I have just seen on the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16801585) that the average bill increase in the Yorkshire Water region is 6.1%. This is the third highest rise of any water company in the country.

Other regions increasing by large amounts, for example Southern and Thames regions are due to massive investment in infrastrucute to support a booming population.

I know that representatives from Yorkshire Water are present on the forum so perhaps they could explain what justifies this HUGE increase.

its to pay the wages of their PR team to constantly post crap and send literature out telling you how good they are and how much they are improving. nothing to do with bonus payments to shareholders and directors obviously tho.

Fill your immersion heater with Evian - as the water companies laugh.

They posted here last time they had news about their prices. Hmm, strange they didn't do it this time

it's about time a council tax type banding system was brought in for water rates instead of the old fashioned rateable value of the property. i live in a 3 bed semi, my friend has an old 3 bed terrace. 2 adults and 2 children in each property so the water usage will be about the same yet his water rates are 45% of what i pay.

it's about time a council tax type banding system was brought in for water rates instead of the old fashioned rateable value of the property. i live in a 3 bed semi, my friend has an old 3 bed terrace. 2 adults and 2 children in each property so the water usage will be about the same yet his water rates are 45% of what i pay.

I see no reason why the prinicpal of 'from each according to his means' shouldn't apply. Perhaps some modernisation wouldn't go amis, but I suspect that your council tax is also more than that of your friend, and it's a poor model to work from given the relatively small differences between the bands.

Also, I would think that on the whole, the occupants of a 3 bed semi would use more water than those in a terrace. For instace, presuambaly, a drive and garage make it more likely that an occupant of a semi might wash his car more often. The gardens also tend to be larger so watering of plants etc has to be taken into account.

Anyway my OP was about how YW can justify the rise of 6.1%. Londoners are getting billions of investment in this (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/26/super-sewer-thames-london-necessity) and in Essex (http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/essex/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8727000/8727995.stm) they are also seeing a return for their above inflation increases.

So come on Yorks Water, what's your excuse?

it's about time a council tax type banding system was brought in for water rates instead of the old fashioned rateable value of the property. i live in a 3 bed semi, my friend has an old 3 bed terrace. 2 adults and 2 children in each property so the water usage will be about the same yet his water rates are 45% of what i pay.

Have you thought about a water meter? Our bill is half what it was compared to the one we would get calculated from rateable value of the property (2 adults, 3 kids).

Disgusting. How are they expecting people to fund this? Our wages haven't gone up by 6.1%. What's the director's increase this year?

The Government sells off the Crown Jewels, like water and other utility companies, and buys failures like Royal Bank of Scotland and LLoyds TSB.

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you (http://www.yorkshirewater.com/public-affairs/protecting-vulnerable-customers.aspx).

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you (http://www.yorkshirewater.com/public-affairs/protecting-vulnerable-customers.aspx).

As discussed previously, there is no assistance for hard-working families who go without to pay bills. Your assistance is unsatisfactory and so are your price increases and reasons for them whilst Yorkshire is one of the hardest hit areasin the country in the recession.

I see no reason why the prinicpal of 'from each according to his means' shouldn't apply. Perhaps some modernisation wouldn't go amis, but I suspect that your council tax is also more than that of your friend, and it's a poor model to work from given the relatively small differences between the bands.

Also, I would think that on the whole, the occupants of a 3 bed semi would use more water than those in a terrace. For instace, presuambaly, a drive and garage make it more likely that an occupant of a semi might wash his car more often. The gardens also tend to be larger so watering of plants etc has to be taken into account.

Anyway my OP was about how YW can justify the rise of 6.1%. Londoners are getting billions of investment in this (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/26/super-sewer-thames-london-necessity) and in Essex (http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/essex/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8727000/8727995.stm) they are also seeing a return for their above inflation increases.

So come on Yorks Water, what's your excuse?

i do pay more council tax than my friend but not 55% more.

Hows about Yorkshire Water scrap this-

RESOLVE SCHEME
The Resolve scheme offers customers on a low income and in arrears an opportunity to clear their debt by maintaining a payment arrangement which will see us to agree to write off a proportion of the debt that is owed.

Just another hand out for those who choose to ignore their responsibilites and get their priorities all wrong. Bills then wont have to go up so much for the people that pay

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

.

