Thames Water Bill Explanation

There are a number of ways to pay your bill. You can find these on the back of your bill or on our website.

If you are having difficulty paying your bill, please make sure you let us know, as we can help you. We have three schemes available for customers who are in financial hardship and are unable to pay their bill:

Customer Assistance Fund

We have a Customer Assistance Fund to assist customers who are in debt with us and are facing financial hardship. If you would like to apply for this fund, please fill in an application form and send it back to us at:

Thames Water Customer Assistance Fund
FREEPOST RSAJ-BXEA-LKLT
Sutton Coldfield
B72 1TJ

WaterSure scheme

Our WaterSure scheme also offers assistance to metered households who have a means tested benefit, a large family or medical conditions that need to use large amounts of water for essential purposes.

You can read more about it, and find out if you qualify in our WaterSure leaflet.

Water Direct scheme

The scheme, run in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is designed to help you pay your bill and arrears in affordable amounts when you receive one of the following qualifying benefits:

• Income Support
• Income based Job Seekers Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Employment Support Allowance

If you receive one of the above benefits we can ask the DWP, on your behalf, to take a regular amount direct from your benefit automatically and pay current charges and overdue amounts to us.

• Apply for the Water Direct scheme

• Find out more about getting help paying your bill

Most bills include charges for water and wastewater services. The charge for each service has two parts: a fixed charge and a variable charge.

Fixed charge

Fixed charges include the cost to treat water from highway and surface water drains, produce bills, answer queries and read water meters.

They also include the costs of maintaining and replacing water meters.

The annual fixed charge is divided into the number of days in the year. The amount you pay in fixed charges relates to the number of days your current bill covers.

Variable charge

The variable charge for unmetered homes is based on the chargeable value (previously known as the rateable value), of the property.

The chargeable value was set by the Valuation Office at the Inland Revenue and represents the potential annual rent for your property. This is not related to your Council Tax Banding. If your Council Tax Banding changes, your chargeable value will remain the same.

There is one rate for water services and another for wastewater services. The rates you pay depend on where you live.

You can log in to your account and change your preferences to only view your bill online. To log in you will first need to request your PIN. Please have a copy of your last bill to hand when you do this.

Once you have received your PIN, you can log in at any time and view your bill; you can then manage your account so that you stop getting paper bills, and instead receive an email notification when your bill is ready to view.

• Log in to view my bills

Chargeable value

Bills for unmetered properties built before 1989 are based on the chargeable value of the property (also known as the rateable value).

The chargeable value was set by the Valuation Office at the Inland Revenue and represents the potential annual rent for your property. This is not related to your council tax banding. If your Council Tax Banding changes, your chargeable value will remain the same.

We apply this value to calculate your water charges. There is one rate for water services and another for wastewater services. The rates you pay depend on where you live. You will also pay a fixed yearly charge.

Notional Value

If we need to fit a meter at your property, for example because there have been structural alterations, but we are unable to do so, we will apply a Notional Value. This is based on the number of bedrooms and the local authority coding area for your property.

Assessed Household Charge

If you ask us to fit a meter at your property and we are unable to do so, for example, if the pipework is not suitable, we will apply the Assessed Household Charge if it is less than what you are currently paying. The Assessed Household Charge is based on the number of bedrooms at your property. If only one person lives at a property, a special ‘single occupier tariff’ is used instead.

When will I receive my bill?

Unmetered bills are sent out every February/March and show the charges for the next year (1 April to 31 March).

When you move into a property we will send you your first bill within six working days. You will be charged from the date you move in until the end of March the following year.

Fixed charges include the cost to treat water from highway and surface water drains, produce bills, answer queries and read water meters.

They also include the costs of maintaining and replacing water meters.

The annual fixed charge is divided into the number of days in the year. The amount you pay in fixed charges relates to the number of days your current bill covers.

Surface water drainage

Surface water is rainwater that falls on to your property and runs via guttering and drainpipes into the public sewer, or water that drains into the sewers from outside activities, such as car washing. Most customers' properties are connected to a surface water sewer or combined sewer.

You can find out if you are connected to the public sewer by checking where your gutters lead. If there is evidence of a sewer close by - for instance, a heavy duty manhole cover - then it is likely that surface water from your property drains directly to the sewer, and a charge for this is included in your fixed charges.

If your property is not connected to the surface water sewer - for example, if surface water drains into a watercourse, stream, river or soakaway - you may be eligible for a rebate.

Your bill will state if surface water drainage charges are not included. Further confirmation is shown on the reverse of your bill in the section 'Understanding your bill'. This will show whether you are charged for surface water drainage or what the reduction could be if you are not connected.

Highway drainage

An amount is included within your fixed charges to cover the treatment of rainwater from the highway, which enters the public sewer system from gullies in the road. It is the responsibility of your local highway authority to maintain the gullies and ensure highways are properly drained.

• Claim a rebate for surface water drainage

Surface water is rainwater that falls on to your property and runs via guttering and drainpipes into the public sewer, or water that drains into the sewers from outside activities, such as car washing. Most customers are connected to a surface water sewer or combined sewer.

