Potential savings on your water bill

Firstborn_2

Sorry, advised this has already been posted and don't want to waste any subscribers time...

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

This has been covered many many times on this forum(do a search for 'surface water drainage') 'SWD'

The criteria is that none of the surface water(including gutters) ends up in the sewer. So if water runs off your garden/drive into the road you don't get the discount.

The savings can be a lot higher than you state - up to £100pa. The various companies have different ways of giving that discount.

Most modern properties(20 years) had to have a soakaway to get planning permission. Lots of older properties have them as well.

Under privatisation the water companies had to adopt the 'default' position that you paid for SWD and claim exemption if you can.

johnalexwood

Cardew wrote: »

Welcome to the forum.

This has been covered many many times on this forum(do a search for 'surface water drainage') 'SWD'

The criteria is that none of the surface water(including gutters) ends up in the sewer. So if water runs off your garden/drive into the road you don't get the discount.

The savings can be a lot higher than you state - up to £100pa. The various companies have different ways of giving that discount.

Most modern properties(20 years) had to have a soakaway to get planning permission. Lots of older properties have them as well.

Under privatisation the water companies had to adopt the 'default' position that you paid for SWD and claim exemption if you can.

Just found out that my surface water drains into the river across the street. My drainage company, Southern Water, say that they will only pay 1 year's worth of rebate (£22). I've been here since 2004 so I should get back 4 times that. After all, I have been paying for a service that I have not been receiving. I have not signed any agreement with the company about this so am I within my rights to demand all 4 years' payments back?

Cardew

johnalexwood wrote: »

so am I within my rights to demand all 4 years' payments back?

No you will not get back more than the current year.

This is covered in several threads if you search for 'Surface Water Drainage'.

The Regulator(Ofwat) has agreed with this stance by companies - look at their FAQ.

Essentially the Regulator allows companies to raise a certain amount of revenue - and this includes the element from Surface Water Drainage(SWD) charges.

If they were to refund that for previous years for lots of people, then they would need to go back to all their other customers and charge them a levy for previous years to compensate.

To be fair to the water companies - not something I like doing! - it doesn't matter to them if their customer pays for SWD or not as they simply increase their other charges to compensate.

Incidentally when water was privatised, the structure of paying for SWD was laid down by the Government - so blame Maggie Thatcher!

Lastly it doesn't matter if you have signed a contract or not. Similar to gas and electricity, if you use any water you have entered into a legally binding 'deemed contract'.

myozone

Lastly it doesn't matter if you have signed a contract or not. Similar to gas and electricity, if you use any water you have entered into a legally binding 'deemed contract'.

Questionable - I would challenge that in a court....

Cardew

myozone wrote: »

Lastly it doesn't matter if you have signed a contract or not. Similar to gas and electricity, if you use any water you have entered into a legally binding 'deemed contract'.

Questionable - I would challenge that in a court....

This has been gone into many times and the law is I believe water tight.

This is an extract from Energywatch dealing with gas and electricity, but it is exactly the same principle for water and is covered in the water privatisation bill.

Question

Can they bill me if I never signed a contract?



Answer

You do not need to have signed anything for a legal contract to be in place. A special type of contract can exist for gas and electricity.
When does this happen?
When you move into a property where the previous occupant used electricity or gas, and you haven't signed a contract yourself. It can also happen if you are landlord and your tenants have moved out, and the next tenants have not yet moved in.
What is the contract?
A contract will be 'deemed' to have been created between you, as owner or occupier, and the supplier which had the last contract to supply the property. Suppliers have special 'deemed contract' rates which will normally be a little higher than their 'in contract' rates.
Why do 'deemed' contracts exist?
They mean that properties can continuously be supplied with gas and electricity when ownership changes, even when suppliers do not know who the next occupant is going to be. It means new occupants usually find the electricity and gas still work when they move in.
Do I have to pay the 'deemed' supplier?
Yes. For all the energy you use unless and until you switch suppliers. It is a legally binding contract. If you sign a standard contract, it will replace the deemed contract.
Where does it say this?
For electricity, it is set out in an amendment to Schedule 6 of the Electricity Act 1989, contained in Schedule 4 paragraph 3 of the Utilities Act 2000. For gas it is set out in the Gas Act 1995, Schedule 2 (Schedule 2B to the 1986 Act), paragaph 8.

I doubt many of us have signed a contract with our water company. If you believe that means you are not bound by a deemed contract then so be it; I believe that is wrong.

Perhaps you might get a ruling from OFWAT or the Consumer Council for Water.