I note in the Yorkshire Water Services Annual Report and Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st March 2010 in the Chairmans Review it states-

....as a result of OFWATS decision, water and sewreage bills will fall by an average of £4 per year in the first two years of the period between 2010-2015 and increase by just £1 in 2015. This will take the average bill from £331 to £332 over the period, an increase of just 20p per year above inflation. This is good news for customers and stakeholders.....

Does this mean Yorkshire Water are raising prices over and above what they are authorised to by OFWAT??


https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:MHf2NWUR-WYJ:www.yorkshirewater.com/medialibrary/PDF%2520files/Annual%2520Reports/YWS%2520Ltd%2520Stat%2520accounts%25200910%2520fin al.pdf+yorkshire+water+directors+earnings&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjzcu4YRTnE64PERWrCmzXzzJnc_h_yO8I3X9d1 qRHkjNFj4ohOPfYoCRGLYbczMN4o7lVTcRRB2lp-i8W13Xja9-YTMKTi6wqs9e5GkjTRs9NoxRGvm7I921-xdpiNXNTQSbyb&sig=AHIEtbRFZZbrTTvJ8DK_dfIXYv4dNtcyZg

it's about time a council tax type banding system was brought in for water rates instead of the old fashioned rateable value of the property. i live in a 3 bed semi, my friend has an old 3 bed terrace. 2 adults and 2 children in each property so the water usage will be about the same yet his water rates are 45% of what i pay.

Severn Trent cover some of Sheffield and they do use council tax banding. There is not really much difference between ratable value and banding for the equivalent house. I thought I might get caught out by this when property price went up in the 1990s but I didn't. I'm in YW for water at the moment and ST for sewage. I moved over to a water meter eleven years ago. I had previously been on a water meter in a new house under ST for eight years. Meters aren't as bad as people seem to say they are. We are very heavy users. YW have a chart of estimated water usage for different sized households and suggest how much you would use if you are low, average or high users. We have an acre of land, lots of animals to hose out and give drinking and swimming water to and its still cheaper on a meter than many years ago when I was in my average three bed semi on rateable value.

Shocking increase considering the profits these companies make!

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you (http://www.yorkshirewater.com/public-affairs/protecting-vulnerable-customers.aspx).

If we stop paying, you are unable to cut us off.

I am thinking of stopping paying. Not because of the increase, but because of the rain tax being charged unfairly.

Could you please clarify the rain tax.

If rain tax for property band A (under 500Sqm) is £40. Yet 8 flats constitute one building, that is still under 500Sqm. Then surely each flat should pay only £5 rain tax, rather than 8 lots of £40?

If we stop paying, you are unable to cut us off.

I am thinking of stopping paying. Not because of the increase, but because of the rain tax being charged unfairly.

Could you please clarify the rain tax.

If rain tax for property band A (under 500Sqm) is £40. Yet 8 flats constitute one building, that is still under 500Sqm. Then surely each flat should pay only £5 rain tax, rather than 8 lots of £40?

What is rain tax? I've never heard of it. :huh:Are you talking about the charge to treat surface water run off (rain water that comes off your roof and into surface water sewers)? In most places this doesn't go to a combined fowl sewer so its indicated on your bill as a charge. I think I'm right in saying that if your rain water goes into a soak away in your garden then you don't have to pay the charge for surface (rain) water.

Is this what you mean or is there some new tax I don't know about?

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you (http://www.yorkshirewater.com/public-affairs/protecting-vulnerable-customers.aspx).

you have put a new fence up at the woodhouse mill site and thats all thats happened

What is rain tax? I've never heard of it. :huh:Are you talking about the charge to treat surface water run off (rain water that comes off your roof and into surface water sewers)? In most places this doesn't go to a combined fowl sewer so its indicated on your bill as a charge. I think I'm right in saying that if your rain water goes into a soak away in your garden then you don't have to pay the charge for surface (rain) water.

Is this what you mean or is there some new tax I don't know about?

yeap thats right you save around £35- £40 per year

The increase in bills is largely down to inflation and means that Yorkshire Water’s customers will be paying about an extra £1.75 per month in 2012/13. The increase will help fund our ongoing investment programme and the good news is that South Yorkshire (and Sheffield in particular!) will benefit enormously from this.

For example, over the next three years we will be investing about £78 million at Blackburn Meadows Waste Water Treatment Works opposite Meadowhall that will deliver significant improvements to the quality of the River Don. We’re working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Sheffield-based River Stewardship Company and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

We’re also investing tens of millions at other waste water treatment works like Woodhouse Mill at Rotherham and Old Whittington in Chesterfield.