You can find out if you are connected to the public sewer by checking where your gutters lead. If there is evidence of a sewer close by - for instance, a heavy duty manhole cover - then it is likely that surface water from your property drains directly to the sewer, and a charge for this is included in your fixed charges.

If your property is not connected to the surface water sewer - for example, if surface water drains into a watercourse, stream, river or soakaway - you may be eligible for a rebate.

Your bill will state if surface water drainage charges are not included. Further confirmation is shown on the

reverse of your bill in the section 'Understanding your bill'. This will show whether you are charged for surface water drainage or what the reduction could be if you are not connected.

• Claim a rebate for surface water drainage

Before April 2001 the surface water drainage charge was included in the general wastewater charges. However, from that point a national change was introduced to allow customers not receiving surface water drainage on their property to have that part of the general charge removed.

Normally the rebate will be applied from 1 April in the year in which you successfully applied for the rebate. If your property was built after April 2001, the rebate will be backdated to the date you moved

into the property, up to a maximum of six years.

For example:

In the case of homes with a metered water supply, built before 1 April 2001, the rebate will be given from the date of your last metered bill that spans the beginning of the financial year (1 April) in which you have applied.

If you moved into your property after the beginning of the financial year in which you apply, the rebate will be given from the date you moved in.

For homes built after 1 April 2001, the rebate will apply from the date you moved in, up to a maximum of six years.

For commercial or business premises the rebate will be applied from the beginning of the financial year (1 April) in which you apply. If you moved into your property after the beginning of the financial year in which you apply, the rebate will be given from the date you moved in.

Water usage guide

If you feel your water usage is high, you can compare this with our usage table which gives an indication of the amount of water that may be used in various households during a year - this should only be used as a guide, as the figures will vary depending on individual circumstances.

• View our water usage table

If you feel that your usage is higher than our guidance table and you think you may have a leak, we have some advice on how to check for leaks.

Calculate your usage

Alternatively, you can use our interactive online questionnaire to work out your average water usage, and highlight ways in which you can save water.

• Calculate your usage

Water meters are generally recognised as the fairest way to pay for your water, as you will only have to pay for the amount of water you use, plus a fixed charge.

For some customers, particularly those with low usage, this has resulted in lower water and wastewater bills. What's more, if you're a domestic customer and we can install a meter at your property, we'll do so free of charge.

How much can you expect to pay?

Please click the link to our charges table below to find out how much your annual metered bill could be.

You can compare this to your current charges to decide whether having a water meter would be a cheaper option.

If your unmetered bill does not cover one full year, divide the bill by the number of days you have been billed for and multiply it by 365.

• View our guidance charges table*

You can use our water usage calculator to find out if you are a low, average or high user.

*Our charges table shows approximate meter charges based on the number of people living in a property and the amount of water we think they would use.

• View our Switching to a water meter section to see if you could reduce the size of your bill.

Do I have to have a meter?

Under current legislation, it is compulsory to have a meter installed if the property:

• Is new or has been converted
• Has a swimming pool, a power shower** or uses a sprinkler
• Is commercial or water is used for non-domestic purposes

We can also choose to fit a meter when a new occupier moves into a property.

**Power showers use an additional pump to increase the water pressure through the showerhead.

Thames Water customers will see an average price increase of around 5.5 per cent in 2013/14, with a typical household bill rising by £18 to £354 a year, equivalent to just 97p a day per household.

The role of Ofwat in setting charges

Ofwat, our regulator, sets our charging limits once every five years. At the 2009 review of prices, which set upper limits for customers' bills between 2010 and 2015, Ofwat permitted us to raise bills in 2013/14 by 2.5% above inflation to help us fund essential upgrades to ageing water pipes, sewers and other facilities.

When added to inflation of 3%, the total increase for 2013/14 on last year is 5.5%, resulting in the average Thames Water bill rising by £18 to £354.

Second lowest bills in the country

It's also worth noting that our bills, even after the increase, are still the second lowest of all the major water and sewerage companies in England and Wales.

To put that into context, if you were to move from our region to Cornwall, your annual water and sewerage bill would increase on average by more than £150.

Less than a pound a day

At still less than a pound a day, our customers are receiving exceptional value for the essential service - clean, safe water and sanitation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In addition, we are carrying out a record £1bn a year of work to improve our water pipes, sewers and other facilities. As a result of this work the quality of our tap water and the environmental compliance of our 350 sewage works are better than ever, and leakage from our 20,000-mile network of water mains also remains close its lowest-ever level.

If we are unable to fit a meter at your home, for example, if the pipework is not suitable, we'll apply the Assessed Household Charge to your bill if it is less than you currently pay.

This charge is based on the number of bedrooms or a single occupier tariff if you live on your own.

Homes with one bedroom are charged at £270*, two bedrooms at £285*, three at £316*, four at £341* and five or more at £375*.

The single occupier tariff, for customers living on their own, is £187*.

*The figures quoted relate to the financial year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.

