Water Plus So Very Trying?

[bluebell]

we are having one, pig of a time with water plus over the bill of the amount of return to sewer ? we run a commercial nursery and also graze cattle, all of that water is from the mains ? but my brother has talked to water plus so many times, filled the forms out as told, done every thing asked of us but still the torment goes on? anyone else suffering?

 

[jackp]

Since water plus has taken over billing as a part of a government idea to offer customers a choice of where they can buy there water from it has gone down hill fast , if you make a complaint to them make sure it is titled official complaint otherwise they don't Class it as a complaint . I haven't found any one else you can buy your water from in our area . Water is one thing that should not have been privatised . Can any one tell me how your water is billed in Scotland , is it all metred and who do you pay for it .

 

[bluebell]

we were with essex and suffolk from the start, many years ago, until out of the blue we had a letter to say waterplus had taken over, then the hardacre grief started? do they do it on purpose ? keep you holding on the phone ? maybe earning money out of thecall ? promising to look into it ?

 

[Highland Mule]

Since water plus has taken over billing as a part of a government idea to offer customers a choice of where they can buy there water from it has gone down hill fast , if you make a complaint to them make sure it is titled official complaint otherwise they don't Class it as a complaint . I haven't found any one else you can buy your water from in our area . Water is one thing that should not have been privatised . Can any one tell me how your water is billed in Scotland , is it all metred and who do you pay for it .

Not metered. Supplier is BusinessStream.

 

[jackp]

Not metered. Supplier is BusinessStream.

Is that the norm for farms in Scotland ? And can you choose your supplier or is there just one ? Thanks

 

[Highland Mule]

Is that the norm for farms in Scotland ? And can you choose your supplier or is there just one ? Thanks

I can chose, I think, but never shopped around - it's not a large cost for me. Business Stream was part of Scottish Water I think.

 

[Bemo]

I read this not so long ago, so it’s not just you.

https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/nfu-issues-water-bill-warning-after-bailiff-threat

 

[ploughman1963]

Its taken me 12 months to get a simple thing resolved. When the Severn Trent boys came out, they said its a disgrace - Water Plus havent got a clue I am afraid

 

[Kidds]

Sold some land with its own meter three years ago, they still send us the bill. Hour upon hour on the phone trying to sort it.
The whole lot of them are incompetent beyond belief.

 

[ste]

Can't stand them, have gone back to paper billing as their web system is so use less. Meter only read every 6 months at the most and it doesn't coinside with a bill so all bills end up with some sort of estimates on them.

Ended up with a big bill last quarter due to the above and a red bill sent out by post (was still on paperless at the time) Sorted it out and paid it, 2 days after paying had a phone call from them threatening disconnection as unpaid bill!!! Turns out one department doesn't talk to the other and the treats dept hasn't got access to the latest information.

Severn Trent we're a lot better as they read it every 6 months and sent the bill according to that reading, and we paid on receipt of the bill.

 

[steveR]

Revisiting this thread!

I have contributed to another WaterPlus (WP) thread elsewhere, but felt this was one was of more relevance.

Water use here is 4 properties incl the farm house and the farm buildings and water tanks

Like others here and also the folks mentioned in the FWI article, I started getting a 100% charge on our return to the sewer whereas previously, we had an arrangement with STW for a fixed quantity/annum for the one property actually with a connection! I have been paying clean water billing only as it did get WP focused!!

12 months later after realising what was going on, I am still thrashing about and have got to the baliff threats stage from WP. I have escalated it to the Complaints team who appear to understand the issue but I have to "follow the procedure". which is to fit a separate meter and provide readings for 12 months and hope that STW actually will agree to a credit/refund... Looks like I will have to pay the arrears and then obtain a credit to my account!

I contend that I was given no notice of changes, and interstingly, WP maintain that they were not given any records showing where there were previous arrangements in place...

So has anyone actually managed to achive any positive result yet?? I wrote again today and asked the following:

Thank you for your email received this morning.

I note the comments you have made regarding our account and the change of the billing within the water market and changes for the T&C. I was appraised of most of the changes by one of your colleagues earlier this year, but I had not received any information prior to this point! From speaking with fellow farmers and also legal advisers, I am not alone in this!

I would be grateful if you would please send me a copy of the changes to theT&C that you refer to please, more specifically the changes that refers to our business account where we have had a long standing agreement with STW for the charging on the water returned to the sewer.

