@unitedutilities United Utilities Error - help!

[dizzymrsp]

Hi,

Please can someone help.

 

We moved into a new property in Feb 2012 and we are on a water meter.

 

As we are a family of 5, a direct debit was calculated for £61.00 per month.

 

The meter has been read by U/U twice between February and November

 

My account was showing me to be in credit by £320 approx,

 

I took my own meter reading and submitted that (00001). It took £35 approx, so I called them to ask if they could return the credit to me.

 

I was asked for the meter reading again (00001),

and i was told : 'Has the property been empty?'

I told her no.

 

She said

 

'since november 11, the meter reading has never changed so the water isnt going through the meter.

you cant have the money back as its a false credit,

 

you need a new meter to start with. then leave it a month, we will take a reading and that will be the monthly direct debit, which we will backdate to April 2012'

 

I was horrified that,

 

1) we may end up owing a lot of money and

2) during the past few months, my daughter has been in hospital for a month,

we have been away,

the useage would have been less during this time than it would be normally,

so there was a chance we would have gone in credit.

 

But with them having to calculate it from another months useage, this wont be a true reflection of water used.

 

So i guess what I am asking is where do I stand legally?

 

If this meter has been read twice since we took over,

and then in november 11,

and they can see there was no change to the meter,

isnt that their error?

 

The meter is at the bottom of my driveway, and not inside my property.

 

Any help would be much appreciated, as I was trying to ask the woman at U/U about it and she was really rude.

 

Many Thanks in Advance

[dx100uk]

well gas and electric cant back bill even if it IS THEIR mistake

 

trouble with UU is they consider themselves judge and jury.

 

£61 PCM for water.

 

what the hell have you got a reservior supplying all the local farms>>>>

 

mine is only £133 for the whole YEAR!

 

dx

[dizzymrsp]

I know, £61 pcm is scandalous but they said its because we are a family of five.

 

Any ideas on where I would stand legally?? And how I go about defending this??

[dx100uk]

£61X12= £732 for the year.

 

here....http://www.unitedutilities.com/Our-charges-2012-2013.aspx

 

without a meter its

 

dx