On top of that we’re currently £14 million to improve Rivelin Water Treatment Works, where new treatment processes are being installed to protect customers’ drinking water supplies. This will benefit more than 100,000 homes.

Whilst we appreciate that this is coming at a difficult time for many people this increase will help us deliver significant benefits for the local environment.

If you have genuine concerns about how you might be able to afford the increase we may be able to assist you (http://www.yorkshirewater.com/public-affairs/protecting-vulnerable-customers.aspx).

A nice seamless change from 6.1% to £1.75 per month; what an old trick.

A nice seamless change from 6.1% to £1.75 per month; what an old trick.

If you work out £1.75 x 12 then calculate is as a percentage of the 'average' quoted bill then its the same; just over 6%.

jay69 - it isn't a rain tax then is it? Its the charge for the 'treatment' and provision of infrastructure for surface water. It still rains on my house but as we are on soakaways I got the charge taken off. I would have been unaware of these issues though if it hadn't been part of my degree to study water and waste water. I never paid much attention to my water and sewage bills before that.

Disgusting. How are they expecting people to fund this? Our wages haven't gone up by 6.1%. What's the director's increase this year?

The Vice chancellor's at the University of sheffield's has, everyone else got £150, or 0.04% this is because, the success the university has had this year, is down to the VC alone. :rant:

The Vice chancellor's at the University of sheffield's has, everyone else got £150, or 0.04% this is because, the success the university has had this year, is down to the VC alone. :rant:

The £150 was a national pay bargain for all universities, but if it is really 0.04% of your wage, you've no need to worry have you. You must be earning more than the VC already. (£375000/yr by my calculations) :hihi:

If you work out £1.75 x 12 then calculate is as a percentage of the 'average' quoted bill then its the same; just over 6%.

jay69 - it isn't a rain tax then is it? Its the charge for the 'treatment' and provision of infrastructure for surface water. It still rains on my house but as we are on soakaways I got the charge taken off. I would have been unaware of these issues though if it hadn't been part of my degree to study water and waste water. I never paid much attention to my water and sewage bills before that.

Actually as I commented on another thread the increase to the average bill (£21/yr from £340 to £361) is more like a 6.2% increase in charges, and that's on average.

I note in the Yorkshire Water Services Annual Report and Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st March 2010 in the Chairmans Review it states-

....as a result of OFWATS decision, water and sewreage bills will fall by an average of £4 per year in the first two years of the period between 2010-2015 and increase by just £1 in 2015. This will take the average bill from £331 to £332 over the period, an increase of just 20p per year above inflation. This is good news for customers and stakeholders.....

Does this mean Yorkshire Water are raising prices over and above what they are authorised to by OFWAT??


https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:MHf2NWUR-WYJ:www.yorkshirewater.com/medialibrary/PDF%2520files/Annual%2520Reports/YWS%2520Ltd%2520Stat%2520accounts%25200910%2520fin al.pdf+yorkshire+water+directors+earnings&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjzcu4YRTnE64PERWrCmzXzzJnc_h_yO8I3X9d1 qRHkjNFj4ohOPfYoCRGLYbczMN4o7lVTcRRB2lp-i8W13Xja9-YTMKTi6wqs9e5GkjTRs9NoxRGvm7I921-xdpiNXNTQSbyb&sig=AHIEtbRFZZbrTTvJ8DK_dfIXYv4dNtcyZg

According to Ofwats document (http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumerissues/chargesbills/prs_inf_yky_charges2011-12.pdf) on YW, they allowed an overall increase of 0.5% above inflation over the years 2010-2015. On that average bill of £331 that works out at £1.60 ish.

The problem is that the limits exclude RPI inflation and the majority of the increase is due to RPI. Problem is, the figure also contibutes to RPI so it's a self perpetuating cycle. Compounded by the RPI figures (5.2% this year) this practically gives YW free reign to increase bills by a great deal. Next year and the year after we are looking at 1.6-1.8% over inflation which this year would have been up to 7% increase. The average bill has already gone up almost 8.8% in real terms (since 2010).

Pointless venting your spleen at the water companies.

Instead, aim it at the pointless, spineless and surely to God, bed buddies at Ofwat.

Along with the FSA, the most pointless, do-sweet-FA 'body' in this country.

