Multi occupied sites - changes in responsibility for sewerage charges
Important information for owners or managing agents responsible for the payment of water charges where the water meter supplies separately occupied commercial properties.
This is to advise you of an important change in the way we calculate sewerage charges for business customers that will affect charges from April 2006.
What is happening?
Prior to 1 April 2006, where a water meter supplies more than one separately occupied commercial property, some owners or managing agents are billed for all fixed and volumetric water charges across the site. For sewerage charges, each separately rated property supplied by the meter currently receives a bill directly from Northumbrian Water based on the rateable value of their site. This sewerage bill includes charges for the reception, treatment and disposal of foul (used) water, surface water and highway drainage. These items are not separately itemised on the sewerage bill but are included under the heading of Sewerage Services.
From 1 April 2006, the surface water and highway drainage elements of the sewerage bill will be separated from the charge for foul water and in accordance with section 5.17 (b) of our current charges scheme, we will be adding the foul element of sewerage services to the metered water bill from this date. Therefore the party responsible for the payment of water charges will become responsible for the payment of volumetric foul sewerage charges.
Northumbrian Water will continue to bill individual occupiers of the site for surface water and highway drainage charges, however, from April 2006, we are introducing a new method of charging which is directly linked to the chargeable area (site area) of each property. For further information on the new surface area method of charging please refer to the surface water drainage charges section of this website.
Will I be contacted by Northumbrian Water regarding these changes?
We have written to all commercial customers who are affected by the above changes in August 2005. If you have not received a letter and believe that you are affected by the changes, please get in touch using the contact us section of this website.
What do I need to do now?
The bills containing the volumetric sewerage charge will be issued from July 2007 for the majority of metered commercial customers. We would strongly recommend that you make early contact with all occupiers of the above site to discuss how these changes may affect any private billing arrangements you have in place to recover water and sewerage charges.
How can I calculate the financial implications associated with this change?
1. Refer to your most recent water bill. Under the banner of Water Services is the heading ‘Usage’. To the right of this heading is the amount of water that you have been charged for water in cubic metres (m3) for a specific period.
2. The charge for foul water for the current 2007/8 charging year is 81.61p/m3. Multiplying the volume of water from your bill by this charge will give the additional amount that you would have been billed for the specific period which the bills covers.
3. In order to calculate the impact on your annual bills, either gross-up the figure calculated under 2 (e.g. if the billing period covers 3 months, multiply by 4) or review your total consumption over the last 12 months and multiply this by 81.61p/m3.
How will the changes appear on my bill?
The table below shows how the items of your bill will change.
| WATER CHARGES 2007/08 | WATER & SEWERAGE CHARGES 2007/08 |
|---|---|
| WATER SERVICES | WATER SERVICES |
| Fixed (based on the standing charge for the meter | Fixed (based on the standing charge for the meter) |
| Usage (based on the consumption recorded through the meter) | Usage (based on the consumption recorded through the meter) |
| SEWERAGE SERVICES | |
| Usage (for foul water based on the consumption recorded through the meter) |
I am responsible for the water charges for a site which has a mixed use of domestic and commercial properties – will I be affected by the changes?
Yes – the changes will also apply to this category of customers.
Can the individual occupants be billed directly by Northumbrian Water for water and sewerage charges?
In order for us to provide a separate water and sewerage bill to any occupier, they will need to establish their own individual metered water supply at their own expense. This will require amending the existing pipework arrangements and laying a separate supply pipe from the property to the boundary of the public highway. A new metered connection must also be requisitioned from ourselves. Please note that this work must comply with Northumbrian Waters' bylaws and is subject to inspection. For further information on how to establish a separate supply or to obtain a quotation for an individual connection, please use the contact information provided below.
Can I assume responsibility for all of the water and sewerage charge for the whole site?
You can choose to accept all water and sewerage services charges for a site by entering into a common billing agreement with Northumbrian Water. Once the agreement has been signed by both parties, you will become responsible for the payment of all water and sewerage charges. In many cases, this can reduce the level of sewerage charges supplied to the site as a whole. If you would like any further information, please contact using the details below.
How can I get further information?
- Contact us online
- Write to us at Northumbrian Water Ltd, PO Box 407, Abbey Road, Durham, DH1 9WW.
- Or call the Property Management Team on 0845 733 5566 between 8am - 8pm Monday - Friday.