June 2006

After having received a booklet from Anglian Water telling me how much I might save by having a meter installed, I was interested. My retirement age is fast approaching, and any saving can only be good. I made contact and answered the questions that would establish my initial tariff and water consumption. 2 people, no dishwasher, power shower or swimming pool. Low water usage. I was told that I could expect a saving of about £10 per month and should I not be happy with the meter within the first 12 months, I could go back to my unmeasured water supply. Can’t be fairer than that, can you. Arrangements were made to have the meter fitted at £17 per month plus give or take a few pounds adjustment at the end of the year. This quote is for 53 cubic metres per year. Remember that figure…53 cubic metres. The chances are the volume won’t mean an awful lot at the time, just the cash saving. After all, what does 53 cubic meters mean to the average man? We trust the water companies, don’t we? It means little at the time but it becomes so very important later.

Meter installed on September 1^st 2006 and direct debit set up for £17 per month. Opt out period to expire on August 31st 2007.

Everything seems fine, being careful on water use, and happy as a pig in muck.

This is the booklet that gave me a false sense of security

Statement informs me continue at £17 per month. Everything is just fine, as our American friends say.

For some reason this statement was not sent to me until a month after the actual reading. It was taken on the 14^th August and posted to me on September 19^th. Strange, they held it back so long. Could it be that it was held back, so I would receive it after the 12 month option expired? Statement informed me that from November 2007 my monthly payments would be increased to a whopping £54. Being a cheery kind of chap who tries to see the best in people, I assumed it was a short catch up adjustment. Wrong.

Statement informs me that £54 a month will continue.

This is the Anglian Water statement. Note where it states ‘We will keep you informed of adjustments to your bill’.
Bill means hard cash. Not volumes of water!

Now take a look at the first statement I received in February 2007 (5 months into the first opt out year):

Knowing what I do now about cubic metres and litres per capita, Anglian Water were fully aware at this stage that the reading taken showed 67 cubic metres for five months, which was over twice the volume they assessed me with, and my monthly payments should have been increased from £17 per month. Their code of practice clearly states that they will keep you informed of any adjustments to your bill. But my statement tells me to continue with the £17 per month. Why? Obvious now. Had they informed me as they promised, I would have contacted them straightaway and gone back to unmeasured supply. That would never do, so it appeared they kept me totally in the dark until the next statement.

How unfortunate! My 12 months grace period had expired. I was now stuck with this wretched meter plus a bill for backdated water used for that year. When I complained of this to the customer services (who were very nice, and no criticism levelled at them) and later received a call back from a lady in a superior position who was not as pleasant (I recorded the conversation with her knowledge and nicknamed her Woman from Hell), her argument was that I should have cancelled in the first 12 months! How can one be in a position to evaluate the situation when you are not informed??? Clearly this complaints door was firmly slammed in my face. Be warned: things may not be as they appear until, of course, after the opt out period has expired.

Above are two pieces of information from one statement.
 Note the difference in dates.

Hang on, that’s too late! Especially if you delay sending me the next statement for an extra month! Meter read on 14.08.07, statement sent on 19.09.07. Why the delay?

My first meter reading was taken on 05.02.07, statement sent next day, 06.02.07. Could it be that the delay would conceal the increase until it was too late to opt out? Doesn’t need a super intelligent man to work this scam out.

What’s it all about?

From the bad experience with Anglian Water and their meter, it is my opinion that they kept me on a superficially low monthly repayment until the opt out period expired. I was happy (short lived...). They are happy (permanent!). Oh, by the way, I will have to pay for the extra water used during the first year due to their ‘miscalculation’. This will go on top of this year's bill. They seem to get their calculations right after the first 12 months. My true payments should now be £100 per month! A far cry from their £17 per month initial evaluation. And I monitor every turn of the tap!