Southern Water Water Sure Tariff False Billing

[AugustineBroadstairs]

I am struggling with Southern Water. I have been on the Watersure Tariff since at least 2003. I have a severe disability and care for a daughter who has a severe disability.

 

I always seemed have struggled keeping up with payments or so I thought. Southern Water claim I owe them 2.4 K. I have looked through my bills since 2008 and they have on most bills been failing to apply the Water Sure Tariff so have been overcharging me by up to £700 a year.

 

I don’t think we are an isolated case and as many people on the Watersure Tariff are vulnerable they are less likely to of complained or picked up on the overcharging. I suspect there are thousands of people who have been overcharged but are unaware.

 

Dealing with them is difficult, and they appear to have a culture of  being defensive ,covering up  with absolutely no transparency.

 

The manager I spoke to said he would look into the overpayments!!, like it was my fault. They have had me hounded by debt collectors and have even had a default registered on my credit file.

 

It is bizarre because it would now appear that they owe me a considerable amount of money.

 

They are impossible to deal with I have felt bullied by them and there inability to take any responsibility for this maladministration.

 

I asked for a SAR which turned up today incomplete so I have put in another request.

 

The manager is calling me back on Friday and will explain to me the difficulties with my complaint.

 

Has anyone got any advice or has anyone has anyone had any similar experiences?

[hello12345]

I don't know how it works where you are but generally watersure tariff is capped at about £37 a month regardless of how much water you use, having a look at your area on the net it is about £438 a year,.do they ask you by letter  yearly or every 2 years to send them info to confirm you still meet the criteria to get watersure tariff, if you don't send it to them  they will put you on standard tariff. 

[AugustineBroadstairs]

Thank you so much.

 

I have written to Southern Water who have emailed back to assure me that I am on the Watersure tariff but the Watersure Tariff but they still fail to apply to the account.

 

The consumer council for Water have now accepted the case so hopefully there will be some resolve.

 

[AugustineBroadstairs]

I have had to fill in a declaration a few times. southern Water are the worst performing Water provider in the UK. They have even been investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. 
 

I have no doubts there will be many vulnerable Southern Water customers with similar issues who are not aware there Watersure Tariff has been wrongfully  removed.

 

The culture within Southern Water as I have experienced lacks transparency. The Customer Service Manager used language that removed all blame from Southern Water. Instead of saying they would accurately re bill me he said he would look into the overpayments Inhabe been making!!