New Commercial water suppliers

[milkloss]

Can they forward charge for water and do I have to pay?

 

[Happy]

Was thinking about switching to Castle Water because of Scottish Waters incompetence but sound like they are just as bad.

Got a sudden flurry of new contract offers I hadn’t asked for from Scottish Water a fortnight ago followed by a new pricing plan and monthly direct debit schedule.

Useless barstewards linked my account to someone with the same surname 80 miles away on the other side of the country and got me paying for both.

Pretty obvious what has happened. Spoke to them about it a fortnight ago to resolve things but first payment for both supplies came out yesterday

 

[Goweresque]

Just had my first run at castle water! What a bunch of divs. So they expect me to forward pay water not only for my property but also for a sub meter they have estimated at 0 usage which is balls because the house is being lived in. So now I have to read someone else’s poxy meter too.

Is forward paying for water actually a thing? Am I legally obliged to forward pay? It’s not a massive bill, just principles.

I emailed Ofwat yesterday to ask exactly that, if paying for water in advance was legal under the terms of the new commercial water market (which was set up by the Water Act of 2014 if anyone fancies a read, I couldn't make head or tail of it), and if companies could force customers onto those terms without agreement, I will report back what they say.......incidentally in the course of my research online on the matter I did come across something that suggested that if there is a dwelling connected to the supply, even though its deemed a commercial supply then they are not allowed to cut off the supply for non-payment (which is the case for domestic supplies, water is a human right or something). So theoretically it should be possible to ignore any estimated advance bills, and only pay when you want to, in arrears, if you're feeling brave.

 

[milkloss]

I emailed Ofwat yesterday to ask exactly that, if paying for water in advance was legal under the terms of the new commercial water market (which was set up by the Water Act of 2014 if anyone fancies a read, I couldn't make head or tail of it), and if companies could force customers onto those terms without agreement, I will report back what they say.......incidentally in the course of my research online on the matter I did come across something that suggested that if there is a dwelling connected to the supply, even though its deemed a commercial supply then they are not allowed to cut off the supply for non-payment (which is the case for domestic supplies, water is a human right or something). So theoretically it should be possible to ignore any estimated advance bills, and only pay when you want to, in arrears, if you're feeling brave.

Already am in arrears as I just left it because the bill was up to end of December.............£45 late payment fee already added and more in two weeks if I don’t bow and surrender

 

[Goweresque]

I've been doing more research, it appears that all customers transferred to these new water companies are given what is termed a Deemed Contract, ie a sort of standard contract. It is possible to get non standard terms by negotiation, but I suspect that is only available to the likes of ICI, not the likes of us farmers.

And the Deemed Contract for each company should be on their website, and it appears that in England at least, customers should not face any different terms that they were having under their old water supplier. However, Castle Water, being based in Scotland seems to be covered by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland's standard Deemed Contract, which is here:

https://www.watercommission.co.uk/UserFiles/Documents/Deemed Contract Scheme .pdf

And as such it does allow for advance billing. The relevant clause is this:

Where the Licenced Provider has elected to invoice the Customer in advance, (i) the Licensed Provider shall issue the Customer with its first invoice (a) where the Relevant Day falls on or before the date which is nineteen Business Days prior to the start of the first calendar month following the Relevant Day (Month X), no later than fourteen Business Days prior to the start of Month X, or (b) where the Relevant Day falls after the date which is nineteen Business Days prior to the start of Month X, no later than fourteen Business Days prior to the start of the subsequent calendar month following Month X), (ii) the Licensed Provider shall invoice the Customer no less than twelve times per annum (except where the Relevant Day falls after the date which is nineteen Business Days prior to the start of Month X, in which case during the first twelve month period of the Deemed Contract Term (as defined below) the Licensed Provider shall invoice the Customer no less than eleven times), and (iii) the Customer shall pay the charges (and any applicable VAT) within the period (being no less than ten Business Days) specified in the relevant invoice. A Business Day is any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or a bank holiday in Scotland under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.

Now thats about as clear as mud, and I might be totally wrong, but it appears to suggest that they can bill you in advance, but only on a monthly basis (ie 12 bills per year) not longer.

 

[Steevo]

How many people have actually switched?

I looked into it but it looked a lot of hassle for little gain. Was with Severn Trent who then became WaterPlus. As far as i’m concerned it seems business as usual and only really a name change.

Much better than the electric sector where if you’re out of contract you’re on “standard variable” and get well and truly stung!

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Anyone heard of everflow? Hoping to ditch CW and jump?

 

[uztrac]

Here with are now with an outfit called" Icosa Water",we had no choice in the matter. The meter is read quarterly by some vehicle driving by that has some data collection device onboard,and I am invoiced quarterly. Terms are currently linked to Anglian Water rates,but do not expect that to last very long.I also read the meter myself and so far they correspond with my own readings.

 

[Goweresque]

Great news

I got a response today from my question to Ofwat about the ability of Castle Water to bill for water in advance. And it appears that all the complaints about their behaviour have have some effect (or Ofwat have had a word) and CW recently announced that all metered customers would be able to go onto Pay as you Go style accounts, with bills sent in arrears anywhere from monthly to 3 monthly.

Details here:

https://www.castlewater.co.uk/about-payg/

 

[Goweresque]

Update: I asked Castle Water to swap me over to the PAYG tariff a while back, and amazingly its gone very smoothly - filled in the form, they emailed me back a few days later with the details of the online account they'd set up for me, plus a request for an up to date meter reading, then issued me a final bill based on that reading. From now on I'll be able to put my readings in online, and get a bill sent out, up to 85 days at a time. Can deal with multiple meters from the one account, so all in one place.

Why its taken about 2 years for them to set this up I have no idea though.