Thames Water keeps its mouth shut

[nikko]

If your flat just cannot be fitted with a meter you're entitled to be billed what's called an assessed charge--often much less than the old charge based on ratable value that you're paying now. But if you live in London, don't expect Thames Water to proclaim this cheaper charge from the housetops--they tell you once yuo've askd for a meter and they've confirmed one can be fitted. A freind of mine knew he couldn't have one, , so he never asked for one. So he didn't find out for years, and went on paying far too much. I'm told Camden's Lib Dems are kicking up a stink about the shortage of information from Thames Water. Can anyuone tell us more about this issue?

[photoman]

Look here:

Thames Water - Assessed Household Charge

 

Make a request to Thames here:

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/corp/hs.xsl/3066_9518.htm

 

Here is a useful leaflet, which gives an idea of what the assessed household charge may be:

 

http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xbcr/corp/200910-unmetered-charges-leaflet.pdf

 

If your friend ought to have been on an assessed household charge, yet Thames have not informed him of such option, then I believe Thames ought to have done so. Speak to OFWAT, and ask them about the obligations Thames were under. If they had a duty to inform him, yet failed to do so, then he may be able to backdate any claim.

 

Look here, for info on Assessed Household charges, and also contact them:

 

Ofwat::Consumer Issues::Meters::Meters

 

If you complain or write to Thames, it is a very good idea to copy in the Consumer Council for Water on all correspondence. Thames have a regulatory duty to respond and deal with all complaints in a timely manner (eg: they must reply within 10 days, or immediately pay you compensation).

 

I have a problem I am sorting on behalf of a neighbor, and I copied the Consumer Council for Water in on the letters and emails.

Thames responded very swiftly, firstly because they know they are being watched, and also to avoid paying out compensation:

 

The Consumer Council for Water:

Contact Us : Consumer Council for Water

 

Good luck and best regards

 

PM

[nikko]

What a pretty leaflet on unmetered charges Thames has. Too bad that if they don't tell you it exists, you 'll never know, so you'll never apply for it. As for Ofwat, according to a rival forum that I've looked at on moneysaving expert.com----http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=27359905#post27359905---Ofwat actually APPROVE of Thsames Waters' secrecy, for some crazy reason of their own