Hi All

I have an interesting one for you, perhaps you can help answer my query.

I bought a former RAF married quarter back in December 2016.

When we bought the house we were told that the water supply company was Severn Trent Water Services

(not to be confused with Severn Trent Water but they are part of the same company).

Now Severn Trent Water services have a license to supply business customers and as far as I know their license does not include the supply of water to retail customers.

As you can guess we are not a business and therefore should be supplied with water by a company who supply water to retail customers and are licensed to do so.

Some time back I contacted the Council for Water Services to find out who supplies our water, and received the following information.

Our water supply should be with Affinity Water,

but they have no record of supplying water to our postcode (or the other 3 postcodes within the estate).

Our waste water is dealt with by Thames Water who have records of the post codes but cannot bill the estate.

It seems that currently the MOD is responsible for paying Severn Trent Water Services for the supply of fresh water and the treatment of waste water.

So who bills us for the water supply and waste water treatment?

Severn Trent Water Services as far as I understand legally cannot charge us as they have a license to supply business customers, and we are a retail customer!

Affinity Water cannot charge us as they have no records for our property,

Thames Water cannot charge us as they are being paid by Severn Trent Water Services so the service hey provide.

If we were with Affinity Water (who we should be) then they send out a single bill for fresh water and waste water and pass on the waste water charge to Thames Water.

I understand from some property owners who moved in over a year ago that they were sent a bill by Severn Trent Water Services but how can they be billed?

This company does not have a license for supplying retail customers, and we are not business customers

- if we were business customer we could actually choose who supplies our water (since April 2017).

What would be the basis of their charge as all the properties are currently un-metered.

It is interesting. The MOD should have resolved this issue, before they sold you the house. Any underground services connected to your house should have a definite legal position.

What happens if there is a major problem with drainage near your house ? If it cost thousands to put right, who would pay for this ?

Do the MOD still own the land and your house is leasehold ? Suggest you check the legal documentation for the house, as you need to fully understand the position on everything connected to your house. It could be the case that the MOD still own the land and are responsible for underground pipes. If this is the case, you might have to pay the MOD for water services and they pay Severn Trent Water Services.

Shouldn't this discrepancy have been picked up by your solicitor before purchase?

When I bought my house some 20 years ago we got all the paperwork. We saw the original deeds, water surveys,sewerage surveys,suppliers, blue prints of where all the supplies come in and who is responsible for them.

Agree, i had the same info and still have copies that the Solicitor supplied.

If you buy a house you need to know what you are legally responsible for.

How would you know about important issues otherwise and can take out any insurances for underground pipes/services, if you wanted to.

If you have an emergency arise like a pipe burst underground who would you contact ?

who are you paying if anyone?