Welcome to the Online Helpdesk. Below you will hopefully be able to find the question you have in mind - simply click on the question and review the answer which will appear below it.
The rateable value of your property is the value set by a Valuation Officer of the Inland Revenue. Rateable values were last set in 1990 and are no longer updated. You can find out what the rateable value of your property is by contacting your local council. When we are calculating your bill we charge you a certain amount for each pound of rateable value.
If you use a hose (other than a hand held hose) or sprinkler in your garden you are required to have a water meter installed. If you have a hand held hose, though you don't need to have a water meter, we do urge you to use water carefully. A hand held hose can use, in just one hour, as much water as an entire household in 24 hours.
Customers who have water meters normally receive bills for their water charges every three months. On each bill, you pay one quarter of the yearly standing charge and the charge for the amount of water used during the previous three months.
We aim to read your water meter at six-monthly intervals and your bills will be based on those readings. The two bills issued in the quarters between these readings will be based on estimated readings. If you receive an estimated bill, you are welcome to read your meter and ring us on 0845 888 5 888 with the 'actual' reading and we will re-issue your bill.
You can take a reading from your water meter. The important thing to check is that the numbers on your bill are a little lower than the numbers on the meter. The dates of water use you are being charged for will be identified on your bill. If you are unsure where your meter is, please follow the Water Meters link on the left.
A tariff, called the ‘Water Sure Tariff’ exists whereby customers who have a high water usage and who are in certain prescribed circumstances can have their water charges based on the level of the average household bill. These circumstances include customers who are in receipt of one or more types of benefit and either:
Have 3 or more dependent children under 19 years of age, or
Have a medical condition that necessitates the use of significant volumes of water.
This tariff only applies to customers who have a water meter for their supply. To apply for this tariff you will need to complete an application form and provide evidence of your eligibility.
Although there are no discount schemes available for those on Income Support or receiving Job Seekers Allowance, we can set up a payment scheme to help you manage your income, or you can have your charges deducted from your benefits payments and sent to us direct.
If you would like to do this, you will need to contact your local DSS or Benefits Agency office (where you collect your payments) who will arrange it. Please let us know as well, contact us. We can also send you an application form that you can pass to your DSS office who will then decide whether or not your water services charges can be deducted automatically.
Water services have to be paid for. We know finding the money can be very difficult for some people and we can help. If you are finding it hard to pay your bill please contact us as soon as possible. We cannot help you unless you tell us that you have a problem. It will make it much easier for us to help you if we can agree a payment plan as soon as possible. Please do not delay.
We can't reduce the amount you have to pay but if your problem is budgeting, we will try to reach an agreement with you about paying the bill, within a reasonable period, in amounts that you can afford. If you have a particular problem in getting the money to us, such as a disability of any kind, we will try to find an arrangement that is convenient for you.
You can also get independent advice from local advice agencies such as:
We are legally bound to, and will send you a letter giving you at least seven days to pay the outstanding amount.
If, following this letter, you do not contact us and reach a special agreement to pay or fail to keep to any payment arrangements, we will pass your account to a debt collection agency for action on our behalf.
If you still do not make arrangements to pay the amount due or do not keep to the agreement made with the agency, we will issue a claim in the County Court. In addition to the amount that you owe us, the Court can order you to pay certain legal costs. these costs will add at least £40 to the debt.
If you do not keep to what the Court orders you to pay, judgement may be entered against you. This allows us to take further action to ensure we receive payment of the debt and includes:
An attachment of earnings to deduct amounts directly from your salary.
An oral examination, where you are required to attend court to discuss your financial circumstances.
A charging order on your property, if you are the owner.
A warrant of execution, where a Bailiff will call at the address to seize property to the value of the debt.
A garnishee order, where the court orders funds to be taken directly from your bank account.
If you think you are not liable for the bill, or you dispute the amount, you must tell us before the end of the 7-day period of the Final Notice. We will look into the matter, but if we cannot agree with you we will ask the County Court to decide. If the Court decides that you are liable for the bill and its payment we will still try to contact you by post, telephone or personal visit, in a last effort to reach an agreement before taking further legal action.
Tenants - If you are a tenant and your tenancy agreement states you are not responsible for paying the water bill please let us know. If your landlord is responsible for payment and owing to his non-payment we take recovery action against you, please let us know immediately.
