[Finance] Southern Water over 50% increase in bills

[alanfp]

I also do not understand why quoting the number of bedrooms is in any way relevant IF you are on a water meter, IT IS ALL ABOUT CONSUMPTION.

The OP said he doesn't have a meter. so in his case IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT CONSUMPTION. It's based on the historical RV so the size of the house is relevant. The accepted rule of thumb is if there are fewer occupants than bedrooms then you should save money having a water meter (Money Saving Expert).

To be fair, water bills have been very cheap for a long time.

They were until 1989. Since then they have perhaps been reasonable value, but nevertheless more than they coulda/shoulda been, due to the fact that a significant proportion of your bill (typically 15-20%) has been given to shareholders.
Not to mention companies like Thames Water Utilities Cayman Finance Ltd. and why they were formed!

 

[Eeyore]

The OP said he doesn't have a meter. so in his case IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT CONSUMPTION. It's based on the historical RV so the size of the house is relevant. The accepted rule of thumb is if there are fewer occupants than bedrooms then you should save money having a water meter (Money Saving Expert).


They were until 1989. Since then they have perhaps been reasonable value, but nevertheless more than they coulda/shoulda been, due to the fact that a significant proportion of your bill (typically 15-20%) has been given to shareholders.
Not to mention companies like Thames Water Utilities Cayman Finance Ltd. and why they were formed!

Apart from telecommunications, I can't think of a public service that was justified in going private. If there is no choice for the customer it will always end badly.

I wouldn't re-nationalise the railways out of choice though. But it would take an essay to explain.

 

[Since1982]

In fairness to Southern Water, they at least haven't paid dividends since 2017

Whether they are investing enough, doing enough, overcharging etc is a different matter, and I simply don't know enough to comment

They wanted to in 2024 and managed to pay out £2.3bn before 2017.

 

[Papak]

The OP said he doesn't have a meter. so in his case IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT CONSUMPTION. It's based on the historical RV so the size of the house is relevant. The accepted rule of thumb is if there are fewer occupants than bedrooms then you should save money having a water meter (Money Saving Expert).


They were until 1989. Since then they have perhaps been reasonable value, but nevertheless more than they coulda/shoulda been, due to the fact that a significant proportion of your bill (typically 15-20%) has been given to shareholders.
Not to mention companies like Thames Water Utilities Cayman Finance Ltd. and why they were formed!

I did not quote the OP, check my post again.

Admittedly, I should have put a caveat in mine as I had an inkling somebody would jump to a conclusion and I was right.

 

[medwayseagull reborn]

I moved to a meter years ago realising how much cheaper it would be for two adults on a band E council tax and have saved a lot of money in that time. Just increased my payment to £33 per month.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Smug here. Around 1/3 of household water use is via the toilets. Good job I fitted a rainwater harvesting h system at my house about 8 years ago then isn’t it.
At the time , people telling me it was a waste of money.

Money down the drain

 

[Mr Bridger]

Money down the drain

It was at the time, but who’s laughing now..

 

[rippleman]

You can't really blame any business for trying to exploit their customers. Most would if they could but in nearly all sectors competition is there to prevent it. However, where you have a monopoly there is no barrier to exploitative price increases. This is why we have a "regulator" OFWAT.

However, much like OFGEN and the energy companies, the organisation which is supposed to protect consumers is in fact colluding with the water companies when they are punishing their customers for their own financial mismanagement.

Nothing will change all the time the government allows the regulators to be acting in the best interests of these rip-off monopolies and giving the finger to consumers.

The boss of Southern Water was given £183K BONUS last year as part of his £750K pay package. For running a business that is skint and delivering an appalling service. So when you pay your increased water bills, remember where that increase is going.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Just seen my email regaeding my increase.

Now bigger than my gas bill.

Edit. And abòut the same as my electric bill.

 

[zefarelly]

To be fair, water bills have been very cheap for a long time.

Unlike electric and heating - it's an easy thing to save on for most households (as long as you have a water meter).

But the water companies really need to prove that they're putting the extra money to good use over the next few years by demonstrating substantial improvements to their records of waste water spilling.

Have you seen the price of shit pumps recently!

To Be fair the gov and local planners are just as guilty . . . . Paving whole plots and worse still running rainwater etc into the sewerage system is criminal in itself. It really should be illegal.

life in a lower tier country . . .

 

[zefarelly]

Just seen my email regaeding my increase.

Now bigger than my gas bill.

