Southern Water!

We moved into our new house in June 2017. I contacted all the utilities, council tax, etc. All happy and payments going through.


We have done a lot of work to the house as it was a bit shabby, so I paid lots of bills.


Southern Water came and read our meter in January. Last month, June 2018 I thought we had not paid anything. Upon checking my records I could not find a water bill or any payments coming out of my account we also had no account number - because they had never contacted us



I wrote to the as I did not have an account number. 6 WEEKS later they emailed me saying that we had not been sent a bill because our water use was considered too high. This was the first communication we had received.


They are difficult to get hold of, so today we are writing another letter to ask for proper information


We have not paid them anything - because we have had no bill


We did not know our water usage was high - because we have had no bill or other communication


We have now checked and got a plumber in to have a check for leaks etc



As things stand I assume that we owe them a lot of money, because we have had NO BILL, why did they not communicate with use when they considered our usage to be high back in January 2018?


Has anyone had experience of this and how did you get it resolved?

Comments

  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    Welcome to the forum.



    Although you say you contacted 'all the utilities' it is not clear if you contacted Southern Water with a meter reading when you moved in in June 2017.


    It is possible that the usage is 'too high' because they are using the last meter reading they used for billing the previous occupant.



    If you can persuade them that you did move in in June 2017, the normal procedure is to measure your consumption over, say, 4 weeks and use that consumption as the basis for your bill.
  • In their 'helpdesk' email us they confirm that the meter was read when we moved in.


    Our big issue is that they have made not attempt to contact us and have not sent us a bill because they consider our usage too high, not being mind readers we need some communication. They noticed our usage was high at the end on Jan 18 but have only come back to us in July 18 because I contacted them.



    We are new to Southern Water and know nothing of having a meter read after a few months to update usage, we have had no contact whatsoever until I chased them up. We do not even know what our account number is!
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    I suggest you contact The Consumer Council for Water https://www.ccwater.org.uk/
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