Affordability

Affordability policy

It is our policy to continue to provide our customers with good value for money in the supply of our products and services.

We will ensure that the varying circumstances of our customers are reflected by the range of payment options and arrangements we offer them.
   
It is our policy to recover debts which are owed to us quickly and efficiently as unpaid bills impose additional costs on our paying customers.  However we seek to assist customers who have difficulty paying their bills and we offer a variety of options to make payments easier.

Affordability action plan

• Ensure the availability of a variety of free payment options to make it as convenient as possible for customers to pay their bills.

• Ensure we have a trained team of customer advisors available who can give advice on the various payment options.

• Have a clear collections process in place for customers who fail to make payments or respond to reminder notices and take appropriate measures to recover monies owed.

• Offer customers billed on our unmeasured charge the opportunity to have a water meter installed free of charge which in some circumstances can reduce the size of their bills.

• Ensure the availability of tariffs for those vulnerable customers who are metered to ensure that they do not have to pay more than the average bill.  This is subject to application and dependant upon circumstances.

• Provide support to those customers who have problems paying their bill by offering payment plans that suit individual’s circumstances, including assistance for customers receiving benefits and forging links with support organisations such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

• Ensure that appropriate customers are aware of the Water Direct scheme, which allows customers in receipt of certain benefits, to have their water services bill deducted directly from their benefit, through effective communication campaigns.

Affordability KPIs

• Conduct an annual customer campaign to promote Direct Debit as a secure and reliable method of payment.

• Increase the uptake of the Water Direct scheme by 50% during 2007/08.

Affordability case study

Meter option

Having a water meter fitted can mean lower bills for water and sewerage services for many of our customers, it can also raise awareness of the amount of water a customer uses.

We advise of the potential benefits by placing an insert into the annual bills of those customers who are currently on our unmeasured tariff.  More information is available on our website and customers can use the calculators both on our site and on that of Uswitch.com to work out whether they would make a saving by having a meter fitted.

There are environmental benefits to having a water meter installed as it encourages people to waste less as they are thinking about the water that they use.  This helps to conserve valuable resources and reduces the amount of energy used in the water treatment process.

We offer a free survey to discuss the location of the meter and in the majority of cases it is fitted free of charge.  If due to technical reasons we are unable to fit a meter, alternative billing arrangements can be made.  We aim to complete the installation within 90 days of receiving the completed application.

We allow customers to pay via a monthly budget scheme which helps them to manage the household account.  If the customer does not find that the meter installation has been beneficial to them, they can revert to their previous charging method, following receipt of sufficient bills to enable consumption over the 12 months to be properly evaluated.