Edit. And abòut the same as my electric bill.

THey're all crooks and ****s out there. . .

Im not sure if it's been done before, but imagine if a nation owned its own infrastructure to look after it's own subjects and protect itself from the dark sharks.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Have you seen the price of shit pumps recently!

To Be fair the gov and local planners are just as guilty . . . . Paving whole plots and worse still running rainwater etc into the sewerage system is criminal in itself. It really should be illegal.

life in a lower tier country . . .

Successive governments in England have failed to remove the right of developers to connect surface water drains to the sewer system (unlike in Scotland and Wales). All Councils can do is use policy to try to dissuade developers and encourage them to use sustainable drainage systems.

For many years it has been unlawful for home owners and other landowners to pave over front gardens and create hardstanding without using permeable materials or draining to a rain garden. However, this is not enforced by Council planning departments that have lost 40% of their budgets since 2010 (the most of any Council department) and who will normally cut enforcement officers first.

It's going to.need a massive retrofit programme (about the size of 12 Preston Parks). This is what Sheffield is doing in its city centre.

 

[LamieRobertson]

If you’re on a meter you can usually get your local water company to visit and fit free water saving devices. I use to do it for Anglian Water when fitting internal water meters.

Water-Saving Home Visits - Southern Water

Find more information about what to expect from one of our water-saving home visits.

www.southernwater.co.uk

If you are not eligible you can get cheap water saving devices yourself from Amazon (obviously via Bozza’s link) such as tap restrictors, Shower restrictors etc.

Fit one of these if you have a power shower (not electric) and you have kids who spend over half in the shower, will save you £10000’s
Shower flow reducer

A padlock on the shower doors? My son has 2 a day for gawd knows how long

 

[Weststander]

A padlock on the shower doors? My son has 2 a day for gawd knows how long

Can top that with my lad sometimes has 3 per day .

 

[papachris]

Just for comparison, I pay 14.27€ per month altogether for drinking water and waste.
My house also has a pump where I get underground water for watering the garden, washing the car etc.
Huge water bills was definitely one good reason for me to leave the UK.

 

[Weststander]

Just for comparison, I pay 14.27€ per month altogether for drinking water and waste.
My house also has a pump where I get underground water for watering the garden, washing the car etc.
Huge water bills was definitely one good reason for me to leave the UK.

Good judgement by you in location.

In Barcelona and other cities, bills are far closer to the UK average £600.

Spain's water is getting more expensive: the challenge of cost recovery

The increase in water tariffs in Spain in 2024 reflects the need to adapt to inflation, combat drought and compensate for the investment deficit.

smartwatermagazine.com

 

[papachris]

Good judgement by you in location.

In Barcelona and other cities, bills are far closer to the UK average £600.

Spain's water is getting more expensive: the challenge of cost recovery

The increase in water tariffs in Spain in 2024 reflects the need to adapt to inflation, combat drought and compensate for the investment deficit.

smartwatermagazine.com

One thing we are not short of in Estonia is water. Most of the country is forest and bogs

 

[BN41Albion]

Direct debit suddenly going up to £50 from £30 - an increase of 67% ... wtf?? I can't work out how it's such a big increase considering prices haven't gone up by that %. £30/month has covered our usage up to now- we're a little bit in credit??

 

[alanfp]

Direct debit suddenly going up to £50 from £30 - an increase of 67% ... wtf?? I can't work out how it's such a big increase considering prices haven't gone up by that %. £30/month has covered our usage up to now- we're a little bit in credit??

Don't agree to it. Tell them to only put your DD up by the %age that the PRICE has gone up. Especially as you're currently in credit. If they are reluctant, just tell them to bill you twice a year by paper and you'll pay on receipt of the second reminder. I think they'll negotiate the amount of the DD. But if not, just cancel it and let them chase you for it.

It's almost as if they're trying it on. But they wouldn't do that, though, would they!

 

[Mustafa II]

Don't agree to it. Tell them to only put your DD up by the %age that the PRICE has gone up. Especially as you're currently in credit. If they are reluctant, just tell them to bill you twice a year by paper and you'll pay on receipt of the second reminder. I think they'll negotiate the amount of the DD. But if not, just cancel it and let them chase you for it.

It's almost as if they're trying it on. But they wouldn't do that, though, would they!

Why pay by direct debit at all?

I pay all my energy/water bills as and when the bill comes in.

None of this being in credit bollocks - I'd prefer my money to be in my own savings accounts thanks.