Will you also confirm the date when WaterPlus actually made the change to the billing of our account, specifically with regard to the change in the charging for the return to the sewer, that is the point of contention. I can find no notice of this change received from either WaterPlus or STW.in my records.

 

[Goweresque]

As part of the research I did when dealing with the bunch of chancers trading as Castle Water, I discovered that all commercial water customers who were transferred from one of the main water companies to one of these new ones were put on what is termed a Deemed Contract, as sort of basic default one. The principle being that businesses would be able to negotiate their own commercial terms in due course. This of course might be correct for Tesco or ICI, but the chances of the water supplier 'negotiating' with farmer Giles are about as low as the CEO being paid less than a kings ransom.

Water Plus's deemed contract is here:
https://www.water-plus.co.uk/help-a...d-united-utilities-customers/deemed-contracts

Now I also read somewhere that all customers being moved from the large water companies were not supposed to be put on a contract that was different to what they already had with the old supplier. I would suggest getting in touch with OFWAT and asking them if the Deemed Contract you have with Water Plus was allowed to be materially different from the old one you had with Severn Trent. The Retail Exit Code (basically the rules OFWAT laid down for all the companies taking on the commercial accounts) states that no customer should face a bill rise as a result of being transferred:

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publication/retail-exit-code-2/

 

[steveR]

As part of the research I did when dealing with the bunch of chancers trading as Castle Water, I discovered that all commercial water customers who were transferred from one of the main water companies to one of these new ones were put on what is termed a Deemed Contract, as sort of basic default one. The principle being that businesses would be able to negotiate their own commercial terms in due course. This of course might be correct for Tesco or ICI, but the chances of the water supplier 'negotiating' with farmer Giles are about as low as the CEO being paid less than a kings ransom.

Water Plus's deemed contract is here:
https://www.water-plus.co.uk/help-a...d-united-utilities-customers/deemed-contracts

Now I also read somewhere that all customers being moved from the large water companies were not supposed to be put on a contract that was different to what they already had with the old supplier. I would suggest getting in touch with OFWAT and asking them if the Deemed Contract you have with Water Plus was allowed to be materially different from the old one you had with Severn Trent. The Retail Exit Code (basically the rules OFWAT laid down for all the companies taking on the commercial accounts) states that no customer should face a bill rise as a result of being transferred:

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publication/retail-exit-code-2/

Perfect, just what I wanted. ?

The "deemed contract", aspect was just what I wanted info about and had grave doubts about what I had been "informed" by WaterPlus. I have already asked (and I think received) a copy of WaterPlus' contract terms this afternoon.

A little light reading awaits me...

A little light reading awaits...

 

[steveR]

Just following your first link.... Water Plus have the following clause inserted recently.... I think I now know why WP have changed their tune somewhat recently....

Important information
In line with the new requirements introduced to the industry Customer Code of Practice (September 2019), we updated clause 5.17 in our Terms & Conditions which affects how we apply refunds of allowances for some wholesaler charging changes.

The new clause wording for 5.17 is as follows:
Regional Wholesalers may, from time to time, recalculate their charges in accordance with their charging policies, resulting in a refund or allowance to be applied against your Site or account. Subject to clause 5.21, we shall pass the benefit of any such refund or allowance granted to us directly on to you as received during the term of your Deemed Contract or afterwards.

 

[steveR]

Spoke with the NFU Legals again on Friday. I could almost feel the Advisors sympathy...

As I said to him, it was a kind of reassuring to know I am not alone with my dealings with the crowd of shysters that are WaterPlus... They have had a massive issue with them and have had several meetings with Ofwat, STW and WP and the change as above, was I believe a result of their complaints.

Long and short was that they are VERY slowly improving with their customer service and their activities. Their billing is still the work of pikers, with late payment additions being levied on people BEFORE the account was due, and in some case, before the bill had gone out!

I am contesting a 70 quid "late payment" they have levied, even when the account was on Hold! First stage complaint was a non starter, so up to 2nd stage... Then its 3rd stage, which is dealt with by the body authorised by OFWAT. The NFU sent me a useful 8 page document detailing how to go through the formal complaint procedure, stage by stage.

I was also advised to pay the 70 quid "late payment", but write and state that it was under protest, and start the complaint in tandem.

The bummer is that I will have been paying a Return to the Sewer charge since 2017 that will amount to £2K I reckon by the time STW are satisfied with the data I have supplied showing the sub-meter readings. In theory, they will then make the calculation and repay me. However WP stated that they will only credit my account!!! We'll see...

I was advised that OFWAT are not really very interested in direct correspondence with the end users