Thames Water Fiasco: Customer Charged for Company’s Error!

Thames Water acknowledged this oversight and initially agreed to cancel any charges over 12 months old. However, they are now attempting to collect almost the entire amount.

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You were under the impression that the rules for back-billing applied to water services just as they do for energy utilities. This is not the case, especially for residential customers.

While businesses are protected from being back-billed for more than 24 months, water companies are allowed to reclaim up to six years of unpaid charges from homeowners if they fail to send bills.

According to the Consumer Council for Water, the regulator expects water companies to forgive such debts if the billing error was their fault. They also handle complaints if the company fails to do so.

Thames Water relented after my involvement. They confessed that a glitch in their system had halted your direct debits six years prior, and they have now decided to waive all charges from April 2020 to March 2026. They also extended their apologies for the inconvenience caused.

It’s wise to monitor all future bills closely. GB has found himself in a frustrating situation with Thames Water after moving into a new apartment equipped with a smart meter. Despite this, Thames Water placed them on a non-metered plan charging a hefty £160 per month. The typical charge for a two-person household is around £50.

GB requested a switch to a metered rate, but Thames Water was skeptical of the meter’s existence and sent a technician who verified its presence and functionality. Yet, no changes were made.

“I called again,” GB explains. “They demanded another appointment to install a meter. I reiterated that we already have one, but agreed. Another technician visited and confirmed the working meter, yet we still faced hurdles switching to a metered rate. Meanwhile, Thames Water kept sending messages urging us to install a meter.”

The company can act swiftly when prompted. Within just two hours of my reaching out, they acknowledged the overlooked meter on your account, switched you to a metered plan, and issued an apology.

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