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Yorkshire Water tariffs?

I get my water from Yorkshire Water (and using a water meter). I actually use very little water (about 22 cubic meters a year) but a substantial part of my bill is made up of standing charges (about 70%). I have asked Yorkshire Water if they have alternative tariffs (e.g. higher per unit charge and no/lower standing charge) but they say they only have one tariff.

I've just been visiting my Mum who lives in East Anglia and gets her water from Anglian Water

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She's on a low user tariff ('SoLow' - no standing charge and higher per unit charge), and Anglian Water offer a couple of other different tariffs to reflect usage patterns and assist financial planning. Why can't Yorkshire Water be a bit more flexible?

I've tried writing to Yorkshire Water and received the standard reply (we only do one tariff), and I've tried the local WaterVoice - who simply passed my letter on to Yorkshire Water and I got the same sort of reply again.

I appear to be stuck with Yorkshire Water (unlike other utilities where I can pick another supplier, e.g. electricity)

Surely YW want to encourage low usage and get people to save water (but there is little incentive to do so). They don't appear to offer more than one domestic tariff (for metered usage).

Anyone got any suggestions?

Reply to
Allan Gould
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Why can't you get your water from Anglian? If the leccy companies can sell you their leccy why not thew water board?

Quite. A silly situation. Although the robbing leccy companies are all in for making a profit just like the water board.

It's a thought I'd had ages ago about if we all went to water meters. You'd not save anything because they'd want the same income so they'd have to work out how to charge you all the same.

Write to your MP. Or emigrate.

Reply to
mogga

At 10:15:28 on 02/08/2006, mogga delighted uk.finance by announcing:

Except that those who use more would pay more, and those who use less would pay less. Then there would be those who pay about the same.

Reply to
Alex

You might try ofwat the water ombudsman:

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This seems to be another place to complain but im not sure if its ofwat but it was a link from a government website.
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With the spotlight on the water industry at the moment it may be something already being addressed and you might find info there as well as complain.

Reply to
linkuk

The second one is for northern ireland, sorry

Reply to
linkuk

Thought i would paste this info from the OFWAT site in case anyone didnt know.

Help available with metered bills

Companies are required to offer help to customers on low incomes who have 3 or more children or if a member of the household needs to use more water because of a medical condition. Your company will advise you on how to apply for a vulnerable household charge. You will need to provide evidence that you are receiving a means-tested benefit and details about your family.

Reply to
linkuk

If its mostly standing charges though you may as well use a bit more water if its not actually going to make much difference to the bill.

Someone I know pays 70 quid a year on a water meter - water bills are about 300 quid a yera otherwise... If using these figures everyone's bill drops 230 quid where do they make the money up from?

Reply to
mogga

At 21:42:12 on 02/08/2006, mogga delighted uk.finance by announcing:

My bill went from £31 per month to £16 for two people.

Larger households use more water. Smaller households use less. Without a meter, they all pay the same. With a meter, they pay in proportion. As I said above, those who use more will pay more; those who use less will pay less.

Reply to
Alex

High water use families use more water.

Only if the cost is burdened onto the water and not the standard charge. I believe they would have to increase the standard charge massively to ensure they had enough income.

Reply to
mogga

At 11:57:46 on 03/08/2006, mogga delighted uk.finance by announcing:

Well of course.

Why? People won't suddenly stop using water. They already know what the average household uses and they can make adjustments as necessary as more data comes in from the meters. They may make a loss over the first six months or so, they may make a larger profit. If it's a gradual switch to meters they can gradually change the price they charge. Your scenario of a massive standing charge hike only applies if everyone changes to a meter overnight.

Reply to
Alex

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