattMattMattUK
The increases have been for everyone across the country, different percentages but in almost all cases by at least 30%. 

Gosh, I would never have known.   Poor Susi only got a £200,000 share bonus this year after her measly £300,000 pay rise last year which gave her a piffling total pay packet of £860,000. We won't mention the £127 million dividend pay outs of course.  Life is so tough at the top yet those lucky peasants turn on the tap and guzzle cryptosporidium and bathe on our gorgeous 'brown flag' beaches.  😍💩

jackieblack

stripling said:

the south west has all the beaches everyone from all over the country uses

Wow.
Just wow.