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Original poster

Parents not paid their water bill for 25+ years. Are they about to get caught?

92 replies

FreeWatergate · 24/10/2019 08:32

Honestly what they've done is wrong and they probably deserve to get caught, but they aren't in a good place financially and I'm worried it'll cripple them. They've lived in the same house for over 25 years and somehow have never paid for their water. They don't know how, my theory is one of the neighbouring farms is footing the bill unknowingly but I can't say how.

It's always been a concern to me, as kids we were told to never answer the door when water companies were about so we didn't, and nothings ever happened. Except my mums now in a real state as she's had them at her door again this morning, as usual she didn't answer and has now had a letter through that they're installing a meter.

Are they just going to have the meter fitted and start paying? Or are they about to get absolutely fucked for 25 years worth of free water?

OP posts:

yearinyearout · 24/10/2019 14:47

Userxx have you had this checked? We only pay slightly more that that for a three person household. I know someone recently who couldn't understand why she was paying so much, she contacted her company to check and it was wrong. She had £26 a month knocked off her bill.

JinglingHellsBells · 24/10/2019 16:58

@prh47bridge
If the OP's parents live in an area that has been deemed to be in serious water stress they don't have a choice - the water company can force them to have a meter. That currently covers Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, South East Water, Southern Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, and Thames Water

Where do you get this from? it's not correct. We are with Affinity Water. We are only recently connected to a meter. The meter was in situ for years for our property but not connected ( our choice.)

When we considered being connected, AW allowed us to have usage measured for a number of months/ a year then gave an estimate of whether it was cheaper to be metered or not (comparing cost without a meter.)

Lucyslampost · 24/10/2019 17:10

This reminds me of when I moved into a rental house with my children -- the previous tenants had installed a water meter, and when the first bill came it was absolutely astronomical. After I made a million calls to the water company, they finally discovered it had been installed in such a way that I was paying for the neighbours' water as well as ours. Previous tenants clearly hadn't noticed, and the neighbours hadn't thought to mention the fact that water had mysteriously become free.

The neighbour in question was a teacher at my son's school, but everyone was very polite about it and it was never mentioned.

prh47bridge · 24/10/2019 17:13

I get it from the law (the Water Industry Act 1991 to be precise). It absolutely is correct. Affinity Water have the power to force consumers to use a meter. They did not choose to use their powers in your case.

Northernsoullover · 24/10/2019 17:23

I've just had my water bill. I'm paying £5 per week for 3 of us on a meter. I'm astounded that its so low. We most definitely are not the great unwashed.

JinglingHellsBells · 24/10/2019 22:02

@prh47bridge well that's very odd. We have lived here for almost 25 years. A meter was available if we chose but it's only a year ago we asked for a trial to judge use by meter/ no meter. We have never had any issues with being forced to have one or any pressure whatsoever from them.

Nat6999 · 24/10/2019 22:29

I once lived in a house that had been converted to two flats, one thing they forgot was to fit an electricity meter. We lived there for nearly 3 years & never paid a penny for electric, because there wasn't a separate meter they couldn't prove how much we had used. We saved a fortune by using electric heaters instead of the gas central heating, considering we could have reported the landlord to the council because when it rained we had water running down the inside walls & two windows were so rotten we were terrified that the glass would fall out, he got off light with paying for the electric.

prh47bridge · 24/10/2019 22:43

@JinglingHellsBells - Looking at Affinity in detail, it seems they have only rolled out compulsory meters in the Misborne, Colne, Lee and Stort zones of their Central region. They will be rolling them out in the Pinn and Wey zones starting next year. In the other two zones (Dour and Brett), they are currently only planning to encourage customers to switch to metered charges. So they are only making use of their powers to force customers to use meters in some areas.

Sunnyuplands · 24/10/2019 23:10

What happens in split flats that used to be one house ie same water bill at two sperate properties.
Unable to spilt supply? What do people pay

Nat6999 · 25/10/2019 02:00

We paid the water in with the rent, but they did the conversion on the cheap & never thought to put an electricity meter in, the person in the flat downstairs got caught growing weed in the cellar & was evicted. The landlord ended up being liable for all the electric used for both flats for over 2 years.

shearwater · 25/10/2019 07:17

For people not paying for a water supply, as it is private, what about waste water? Water bills cover two elements, waste water and fresh water.

userxx · 25/10/2019 08:24

@yearinyearout I'm going to check it, to me it seems really high for 1 person when others are paying the same for 3 or 4 people. I could understand if the washing machine was on everyday but I use it probably twice a week, I'm also out of the house from 9am till 5.39 so no toilets being flushed either.

ElinoristhenewEnid · 25/10/2019 08:34

@Boysey45. £900 reducing to £400. That is a lot for 1 person. I live on my own and pay between £55-£60 per quarter - I am on a meter. When dh was alive paid about £85-£90 per quarter.

Soontobe60 · 25/10/2019 08:37

@StayInYourLaneBoy

If he was also living there he's equally as responsible! Just because a water rates bill is in one persons name, it applies equally to all the adults in the home to ensure it gets paid. Did he not actually use any water, flush the toilet, wash his clothes at any tme when he lived there?
He should have made sure all the bills were being paid. Not doing so has landed him with the debt, it's not all on his ex.

Looby57 · 03/12/2021 12:30

Don’t worry about your parents. It’s been 36 years for me! I don’t feel guilty because these utility companies are like leeches with their greed. Still got water coming thru my taps. We are not on benefits and work but it’s just yet another bill we can’t afford…

Mangozesty · 03/12/2021 12:35

@Looby57

Not only is this thread over 2 years old, but you have an awful attitude. Why should you receive a service for free?

doompatrol · 15/08/2023 09:58

raping someone is disgusting , not paying a bill because you have to is surviving , if you could get stuff for free you would , it always annoys me when people say “ i have to pay this so why shouldn’t you ? worry about your own life , if you did your be happy , jesus grow up

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