£50 rebate on water bills to take effect from April
A £50 reduction to water charges for all households in Devon and Cornwall will be applied automatically to bills, it was confirmed yesterday.
The Government has finalised plans for the annual rebate for South West Water customers to begin from April next. It will run until at least 2020.
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The taxpayer-funded bail-out is compensation for the botched water industry privatisation that left the region paying for the upkeep of a third of the nation's beaches, meaning customers have had the highest bills in the country for many years.
This year, South West Water's average bill rose by £26 to £543. That is £167 more than the national average. None of the government funding will be retained by South West Water and the company will not profit in any way, it says.
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Monica Read, South West Water customer relations director, said: "This is a great achievement.
"It is thanks to everyone, including MPs of all parties, Defra, the Consumer Council for Water, pensioner groups and the regional media, who, together with thousands of individual customers have helped make the case for the region alongside us over many years, for this reduction.
"Household customers will have the reduction automatically and clearly applied to their bills from next April.
"They need take no action, just look out for the line 'Government Contribution' on your bill during 2013/14."
The Government has also taken steps to allow "water resellers" to pass the £50 reduction on.
"Resellers" include landlords, property managers and individuals reimbursed by their neighbours for shared charges who pay South West Water and then charge someone else, typically a tenant.
The flat rate reduction is not linked to how much water a household uses.
Comments
by twain1
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 11:43PM
“Too little too late, crumbs under the table for us peasants.
A perfect example of how privatisation is wrong for the bill payer.
A perfect example of why the NHS should not be privatised and why Big Business want to corrupt and privatise all public services.
Resist.
You can't pay someone else to do the job cheaper than you can do it yourself despite what the liars say.”
by eu_blues
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 7:05PM
“"I wouldn't mind but we are paying ourselves this £50 out of our taxes. The water companies are in effect paying nothing."2ladybugs
Well said.
Another trick of the hand. These privatised firms know how to deal a dud hand to us peasents.”
by 2ladybugs
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 5:33PM
“I wouldn't mind but we are paying ourselves this £50 out of our taxes. The water companies are in effect paying nothing.”
by Sinjis_Things
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 4:52PM
“The water companies should be renationalised immediately. 50 quid compensation for years of over charging is an insult.”
by exebomb
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 3:37PM
“£50 wont even buy a furby this xmas...”
by Mustafachat
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 3:12PM
“SWW has spent years stitching us up, don't see much changing anytime soon.”
by EXETERFAN
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 12:53PM
“A £50 REBATE?
1. The water price rose an average of £25 last year?
2. If the price go up the same again next year, then where is the saving ?
If you look at these factors then you are just paying the same as usually? Plus they have had interest paid on your money !!!!
I remember I think about 10yrs ago when they gave the customers £25 refund on the previous year bill. Yet the new bill had gone up by over £30 or so?
So in fact you were NOT getting a refund and they had your money gaining THEM interest?
The truth was they had put up the yearly bill but made an offer to keep the stupid politician happy?”
by nicold
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 11:35AM
“£50 is nothing...what we want is a choice of water companies, leading to competition and hopefully lower prices..or for renationalisation!”
by josdave
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 8:48AM
“Why is this rebate, which is just a drop in the ocean considering how overcharged we have been, funded by us the taxpayers and not from SWWs huge profits? We are in effect refunding ourselves.”