WATER RATES DEBTS ARE NOT A GOOD CAUSE FOR DISCONNECTION

As of June 30, 1999, water companies have lost the ability to disconnect the water supplies of people who have water rate debts. This includes disallowing them to put install any equipment that can stop the water from flowing out of your faucets. So, the next time you receive a notice of disconnection from your water company, you should report it to OFWAT, the organization that makes sure that the water companies obey the law.

Just go to the complaints section of your regional Watervoice customer service committee.

You need to be cautious though. Water companies may make it seem like the property is abandoned in order to be able to disconnect the water supply.

In order to avoid disconnections, you should respond to the letters or notices sent by the company in order to prove that your property is not empty. Giving them a call will establish the fact that you haven't left your residence and that they should not cut off your water supply.

Because water is continuously billed, you can keep your current water rates in the STEP 2 OUTGOINGS of your personal budget. This means that you shouldn't treat your water debts as a priority debt. As long as you can tell them that you are ready to repay your debts, you can always use your budget sheet and other credit cards debts in THE 6TH STEP.

People with an Income Support/Pension Credit/ Job Seeker's Allowance can go to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) in order to take out a sum that would take care of your current water rates as well as a constant amount that can help you pay your debts from your benefit each week.

If you don't take this option, the water company will have the right to file a Country Court Claim against you in order to force you to pay your debts. If this happens, you can fill up a Reply Form to the Clain (N9a) and take it to your water company. You should take note that you can't delay doing this. When you get the courts' approval of your offer, you can start paying your debts in installments.

WATER METERS RIGHTS

Your bills may become less expensive if you have a water meter installed. As of April 2000, people have been given the right to do this. You should take advantage of this privilege in order to find out if you are being charged correctly.

NEED HELP PAYING YOUR BILLS?

In order to acquire some assistance with you water bills, you should have a low income. You should also have a water meter installed. By acquiring this priviledge, you will only be asked to pay the average bill charged by your water company. This means that even though you may use a lot of water in certain months, your bill will still be lower.

In order to be qualified for this privilege, one of the members of your household should have Income Support, Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance, Pension Credit (from October 2003), Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit (with the exception of families who receive the family element of Child Tax Credit only), Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. There should also be children under sixteen years of age in the family. Otherwise, there is a household member that may need to use up more water because of medical conditions like flaky skin disease, weeping skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis, incontinence, abdominal stomas and renal failure.

In order to acquire this privilege, you just need to go your water company and get an application form. You should have the proof of the benefit as well as the medical condition. You may also have to describe the medical condition to them. This will grant you the benefits of being in the program for a year. After that, you should re-apply.

HOW TO RELAY COMPLAINTS

Before relaying your complaint to the Watervoice Regional Office, you should communicate with your water company first. Ask your water company for the complaints procedure. After sending your complaint to the water company, they should reply within 10 days.

You can only forward your complaint to OFWAT if you are not happy with the way your water company handled your complaint. You can go to the regional customer service committee, also known as Watervoice, in you area. In order to know which regional office you should contact, you should ask:

OFWAT

Centre City Tower
7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA

Tel: 0121 625 1300

www.ofwat.gov.uk

Watervoice

www.watervoice.org.uk

WATER TRUST FUNDS

Most water companies have trust funds that can offer some assistance with water and sewerage debt. Some can help you out with bankruptcy fees and other priority debts, depending on your situation.

Some of them can even offer you "restart schemes". By contacting the trust fund and applying for this arrangement, you will need to set a regular payment scheme that can be complemented by the trust fund. If you are able to consistently pay this amount, this trust fund can help you get your debts written off. If you need more information on this, you should visit an advice agency.

CHARITABLE TRUST FUNDS

South Staffordshire Water Trust Fund

www.south-staffs-water.co.uk (water company website only)
Telephone: 01922 63 82 82

Anglian Water Trust Fund

PO Box 42,
Peterborough,
PE3 8XH.
Email: admin@awtf.org.uk

www.awtf.org.uk

Anglian Water Trust Fund doesn't just offer assistance with water and sewerage debts. This company can also take care of your bankruptcy and other bills.

Hartlepool Water,
Tendring Hundred Water,
Cambridge Water,
Three Valleys Water

Both Essex and Suffolk Water contribute to the Anglian Water Fund. They may also be owned by this company. So, if you have applied to any of these companies, you might as well apply for the Anglian Water Fund.

EOS

PO Box 42,
Peterborough
PE3 6XH

Telephone: 01733 330 732

eos@charisgrants.com www.eosfoundation.org.uk

By filling out an application form and submitting a proof of income, this company can help you pay off your water debts as well as other priority bills. In order to be assisted by this company, you should also be a member of Portsmouth Water, Tendering Hundred Water, Foldstone & Dover Water, Mid Kent Water, Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water, South East Water.

Severn Trent Water Trust Fund

Telephone: 0121 355 77 66

Email: office@sttf.org.uk www.sttf.org.uk

Seven Trent Water Trust Fund doesn't just offer assistance with water and sewerage debts. This company can also take care of your bankruptcy and other bills.

WATER COMPANIES THAT HAVE RESTART SCHEMES (Trust Fund that can complete your payments of your debts)

Yorkshire Water Community Trust

Telephone: 0845 1 24 24 26

info@ywct.org.uk www.ywct.org.uk

They can only help you pay off sewerage debts that are lesser then two years old and are not more than £100. You should also be in a multiple debt situation in order to acquire their assistance.

United Utilities www.unitedutilities.com

Telephone: 0845 746 11 00

This has an "Arrears Allowance Scheme" that can only be used for water or sewerage charges that have been completed through the local CAB. You can also ask a customer counsellor to come for a home visit.

Thames Water www.thames-water.com (water company website only)

This company has a "Customer Service Scheme" that can only help you out with water or sewerage charges that have been referred by a local advice centre, NDL, CAB, Social Services or Age Concern. They may give your home a visit.

Welsh Water/DWR Cymru

Telephone: 0800 052 0145

In order to acquire their "Customer Assistance Fund", you should be referred to them by a money adviser. You should also fill out an application form. If you choose this option, you should be willing to pay for your debts for six months. The fund will only pay for half of your water debts. And, they will do this during the six months after you've paid your debts for six months.

Bristol Water www.bristolwater.co.uk (water company website only)

Apply in writing to:

BWBSL,
1 Clevedon Walk,
Nailsea,
Bristol
BS48 1WW.

In order to be qualified for the restart scheme, you need to send them a written request and wait for your home to be visited.

South West Water www.southwestwater.co.uk

Telephone: 0800 169 1133

They have a "Special Assistance Scheme" that can help you pay for your water charges after you've submitted forms from CAB's and Age Concern. You should also give them proof that you are trying to pay off your debts. You may also be required to maintain a repayment program.