PS - If you haven't installed a water meter then you're partly to blame. My bill dropped like a stone when I had mine installed and I am still only paying £31 a month on a larger than average, 3 bed semi (family of four).

The £150 was a national pay bargain for all universities, but if it is really 0.04% of your wage, you've no need to worry have you. You must be earning more than the VC already. (£375000/yr by my calculations) :hihi:
Great! .................

the price of water rates is scandalous, especially when you have to buy bottled water to drink, and keep buying descaling tablets for the kettle etc. looking in my kettle sometimes its disgusting with limescale i dread to think what other problems the state of the water is causing. perhaps i could ask for a refund ?

the price of water rates is scandalous, especially when you have to buy bottled water to drink, and keep buying descaling tablets for the kettle etc. looking in my kettle sometimes its disgusting with limescale i dread to think what other problems the state of the water is causing. perhaps i could ask for a refund ?

Hard water is better for you. Google it if you want to know why. I don't like hard water for making tea so I use a water filter jug. Our water is tastes too strong of chlorine on a regular basis now so I might have to give them a call.:mad:

Don't buy expensive descaler tablets for the kettle. Use vinegar or lemon juice. You don't need much to react with the limescale. I don't use the strong malt vinegar as its more difficult to get rid of the vinegar smell afterwards. It works better if its slightly warm but don't boil it in the kettle!

If you work out £1.75 x 12 then calculate is as a percentage of the 'average' quoted bill then its the same; just over 6%.jay69 - it isn't a rain tax then is it? Its the charge for the 'treatment' and provision of infrastructure for surface water. It still rains on my house but as we are on soakaways I got the charge taken off. I would have been unaware of these issues though if it hadn't been part of my degree to study water and waste water. I never paid much attention to my water and sewage bills before that.

Yes, but the point is that by saying it is £1,75 sanitises it. It is still over six per cent.

Oh, and by the way, if you had been paying for 30 years and then discovered that you had a soak away you would only have got one year refunded, but that is probably only about 20 pence a week, not £300.

What do you recon the cost are to filter and treat your own water i might just pipe up to the don

Yes, but the point is that by saying it is £1,75 sanitises it. It is still over six per cent.

Oh, and by the way, if you had been paying for 30 years and then discovered that you had a soak away you would only have got one year refunded, but that is probably only about 20 pence a week, not £300.

No, it was something I investigated immediately when I moved in 11 years ago. I also discovered they were trying to charge me for an outbuilding which did have a water supply (outside tap) and its own meter, but no foul sewer or surface water drainage pipes.

No, it was something I investigated immediately when I moved in 11 years ago. I also discovered they were trying to charge me for an outbuilding which did have a water supply (outside tap) and its own meter, but no foul sewer or surface water drainage pipes.

Do you know about the rules on blocked drains on your premises ?

Do you know about the rules on blocked drains on your premises ?

My experience is water and waste water analysis, trade effluent, consent to discharge etc and there has been some recent changes regarding domestic sewers. The change doesn't really affect us though as I checked when the letter came through last year. I'm under Severn Trent for Waste water. If this link works you should be able to work out who is responsible for the sewers on your property. As a general rule you are responsible from the main sewer to your property.

http://www.yorkshirewater.com/the-big-transfer.aspx

Hope this helps.

My experience is water and waste water analysis, trade effluent, consent to discharge etc and there has been some recent changes regarding domestic sewers. The change doesn't really affect us though as I checked when the letter came through last year. I'm under Severn Trent for Waste water. If this link works you should be able to work out who is responsible for the sewers on your property. As a general rule you are responsible from the main sewer to your property.

http://www.yorkshirewater.com/the-big-transfer.aspx

Hope this helps.

What I meant was that if you have a shared drain, in a property which was built before October 1937 (check), then the water company is responsible for unblocking the drains - even those which are on your property.

Is the blockage in the shared bit in someones garden? I'm not sure if it means they will come out an unblock it for free. We have only ever had a blockage at our last house which was built in 1992. We found the builders had left some concrete blocks in the sewer so it had blocked up over a number of years. We cleared it ourselves as it was realatively easy to do.

If they are responsible for shared sewers as in the link then they probably will come out to unblock. I have only ever reported a sewer higher up our village which often blocks up and over flows due to people disposing of fat down their sinks.

