| UK Water Rates | | | | committee known as "Watervoice" will deal with your |
| YOU CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED FOR WATER | | | | complaint. To find out which Watervoice Regional |
| RATES DEBTS | | | | Office to complain to, contact: |
| Water companies can no longer disconnect your | | | | OFWAT |
| water supply if you are in arrears. The rules changed | | | | Centre City Tower |
| on 30th | | | | 7 Hill Street Birmingham B5 4UA |
| June 1999. They also cannot install anything in your | | | | Tel: 0121 625 1300 |
| home that restricts the flow of water from the taps. | | | | [ |
| If the water company threatens to disconnect you | | | | Watervoice |
| for being in arrears, complain to OFWAT, the body | | | | [ |
| that regulates the water companies. | | | | WATER TRUST FUNDS |
| You can complain to OFWAT through your regional | | | | A number of water companies operate charitable |
| Watervoice customer service committee. See | | | | trust funds. Some offer help only with water and |
| complaints section. | | | | sewerage debt; others are prepared to help with |
| Warning: Some water companies are threatening to | | | | other priority debts and even bankruptcy fees in |
| disconnect a property on the basis that "they think | | | | certain situations. Others offer 'restart schemes'. |
| the property is empty". | | | | These operate on the basis of you entering into a |
| Make sure you keep in touch with the company as | | | | regular payment scheme, and payments made are |
| they may attempt to do this if no one has | | | | then matched by the trust fund. If you maintain the |
| responded to their letters for some time. If you have | | | | arrangement, the remaining debt may be written off. |
| a threat of disconnection to your supply, ring the | | | | You will need to contact the trust fund to find out |
| water company and make sure they understand that | | | | how to apply. You will usually have to fill in a form. |
| you are still in the property and they cannot | | | | You may need an advice agency to help you. |
| disconnect the supply. | | | | CHARITABLE TRUST FUNDS |
| HOW DO I DEAL WITH WATER RATES ARREARS? | | | | South Staffordshire Water Trust Fund (water |
| You should carry on including your current water | | | | company website only) Telephone: 01922 63 82 82 |
| rates in the STEP 2 OUTGOINGS section of your | | | | Only pay for water debts. You must show some |
| personal budget. This is because water is an ongoing | | | | commitment to pay £1.00 or more a week for |
| bill. If you have water rates arrears then they no | | | | 2 months. To apply you need a personal budget |
| longer need to be treated as a priority debt. You can | | | | sheet completed by an adviser and a covering letter. |
| make an offer of repayment that you can afford | | | | Anglian Water Trust Fund |
| using your budget sheet along with your other credit | | | | PO Box 42, Peterborough, PE3 8XH. Email: .uk |
| debts in STEP 6. If you are on Income Support | | | | As well as water and sewerage debts they may also |
| Pension Credit/Job Seeker's Allowance you can ask | | | | pay bankruptcy fees and any other bills you are |
| the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) to | | | | having difficulty paying. |
| deduct a sum to cover current water rates and a | | | | Hartlepool Water, Tendring Hundred Water, |
| standard amount towards the arrears from your | | | | Cambridge Water, Three Valleys Water, Essex |
| benefit each week. | | | | & Suffolk Water are either owned by Anglian |
| If you do not agree a repayment arrangement then | | | | Water or contribute towards its trust fund and you |
| the water company can issue a County Court Claim | | | | can also apply to the Anglian fund if you are a |
| against you to ask you to repay the money you | | | | customer of one of these companies. |
| owe. You can make an offer of payment by filling in | | | | EOS Foundation |
| the Reply Form to the Claim (N9a) and sending this | | | | PO Box 42, Peterborough PE3 6XH |
| back to your water company within the time limit. If | | | | Telephone: 01733 330 Will help with water debts and |
| the court agrees with your offer then you will be | | | | other essential bills. You will need to fill in an |
| told to pay the debt off in instalments. | | | | application form with proof of income. You must be a |
| RIGHTS TO WATER METERS | | | | customer of Portsmouth Water, Tendering Hundred |
