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Water Bill increased by 100% due to introduction of an extra company IWNL

Hi All
Can anyone explain why when buying a new house we now have two water providers. I live in Rutland and not sure if this is national.

1. Independent Water Networks. Read Meter and charge for water coming in.
2. Anglia water to collect sewerage.

Three years ago I was in an old house and the provider was Seven Trent we paid £31.59 Month Av.
Last year we moved to a brand new property, providers. IWNL £19 Month and Anglia Water £27 Month. Increase of 44%.
We had to move again to a smaller house and now we are being charged at IWNL £27 Month and Anglia Water £34 Month. Increase of 100% in less than 2 years. Crazy.

What's changed as it seems we now pay two companies to do what was the same job, so doubling costs and service charges. I've never seen IWNL vans or had the meter read, always estimated.

It seems like money for old rope.

Any explanations and is this the future for all the UK? Are they Government owned?

Comments

  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,888 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
     Does your bill show an Actual read ?

    If not read your meter and then you will have a better idea of cost
    Never pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 19,715 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 18 October at 11:49AM
    Bobcat57 said:
    Hi All
    Can anyone explain why when buying a new house we now have two water providers. I live in Rutland and not sure if this is national.
    It's not national, but it's fairly widespread.
    When the water supply and sewerage networks were built, all the infrastructure - pipes, pumps, treatment plants etc - belonged to the same nationalised organisation. So it didn't matter which reservoir, treatment plant and so on any particular area was connected to.
    Properties along the edge of a region might get their water from one region's supply plant but discharge their waste to a different region's sewage works.
    When the water companies were privatised, those properties would end up paying Company A for their water but Company B for their waste.
    As well as that, there were some "water only" companies that supply water but don't treat sewage.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill Coop member.
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  • Bobcat57
    Bobcat57 Posts: 3 Newbie
    First Post
    Understand all that, but 100% increase sounds link a rip off and if buying a new house people need to be more aware that a water bill could go up £350 PA, like mine. This was not made clear when I moved both times. 
  • Bobcat57
    Bobcat57 Posts: 3 Newbie
    First Post
    Robin9 said:
     Does your bill show an Actual read ?

    If not read your meter and then you will have a better idea of cost
    Hi Robin9

    Both companies had my previous years record's, but they go on working out the house size on a new property only. I'm guessing i will not use anything like what they say, but still take the money monthly until they notice.
    I've had the same issue with Electric companies as well. Even they know my usage they have double the monthly payments for living in a different property. Solve this by paying as you go. 
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