Is the blockage in the shared bit in someones garden? I'm not sure if it means they will come out an unblock it for free. We have only ever had a blockage at our last house which was built in 1992. We found the builders had left some concrete blocks in the sewer so it had blocked up over a number of years. We cleared it ourselves as it was realatively easy to do.

If they are responsible for shared sewers as in the link then they probably will come out to unblock. I have only ever reported a sewer higher up our village which often blocks up and over flows due to people disposing of fat down their sinks.

No, I'm not explaining myself very well. I have no blockage, it was just for information. :)

I have just seen on the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16801585) that the average bill increase in the Yorkshire Water region is 6.1%. This is the third highest rise of any water company in the country.

Other regions increasing by large amounts, for example Southern and Thames regions are due to massive investment in infrastrucute to support a booming population.

I know that representatives from Yorkshire Water are present on the forum so perhaps they could explain what justifies this HUGE increase.

Somehow this doesn't surprise me. That said our water actually smells like chlorine and leaves a deposit when say showering or bathing. Sheffield water was at one time the best in England though I have no idea what they're dumping in it these days and I now buy bottled water to drink.

The stuff at work is even worse, so much so I think its radioactive or has toxic properties as some people are acting weirder than normal!!!:(

Seriously 6.1% is an outrage especially in the currently economic crisis... maybe all the bosses want their big fat bonuses...

Just received my bill from Severn Trent Water

Last year = £373.92
This year = £402.07

Three bedroomed , Waterthorpe

Denise :(

The Vice chancellor's at the University of sheffield's has, everyone else got £150, or 0.04% this is because, the success the university has had this year, is down to the VC alone. :rant:

Apparently those higher up the pecking order are paid by some other authority whilst the peasants (the ones who do all the work) get sweet bu**er all. But its the same everywhere the higher up the pecking order the better off you are whilst those at the lower end £150 a year isn't brilliant when you consider last year there was no pay rise at all.
So what to do with the extra £2.82 a week hmmm difficult one that.... more like £2.30 a week after tax...........

The £150 was a national pay bargain for all universities, but if it is really 0.04% of your wage, you've no need to worry have you. You must be earning more than the VC already. (£375000/yr by my calculations) :hihi:

Well it shows how little you know, it amounted to £2.82 a week extra less tax.... and there wasn't a pay rise the year before, plus grades 5 and below got screwed out of their pensions, yet the grades above are all happy because there's are all ok.... its no laughing matter. Before you come out with something you have no understanding about put your brain into gear before engaging hand or mouth as its better for everyone if you do.

If you'd lost your pension maybe you'd feel different....

Well it shows how little you know, it amounted to £2.82 a week extra less tax.... and there wasn't a pay rise the year before, plus grades 5 and below got screwed out of their pensions, yet the grades above are all happy because there's are all ok.... its no laughing matter. Before you come out with something you have no understanding about put your brain into gear before engaging hand or mouth as its better for everyone if you do.

If you'd lost your pension maybe you'd feel different....

OK so if you really want to discuss what I know, better make sure you know who you're ranting at.

Luckily, I can work out a percentage. Good job really, since I work for a university and got the very same £150 rise as you. Only difference is, I see even less of it because of student loan repayments. I can also do very simple maths. 150/52 = £2.88 (not £2.82).

I also know that you are lying about the lack of increase last year. Unless you were simply too daft to notice. There was a 0.5% increase last year for everyone, I know it was implemented at Sheffield because my OH works there, funnily enough she is affected by those very changes you mention (see how much I know?).

I know too that you haven't lost your pension, you will keep all accrued rights and will switch to an average salary contribution scheme, which with your mathematical capability might be best for you, since you clearly have little hope of promotion.

The grades above 5 on the USS pension scheme have kept their current pension scheme for now, but it is closed to new entrants or if they happen to have a break between contracts (and since the vast majority of research staff are on fixed term and not permanent contracts they will have such a break). In which case they will automatically be moved to the average salary scheme even if moving posts within the uni. They have also had an increase in pension contributions, which wipes out most of that 150 rise. Their contracts also prevent them from claiming overtime unlike those on grades 5 and below.

So if you'd care to wind your neck in and make an apology for your ill conceived diatribe of the biggest load of clap trap I've seen on this forum for a while...I won't hold my breath.