| From April 2000 you have the right to have a water | | | | Water, Folkestone & Dover Water, Mid Kent |
| meter put in so that you are charged on the basis of | | | | Water, Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water, |
| the water you actually use. You can swap back to | | | | South East Water. |
| the usual non-metered system within 12 months if | | | | Severn Trent Water Trust Fund |
| you don't like the water meter; e.g. your bills are | | | | Telephone: 0121 355 77 66 |
| higher than before. It may be cheaper to have a | | | | Email: .uk |
| water meter put in if you don't use much water e.g. | | | | As well as water and sewerage debts they may also |
| you are single or out all day. Contact your water | | | | pay bankruptcy fees and any other bills you are |
| company, as some suppliers will advise you if your | | | | having difficulty paying. |
| bills are likely to be cheaper if you move to a water | | | | WATER COMPANIES OPERATING RESTART |
| meter. | | | | SCHEMES |
| HELP WITH HIGH BILLS | | | | (Trust fund matches your payments on your arrears) |
| There are new rights to get some help with water | | | | Yorkshire Water |
| bills if you are on a low income and on a water | | | | Community Trust |
| meter. You will only pay the average bill that the | | | | Telephone: 0845 1 24 24 .uk |
| water company charges overall so if you use a lot of | | | | Only assist with water or sewerage arrears that are |
| water then your bill will go down. | | | | no more than two years old and less than |
| To qualify for help you must be on a water meter, | | | | £1000. You must be in a multiple debt situation. |
| and someone in the household must be on one of | | | | United Utilities |
| these benefits: | | | | Telephone: 0845 746 11 00 |
| Income Support | | | | "Arrears Allowance Scheme" only assists with water |
| Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance | | | | or sewerage charges and application forms have to |
| Pension Credit (from October 2003) | | | | be completed by local CAB on your behalf. A |
| Working Tax Credit | | | | customer counsellor may also offer a home visit. |
| Child Tax Credit (except families who receive the | | | | Thames Water [ (water company website only) |
| family element of Child Tax Credit only) | | | | "Customer Assistance Scheme" only assists with |
| Housing Benefit | | | | water or sewerage charges and they prefer that |
| Council Tax Benefitandthere are three or more | | | | you are referred by a local advice centre/NDL/CAB |
| children under 16 in the household,orsomeone in the | | | | Social Services/Age Concern |
| household has a medical condition that means extra | | | | You may be visited in your home. |
| water use such as: | | | | Welsh Water/Dwr Cymru |
| Flaky skin disease | | | | Telephone: 0800 052 0145 |
| Weeping skin disease, i.e. eczema, psoriasis, varicose | | | | “Customer Assistance Fund” You must |
| ulcers | | | | be referred by a money adviser and complete an |
| Incontinence | | | | application form. After you have made payments for |
| Abdominal stomas | | | | 6 months, the fund pays half your water arrears. |
| Renal failure. | | | | After another 6 months payments the rest of the |
| You can get an application form from your water | | | | arrears will be paid. |
| company. You need to give proof of the benefit you | | | | Bristol Water (water company website only) Apply in |
| are receiving and you will need to explain your | | | | writing to: |
| medical condition in detail. You can stay on the | | | | BWBSL, 1 Clevedon Walk,, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 1WW. |
| scheme for a year and then have to re-apply. | | | | You have to write to them to request to be |
| COMPLAINTS | | | | considered for the restart scheme. You may then be |
| If you have a complaint about your water company | | | | visited in your home. |
| you should speak or write to your water company | | | | South West Water |
| first. Each water company should have a complaints | | | | Telephone: 0800 169 1133 (customer services) |
| procedure they can send you. Your water company | | | | "Special Assistance Scheme" helps with water |
| should reply to your complaint within 10 working days. | | | | charges only. Application forms from CAB's and Age |
| If you are not happy with the outcome you can | | | | Concern. You have to provide evidence that you are |
| complain to OFWAT. Your regional customer service | | | | trying to pay or stick to a repayment programme. |