Southern water bill

[mrstjones]

Hello all, our direct debit with Southern Water went from £54 to £108.50 per month back in the summer. It's just gone up again to £117. I understand why they've increased their prices but I'm just wondering if this sounds like a typical amount based on our usage? There are 3 of us, myself, DP and our 5yo DD. We have 3 baths a week between us and probably 4 showers a day on average, a dishwasher that goes on 3 times a week and probably 4-5 loads of washing a week. We've started collecting water while the shower/tap water warms up which we use to flush the toilet and water the garden back in the summer. Is anyone else with Southern Water that has comparable usage?

Sounds like ours. Was around £58, then in September went to £130. I explained there were only 2 of us in the house now so managed to agree to £100. Now going up to £103. I am going to do quarterly readings and send them in as despite having a new smart water meter they only take readings once or twice a year.

I don't want to be a dick, and I'm not in with Southern, so don't know their prices, but that's a huge bill! Are you sure you're on a meter? Is it working properly? Or if you are do you have a leak?

There's an online tool to see what going on a meter should cost for your usage. Why not plug your info into it and see if what you're paying seems right
https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/water-meter-calculator/

Bet they’re trying to claw money back due to the issues they’ve had!!
just looked back at mine and it was £58 in may last year, and is now £113!!! Looks like I was in debit though so I expect the increase was to get rid of that. £58 was too low.

You got me intrigued so water for me was £1.98 variable rate. Now it’s £2.73! And I’ve used more. Better tell DS to stop having so long in the shower!

Also with Southern. We wrote to our (useless) MP to complain when bills first increased by 77%. MP didn't get a response from Southern and didn't push.... They are trying to recoup the money they've paid to shareholders rather than invest in infrastructure and now they have to do repairs and upgrades or face 'harsh penalties'. This is one area which should not have been privatised- we don't have a choice of suppliers so just have to suck up.

I should have also added that we both work full time so are out of the house all day 5 days a week, so no toilet use, cups of tea, etc.

Thanks for all your replies, its really helpful.

I'll monitor our usage and meter more closely but I feel like Southern water are probably up to no good, looking at their track record. Might see who i can write to and complain.

The trouble with direct debits and metered billing is that they base your direct debit on any debt carried over from previous bills, an assessment based on previous consumption and predicted future usage. Combine that with leaking pipes between your meter and your house, and increasing cost per cubic metre and standing charges, then it all adds up.

Mine is £220 per month with Anglian - there are 5 of us and we all shower every day, plus two loads of washing. We did have a debt as they messed up our bill when we moved, could that be the case for you?

Honestly I hate water companies!

Mine just went up by around 30%

Thieving gits

Mine is now £134, up from £72 last summer. Usage hasn’t changed at all.
In view of these astronomical increases, the increasing chance of going without supplies, and the general state of the infrastructure, I think that legislation should be introduced to limit the dividends paid to shareholders and if shareholders don’t like it they can sell their shares back to the government.
we are always told that ‘investments can go up or down’ - now it’s time for shareholders in the water companies to live that.

Good luck dealing with a water company. We actually had an email from ours saying our consumption had risen above what they expected. I've been in touch with them since the end of last year and am getting nowhere fast. They want us to do a flow test but seeing as neither my husband and I are young/fit enough to lie down on the ground we cant do it. I have had a virtual call from the meter team that did not happen as the number didn't ring out apparently. Today during a WhatsApp chat they have made another phone appointment. I did tell them that no phone call is going to make me 20years younger and able to lie down on my neighbours drive (where the meter is) and read it. Every time I call I get told prices have gone up and every time I say I am not querying the price just the consumption, its getting to the stage where I am beginning to think its normal for me to use nearly 50% more water for the same period as last year. Oh and one delightful man told me you do realise people drink more during the summer when its hot. yeah right!

As ever, people are saying how many people live in the house, how many showers they have, do the washing etc but are NOT taking meter readings.😖
Anecdotal usage is meaningless, what is required is actual usage and only then can you see why your bill is so high.

Also investigate if your rainwater runoff goes into the main sewer or runs separately into surface water management areas or soakaways.
If it does not run into the sewer, you can get a reduction from your water company as they are not having to manage that water. We have successfully done this in our past two houses, it isn't difficult and while the sums are not massive...... every little helps.👍

We're with Thames Water and ours has gone up from £37 per month to £81! It's criminal. We're paying more for water than for gas!
Bloody Thatcher and her privatisation mania. Essential utilities should not be in private hands.

I am with South West Water. They increased our direct debit a lot. It was quite upsetting tbh as it happened when I was made redundant last year.

I just happened to login to an old South West Water account for an address a few years ago and it had £3 in credit. In my name. I called them to request my refund (petty, I know!) and they magically couldn't see the balance. Even though it was there, live, on my named account for my previous address a few years ago!

I gave up in the end. Then went down a rabbit hole of reading how much money utility companies are hoarding due to a few pence here and a few quid there in old stale accounts.

Pisses me right off.

I had the same issue with Southern Water. They sent me an annual bill and then tried to increase my direct debit to cover the year in arrears AND the year in advance. I cancelled the direct debit and told them I’d take the annual bill in arrears, divide it by 12 and pay that amount each month, plus any additional usage they billed me for. No bills have been received so I continue to pay them £58 a month by standing order (which they can’t vary).

Assume, as others have said, that this is them trying to get money in the bank by clawing money for predicted use. I’m not paying them in advance, they might have gone bankrupt in a year’s time.

Are you able to ask anyone (friend, relative, neighbour?) to read the water meter for you? Then you could send updated info to the water company?

Welcome to being unable to afford water!! Really need to nationalise this utility as we really are paying for shit polluted waterways and bonuses!

That's huge! We're with Anglian only 3 of us not give but ours is £84 a month. We all shower every day other than on the days DS and DH take baths at have a deep freestanding bathtub and there are probably at least 4 baths run a week. Washing machine 7-10 loads a week, dishwasher run at least once a day sometimes twice at weekends. We also have a 100ft garden to water and use the paddling pool regularly in summer so I would say we are heavy users.

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/high-bill/