South West Water Bill Is Super High

hardergamer

I'm a single disabled person living in a one-bedroom 70s flat, been bed bound for nearly a year, and my last water bill was £2260, that's more than all the rest of my household bills combined. I've asked for a water meter to be installed and after waiting nearly a year for a home inspection I was told (again) one can't be fitted, as my main water pipe feeds the flats above me, but I knew this already, and my social housing landlord had already refused one to be fitted.

What tariff do I need to ask to be placed onto? As SWW aren't helping me at all.

Also, my bill just for me has gone from £1100 per year in 2021 to just over £2260 now, it was £1800 last year, and it's going up around 37% more soon, and I can't even drink the tap water as it made everyone very sick here with Cryptospridium. As I'm in Brixham in Devon, I don't know anyone who will risk drinking this disgusting water, that now smells of bleach, which I presume is to fight off the bacteria, which again only weeks ago came back when tested.

Also, I just add, as I refused to keep paying my water bill earlier this year, SWW has asked UC to take payments directly from my UC, which UC had no problems doing at £107 per week!

QrizB

If you've requested a water meter and SWW can't fit one (I don't think your landlord has a say in this), you can ask to be put on an assessed charge.

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

I'd expect this to be more like £300 a year.

Having said that, £2260 seems quite a lot for a one-bed flat. What's the rateable value (RV) on your bill?

Devongardener

I’m in Brixham too, on a water meter though and pay about £400 a year in a 2 bedroom bungalow. Even on water rates without a meter you shouldn’t be paying anything like £2000 for a flat.  Does your bill show that you have historical debts carried forward?
SWW will advise vulnerable customers, have to spoken to them explaining that you are bedridden?   

MattMattMattUK

QrizB said:

If you've requested a water meter and SWW can't fit one (I don't think your landlord has a say in this), you can ask to be put on an assessed charge.

The landlord cannot say no to one being fitted if there is a supply to the individual flats, they can say no if it is a shared supply which would require additional plumbing work to facilitate a meter being fitted. 

I agree the OP should ask to be moved to an assessed charge, but I also cannot see how their rateable value would be high enough to generate a water bill of £2,260 pa either though. 

Robin9

A question not normally asked (as it's difficult to compare apples with apples -  number of people, lifestyle etc)  Any idea what your neighbours are paying ? 

Something doesn't sound right.

badmemory

Could this be being charged as a business or maybe the whole building.