Water meters seldom go wrong. However, if you think that your water meter might not be working correctly we can run a test on your meter to see whether it is operating within the prescribed limits of acceptable error. If the tests reveal your meter is faulty there will be no charge but if we find that your meter is operating correctly, there will be a charge for this service. Please contact us to request a test if you suspect your water meter is faulty.
The Company will charge for all water passing through the meter including water lost by leakage, from the Customer’s supply pipe, waste or otherwise, except water used for firefighting purposes.
The Company follows a Code of Practice on leakage for Domestic Customers. A copy is available on request and a summary provided below.
For Domestic Customers, the Company will make an adjustment to its charges where leakage has occurred, on the first occasion only. In exceptional circumstances a further allowance may be considered. No allowance will be made if:
there is a further leak
a leak has been caused by the negligence of the Customer
the Customer knew or should have known there was a leak and failed to repair it.
Allowances will be calculated so that charges will be based on past normal consumption. Where there is no record of past consumption the allowance will be based on typical usage for a typical household of a similar type. This will be reviewed if the Customer is subsequently found to have a significantly lower usage when the meter is next read.
Allowances will only be given in respect of the period of abnormal use and for no longer than 12 months.
For non-Domestic Customers, the Company may, at its discretion, give an allowance on such basis it considers appropriate.
Your water meter will be located either inside your home, or in a meter box in the garden, driveway, or in the public footpath or roadway outside your property boundary. If your water meter is in a meter box, we will read it there and you will not be disturbed.
The Water Industry is regulated by a government body called OFWAT (The Office of Water Services). Every five years OFWAT undertakes a Periodic Review of the entire industry by analysing submissions from all water companies detailing their business plans for the next five years. This review results in OFWAT setting parameters for water companies charges. When setting prices OFWAT take account of:
Our need to develop and upgrade the water treatment processes, past and present, in line with rapidly developing technology
The electricity bill for the power to pump the water to you
The constant maintenance and development of pipes that bring the water to you
The costs of the manpower to provide you with a reliable and high quality water supply at all times
For more information about OFWAT please visit their website.
Your annual charge will depend on the amount of water that you use and that depends upon the number of people living in your property and their general lifestyle.
Many domestic appliances, like dishwashers, automatic washing machines, hoses and garden sprinklers may use large quantities of water. On the other hand, there are appliances which use small quantities of water like showers, spray taps and low-capacity cisterns. We can offer you advice on water-saving appliances.
Below are two tables which you may find helpful. The first shows the number of litres of water used on average by some domestic activities. The second shows how much households of different sizes and different lifestyles might pay for water supply. Please note that these figures do not include the sewerage charge which you will receive separately from Southern Water Services.
For the year ended 31 March 2008, our standing charge for a domestic household is £ 27.68 per annum. The commercial standing charge is based on the diameter of the supply pipe and charges start from £37.20 for a I 5mm supply pipe.
The standing charge applicable should be added to the appropriate figure in the table below to give the total annual water supply charge.
Typical Usage
Litres
Cooking, drinking, personal washing - per person per day
40
Flushing the toilet - per flush
10
Bathing - per bath
80
Showering - per shower
30
Washing machine - per cycle
100
Dishwasher - per cycle
50
Hosepipe/sprinkler - per minute
15
High Annual Use
Average Annual Use
Low Annual Use
No. of occupants
Cu. Metres per year
2003/2004 Charge £
Cu. Metres per year
2003/2004 Charge £
Cu. Metres per year
2003/2004 Charge £
1
77
122.30
66
108.78
45
82.98
2
130
187.42
115
168.99
91
139.50
3
191
262.38
170
236.58
133
191.11
4
252
337.34
225
304.16
160
224.29
5
294
388.95
252
337.34
198
270.98
6
351
458.99
301
397.55
237
318.91
1 gallon = approximately 4.5 litres; 1000 litres = 1 cubic metre which cost 122.88 pence.
Have a look at your water bill. The top right hand corner of your bill will state whether yours is a measured or unmeasured account. If your bill is for a 12-month period, it is unmeasured. If it is for 6-month period, it is measured. If you do not have a bill to hand, contact us and we will look up your account details for you.
You could look to see whether you have a water meter in your property. Water meters are usually found on your water pipes where your water supply enters your property. This might be under the kitchen sink or in a downstairs cloakroom under the sink. However, sometimes a meter might be located outside your property & be more difficult to locate. In this instance we would be happy to check our records for your property.