Yorkshire Water do this every year there obviously out of touch with the state of the ecomeny they wack up the price and then expect you to not use the water because of there failure to sort out this drought threat which should have been sorted after the 1976 water shortage.
Where the hell does all the money go they certanly dont invest it back into the system.
Yorkshire water make me sick and I can't think of a more selfish money grabbing company than them, the Council come a close second but thanks to the Government and not them Councl tax has been frozen, maybe the Government should intervene here to

Yorkshire Water do this every year there obviously out of touch with the state of the ecomeny they wack up the price and then expect you to not use the water because of there failure to sort out this drought threat which should have been sorted after the 1976 water shortage.
Where the hell does all the money go they certanly dont invest it back into the system.
Yorkshire water make me sick and I can't think of a more selfish money grabbing company than them, the Council come a close second but thanks to the Government and not them Councl tax has been frozen, maybe the Government should intervene here to

That's like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas, isn't it?

Disgusting. How are they expecting people to fund this? Our wages haven't gone up by 6.1%. What's the director's increase this year?

Do you really expect private companies to only increase charges by the amount your wage has gone up???

Your water bill seems to be massive anyway, I was asking on the other thread if you could post the breakdown of it.

Do you really expect private companies to only increase charges by the amount your wage has gone up???

Your water bill seems to be massive anyway, I was asking on the other thread if you could post the breakdown of it.

It's not a level playing field, Cyclone, though. If I think my butcher is charging too much, I can go elsewhere.

What it comes down to, is that these companies are becoming greedier and greedier and it's a total disgrace when hardworking families are struggling and told they must have a pay freeze again.

Do you really expect private companies to only increase charges by the amount your wage has gone up???

Your water bill seems to be massive anyway, I was asking on the other thread if you could post the breakdown of it.

If you don't have a meter aren't water bills based on the rateable value of your home? Darth must have a big house if he's paying over £600 so therefore he can afford it :hihi: (that's how SF logic works isn't it?)

Yorkshire Water do this every year there obviously out of touch with the state of the ecomeny they wack up the price and then expect you to not use the water because of there failure to sort out this drought threat which should have been sorted after the 1976 water shortage.
Where the hell does all the money go they certanly dont invest it back into the system.
Yorkshire water make me sick and I can't think of a more selfish money grabbing company than them, the Council come a close second but thanks to the Government and not them Councl tax has been frozen, maybe the Government should intervene here to

Aren't you describing basic business practice? The entire point of a company existing is to make as much money (in the long term) as it can.

If you don't have a meter aren't water bills based on the rateable value of your home?Yes they are. Darth must have a big house if he's paying over £600 so therefore he can afford it :hihi: (that's how SF logic works isn't it?)

Didn't he say that it was a 2 bed? He didn't mention living in a mansion.

It does seem reasonable that you pay based on the value of your property, if you don't think that's fair you can always request a water metre.

It's not a level playing field, Cyclone, though. If I think my butcher is charging too much, I can go elsewhere.

What it comes down to, is that these companies are becoming greedier and greedier and it's a total disgrace when hardworking families are struggling and told they must have a pay freeze again.

I agree that privatising utilities was a mistake, by definition they are a monopoly, so to sell them off is to give someone a license to print money. Maybe water should be made like gas and electricity, or better it should be regulated in it's pricing by government, even if it is to be left in private ownership.

It does seem reasonable that you pay based on the value of your property, .

Why? Genuine question..what does the value of your house have to do with the amount of water you use..?

Why? Genuine question..what does the value of your house have to do with the amount of water you use..?

Assuming that house prices are fairly homogenous across an area, houses worth more will be bigger (including having bigger gardens, etc...).

House size correlates quite well (although not perfectly) with family size and having a larger garden means using water for plants more often.

I don't expect that it's a perfect fit, but I'd think that higher value houses generally use more water.

There might also be a throwback to the relationship to council tax, higher value houses don't actually use more council services, but they are charged more, it's the 'from each what they can afford' bit of socialism isn't it!

I agree that privatising utilities was a mistake, by definition they are a monopoly, so to sell them off is to give someone a license to print money. Maybe water should be made like gas and electricity, or better it should be regulated in it's pricing by government, even if it is to be left in private ownership.

The water industsry is regulated in a very similar way to the energy industry by Ofwat. They have agreed the increase to fund investment.
From the link in my OP:
In 2009 the industry regulator, Ofwat, announced a five-year plan of annual rises from 2010 to 2015 to help fund £22bn of investments.

Though as far as I can see, we in the YW region are getting among the smallest amount of investment in return for the biggest increases.