Dear Which?,
My water bill for 2023-2024 came in at just under £2,000, which was in line with previous charges. But when I spoke with my neighbours, I discovered they were only being charged £400-£600 for similar-sized properties.
South West Water explained my neighbours were benefitting from cheaper bills as they had water meters and were being charged according to how much water they used. In lieu of a water meter, I was being billed on a RV (rateable value) tariff - a fixed rate based on the council rates and size of my property.
After I complained, South West Water offered to install a water meter but it wasn't possible due to my property using two different water supplies. Instead, it moved me to an assessed charge (AC) tariff which is designed for customers who apply for a meter but can't have one fitted through no fault of their own.
My annual bill has subsequently dropped to £480 and a 15% reduction was applied - but having been charged the RV rate for years, I'm frustrated that it wasn't made clear to me just how much I could be saving.
South West Water should have picked up that I was paying four times more than neighbouring properties. It did provide me with links to look at different rates but my moral case is that this places too much onus on the customer.
Can you help me get some money back?
Andrew, Exeter
Put to Rights
Hannah Downes consumer rights expert at Which? says:With the cost of living on the rise, keeping bills down is a priority for all of us. It's frustrating, therefore, that your water supplier didn't explicitly outline the savings you could have been making.
We contacted South West Water, asking it to reconsider its decision not to issue a partial refund.
Unfortunately, it refused to issue a rebate, stating that as you hadn't previously asked for a water meter, the bills based on the RV rate were correct.
'We're confident the approach we've taken has been fair and reasonable and we've taken every opportunity to advise the customer of the charging options available,' it said, adding that it tries to reduce RV charges on every bill it sends.
Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, organisations must not mislead consumers by failing to mention or omitting material information.
If you think you're paying too much for your bills, or haven't been provided with clear information about other tariffs that might be cheaper, it's worth getting in touch with your supplier. If you're a South West Water customer, you can ask to have a water meter fitted free of charge.
Get in touch.Please be aware that we cannot help with, or respond to every email that we receive. The inbox is monitored periodically during office hours, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/im-being-overcharged-for-water-aF2jd9v9A36F