This new charging system was agreed with our regulator Ofwat in 2007. Properties are placed in one of three bands, based on the number of bedrooms at your home, or a single occupier tariff if you live on your own.

If we are unable to fit a meter at your property, and if the new charges will be less than you are currently paying, we will automatically transfer you on to the Assessed Household Charge.

• Find out more about the Assessed Household Charge

To make paying your bill as convenient as possible, we have a range of payment options for you to choose from.

Use our website for quick and easy payment options:

• Set up a Direct Debit

You can also do this by filling in the Direct Debit mandate on your bill and send it back to us indicating your choice of payment amounts.

• Pay by debit or credit card
• Set up a payment plan

Alternatively, you can pay by the following options:

Pay over the phone

Call our automated system 24 hrs a day on 0845 9200 888. All you need is your 10-digit Thames Water account number to hand.

Internet or phone banking

You need to provide your 10 digit Thames Water account number as your reference. Payment should be made to sort code 57–27–53, account number 00286125.

PayPoint

You can pay your full bill or instalment with cash, free of charge, at any shop with a PayPoint terminal. Please have your bill and Thames Water instalment payment card with you.

Post office

This is cash only, please take you bill with you. The Post Office will charge you a processing fee. Please remember to ask for a receipt.

Cash

Fill in the Giro pay slip from your bill and take it to any bank.

Cheque

Make your cheques payable to ‘Thames Water Utilities Ltd’ and write your 10 digit account number on the back, but please don’t post–date the cheque. You can then:

• Take your cheque and giro slip from the bill to any bank
• Or, send us your cheque and giro slip to Thames Water Utilities Ltd, PO Box 234, Swindon SN38 3TW

We can help you if you are having difficulty paying your bill:

• Find out how we can help if you are struggling to pay your bill

As you don’t have a water meter, we’ll send you your bill (before 1 April) for the next period, usually for the next year.

You can then either pay your whole bill upfront by credit or debit card, or by our other payment options. Alternatively, you can split your payment over the whole period by setting up a payment plan and paying by Direct Debit. This is the easiest option, as the money comes out of your account automatically.

You can calculate how much water you can save by visiting our online water saving community.

• Visit Waterwisely and see how much you can save

Our top tips for saving water:

1. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth
2. Take shorter showers. We recommend four minutes!
3. Skip the car wash
4. Fully load your washing machine
5. Only flush the toilet if you need to
6. Make your garden water efficient

7. Fix leaking taps
8. Keep a jug of our top-notch tap water in the fridge
9. Dig out that washing-up bowl and turn off the tap
10. Order a water butt
11. Save water every time you have a cuppa by only filling the kettle with the water you need.

All owners of furnished/unfurnished unmetered properties are legally responsible to pay for water services even when the property is unoccupied.

We can only close the account if the property does not contain any furniture and is not undergoing refurbishment.

Building and refurbishment

If you wish to use an existing unmetered supply for building or renovation works a 0.17 per cent charge of the contract value plus VAT will be applied for works that exceed £100,000.

• Find out more about water for building purposes

Extended holidays / living or working abroad temporarily

You have to continue to pay your water bill when your home is temporarily vacant. You may benefit from having a meter installed, as you would only need to pay for the water you use, plus a fixed standing charge.

• Switching to a water meter

All home contents placed in storage

If you have placed the contents of your home into storage, the property will be classed as empty and unfurnished.

Property let during your absence

If your tenant is responsible for the charges, an account should be opened in their name.

• Open an account for your tenant

You can also update your tenants' details by calling us on 0845 9200 888.

Medical care

If the sole occupier of a property goes into hospital, a nursing home, or similar, for three months or more we will waive all the charges for that period.

To make a claim please submit proof of absence. This may be a note from your doctor, social worker or the hospital administration officer.

This should be sent with a covering letter to:

Thames Water
PO Box 286
Swindon
SN38 2RA

We have a range of services for customers who require extra help, because of sight or hearing problems, mobility concerns, or other specific needs.

The main services we offer are for:

• Those with sight problems
  We offer a number of free services for customers who have sight problems, so please let us know if you would like extra help.
• The deaf or hard of hearing
  You can let us know if you are deaf or hard of hearing, and what your preferred method of keeping in touch is. We have a special textphone service for those that wish to contact us in that way.
• Wheelchair users or mobility concerns
  If you have a mobility or sight problems and may need extra help to get water from a tanker or standpipe, please let us know so we can include you in our Special Assistance Register.
• Users of a dialysis machine at home
  If you are on our home dialysis priority list, we give you a longer notification period before we turn off your water supply during planned work.

• Foreign language support
  If you call us, we can call you back with an interpreter in your preferred language.
• Bogus callers
  We operate a doorstep password scheme which is open to all our customers, to prevent bogus callers from gaining entry into your home under false pretences.
• WaterSure tariff
  We may be able to offer you financial assistance with your metered bill if anyone in your household receives a specific state benefit and has a large family of three or more children or a medical condition that requires the use of extra water.

• Discover our extra care services