Water Company Rip Off?

[EDDIE51]

I changed to a water meter 2 years ago, and our bill has been £250 (+or- £10) in both years. I decided to pay by 10 monthly instalments as they suggest. However, they first wanted £54 a month, I told them that was too high and they said they would reduce it. I have the new instalment plan £51 a month! If I pay this I will be over £250 in credit by the time next years bill is due. I will take a very large bet that I will not get a refund .
Anyone else had this problem? If they do this to all their customers they are raking in £millions of free cash every year.

[bhg481]

I'm with Thames Water and their DD estimate is reasonably accurate. Have you actually spoken to someone and asked them how they came up with the figure they did when your annual bill for the last two years has been around £250?

[gingejbee]

Two points EDDIE....You should WRITE to the Billing Dept. of your water company, put your case and ask for an explanation in writing.
And...you WILL get a refund of any overpayment, or have it credited to next year's bill.
Personally, I would refuse to pay the current amount being asked.

[ladyalex]

I stopped paying the ridiculous amounts the utilities companies wanted every month some time ago.
I don't have a water meter, but for my other utilitiesI am on a tariff that allows me to enter my gas and electricity readings each month then pay by direct debit only for what I have used.
I am sure that I get the same so-called discount for Direct Debit by doing it this way as I would if I did it their way.
Does the Water company not have a similar tariff?
I certainly would not pay more than double what I think I should.

[EDDIE51]

They just say they have to account for possible increased usage and price increases. I will try to get hold of someone with more authority , I think the person I spoke to was just a receptionist. Affinity Water is the supply company but Anglia Water are responsible for sewage disposal which is 2/3rds of the cost, I expect one to blame the other!

[hc4361]

ladyalex, who is your provider and which tariff are you on?

[woofgang]

I had the same issue with Southern water.
True story.
When we went to a meter I set up a DD with them and six months ago they wanted to just about double it because I had exceeded what I had paid them by a small amount. I phoned them and declined and said I would pay what I owed and keep the DD as it was. Nice but puzzled lady on the phone said that I couldn't do that, I had to pay their figure so I said "no I don't, I will pay you what I owe and cancel the DD, then I will set up a savings account and pay into that instead". "Blimey" she said "thats a good idea. I think I'll do the same."

The latest bill has just come in, it was less than I had in the water bill account and I have made a small amount of interest.
Its ridiculous. With both my gas and electric accounts, I set the amount of the DD online. The website warns me if I will owe them money at year end or if they will owe me a lot but I get to choose what I pay them.

[237SJ]

Can you not just pay twice a year when they read your meter? I never, ever use monthly direct debits for utilities because the consumer usually comes off worse. It`s much better to just pay what is owed when there has been a reading because it`s accurate and you can dispute it if something is wrong.

[hc4361]

Don't know why you believe the consumer comes off worse with DD. It is common to save 10% by paying by direct debit and my gas/electricity supplies pays me 3% interest on any credit I have.
Also, my current account pays 3% back on the direct debit. Can't lose.

[237SJ]

hc - I didn`t mean direct debit as such, I meant monthly direct debit

[hc4361]

I mean the monthly DD, too.