Money Down the Drain?

The following article first appeared in Issue 11 of Waterlines (April 2006) and describes the route that Harbour resident Ray Battersby has taken to chase Southern Water to refund the charges they are making for a service they aren’t providing - rainwater drainage.

Read on to discover what he recommends you do to get your money back.

Ray writes:

If a company charges for a service not supplied, it’s embezzlement and you’re entitled to a refund. If you’re paying Southern Water (SW) for surface water drainage - a service not provided within Sovereign Harbour - you are entitled only to a refund for the overcharges made since the previous 1st April.

After being alerted to these fraudulent charges, I called SW and subsequently returned their claim form. SW agreed to rebate from April 2003 but having been overcharged since May 2000, I again claimed a rebate for the earlier years.

SW said “…the Director General of Water Services (OFWAT) has specifically confirmed that rebates are not to be retrospective… In accordance with the regulator’s requirements, rebates are effective from the beginning of the charging year (1st APRIL) in which the customer first indicates their wish to claim.” (which OFWAT later confirmed).

In the topsy-turvy world of public utilities, it’s the customer’s responsibility to know the services received. And since April 2000, when OFWAT introduced rebates, it’s been perfectly legal for SW to charge Sovereign Harbour residents for a service they knowingly haven’t provided. And they only need to offer a rebate for the current charging year - and only on customer request.

Under these crazy OFWAT rules, there’s no incentive for SW to make change; they happily continue to invoice- hundreds of unsuspecting Sovereign Harbour residents for a non-existent service and rely on the Caveat Emptor shield {let the buyer beware). The longer this situation continues, the more profits SW accrue.

Make your Point: Make your Claim

1. Request a Rebate Request Form on 0845 273 0845, or write to:
The Team Manager - Customer Services
Southern Water
P.O. Box 41, Worthing
West Sussex BN13 3NZ

2. Return the completed form to SW. I stated on my form:
“Sovereign Harbour has been built as a soakaway area. The surface water drains naturally and does
not drain into the sewerage system, You should not be charging me for its removal.
“I claim a rebate for thecharges you have made (and that I have paid) since ________”

3. You should receive a letter confirming your rebate entitlement.

4. You can also contact OFWAT and The Daily Mail, who watch the Water Companies’ excessive profits:

Information Services Officer
Office of Water Services (OFWAT)
Centre City Tower
7 Hill Street
Birmingham B5 4UA
Tel: 0121 625 3642
Email: enquiries@ofwat.gsi.gov.uk

Sean Poulter - Consumer Affairs Correspondent
The Daily Mail
Northcliffe House
2 Derry Street
London W8 5TT
Tel: 02079386000
Email: s.poulter@dailymail.co.uk

Ask OFWAT why it doesn’t…

1. … insist that water companies invoice customers
only for the services provided?
2. … require the water companies to rebate all
overcharges?
3. … require comprehensive customer records?

Questions for SW:

1. Do SW ever exceed their OFWAT obligations?
2. How many customers are SW charging for a
service they don’t receive?
3. Why doesn’t SW keep accurate customer records
including the services provided?
4. How much has SW profited over the years due to
this loophole

Thanks to Ray and Waterlines. I’ll keep you informed on this blog any progress I make trying to reclaim my charges.