Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

Voduka

Hi Cardew 
I am unable to have a water meter via the private company and not able to get connected to Severn Trent.

The bill £346.75 is for 2023/24 and does not include surface water drainage which gets billed through Severn Trent.

Cardew

Voduka said:

Hi Cardew 
I am unable to have a water meter via the private company and not able to get connected to Severn Trent.

The bill £346.75 is for 2023/24 and does not include surface water drainage which gets billed through Severn Trent.

When water is supplied by Severn Trent and a water meter is unable to be provided you can claim to be placed on a single household assessed charge for used water(sewerage) which for 2023/24 is £88.97pa see Assessed charges | Our charges | My Account | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)

I see no reason why that assessed charge of £88.97 should not apply when water is supplied by a private company who will not provide a meter.

I suggest you contact Severn Trent and make such a claim. If they refuse ask for that decision in writing and take your case to the Consumer Council for Water see Contact us - we're here to help - CCW

They are very approachable by phone.

If you win we can talk about backdating any claim, albeit by the 'letter of the law' you should have applied for an assessed charge

Good luck

MouldyOldDough

My water is supplied by Wessex water (metered) - who do not state any financial levels for assistance on their website - I suffer from "poor bowel control" which necessitates showers to clean up, up to three per day

Would this satisfy the conditions ?

I have prescriptions for loperamide as proof ?

Is there any limit on savings or just income ?

Cardew

Help to pay your bill | Wessex Water

Collis4

I'm with Severn Trent, couldn't have a water meter fitted back in 2023, they failed to offer me an 'Assessed charge bill'. I complained February this year, 2024, and they admitted their mistake. I asked if I could go onto the Assessed charge for 2024/25, and they said my current water charge for 24/25 was £363.70, but if I wanted the Assessed charge it would increase to £414.90, an increase of £51.20? How did they work that one out? They never even asked for any household details? 

Cardew

Collis4 said:

I'm with Severn Trent, couldn't have a water meter fitted back in 2023, they failed to offer me an 'Assessed charge bill'. I complained February this year, 2024, and they admitted their mistake. I asked if I could go onto the Assessed charge for 2024/25, and they said my current water charge for 24/25 was £363.70, but if I wanted the Assessed charge it would increase to £414.90, an increase of £51.20? How did they work that one out? They never even asked for any household details? 

Welcome to the forum.

The assessed charge is based on the average for a metered property. You have been quoted the assessed charge for the lowest category of property. which generally means flats or terraced houses.

Property type and assessed volume charges

Zone 1 to 8 - £ per year

	Water supply	Used Water*	Highway drainage
Detached house (including link-detached)	297.02	211.40	17.09
Semi-detached house	247.59	177.83	17.09
Other household premises	217.98	157.74	17.09
Single occupancy household	122.74	93.05	17.09

*Plus the appropriate charge for surface water drainage (see Metered charges)

You can see from the above that 'other household premises' pay £392.81 in addition you are quoted for the Surface Water Drainage charge which you will be paying on your Rateable Value(RV) charges.

To have 2024/25 charges of £363.70 you will have a low Rateable Value and the charges depend on your zone see Our charges | My Account | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)