Britain’s deluge of water expense mistakes: Brenda’s expenses quadrupled even after recycling shower water … and she’s one of numerous hit

When Brenda Bird opened her water expense in January she understood quickly there should be an error. Her six-month charge was more than 4 times the ₤ 100 she generally paid.

The 83-year-old, who has actually resided in the exact same home in Margate, Kent, for 45 years, pays Southern Water by cheque two times a year.

When she queried the ₤ 403 expense, Brenda was informed she should have utilized more water than typical, an allegation she strongly rejects.

The great-grandmother has actually because turned to recycling every drop she can to lower her use– however she states Southern Water continued to slap her with these big expenses.

And Brenda is not alone when it concerns stunning water expenses.

The Daily Mail and This is Money have actually gotten lots of cases in current weeks from readers who have actually dealt with unhelpful customer care personnel, got confusing letters and had irregular expenses.

Some state public utility have actually tried to change their billing to direct debit without approval, while others state they have actually been immediately put on more routine, month-to-month billing– a sly method we have actually just recently exposed at Thames Water.

For Brenda, the previous 15 years of water billing has actually corresponded. She had a water meter suited 2011 and paid around ₤ 100 every 6 months, for utilizing approximately the very same quantity.

When Southern Water changed the stopcocks on her meter in August 2025, whatever altered.

Brenda’s experience started when she opened that bi-annual expense in January, simply one month after losing her partner. ‘I could not work it out, it didn’t make good sense,’ she states.

As a now single-person family, Brenda did not believe her expenses must be so high. She got in touch with Southern Water, informing them she might not pay, insisting they examine the problem.

A Southern Water engineer visited her home and informed Brenda there was no leakage or seepage on her side, so she revealed him her previous costs along with the brand-new one.

‘He concurred there was something significantly wrong,’ she states.

The engineer informed her he would report back however Brenda states the issue was not dealt with.

In February, she got a letter stating Southern Water had actually been not able to take a direct debit from her checking account.

I have actually never ever utilized or accepted direct debit,’ she composed back.

Brenda got lots of costs over the next couple of months, for numerous quantities.

She paid ₤ 300 in the hope the issue would disappear however was surprised when another expense shown up in July, revealing her documented water usage had actually increased once again.

Fearing more extreme costs, Brenda has actually required to carrying pails of recycled water around her home to conserve cash.

She gathers cold water while awaiting the shower or taps to warm up, which she then recycles in the garden. She has 3 water butts, with watering cans below outdoors downpipes.

‘Every drop of water I might perhaps hunt is gathered and recycled,’ she stated. ‘Very little decreases the drain without having actually been utilized more than as soon as.

I do not comprehend how I can utilize more water when I’m doing my damnedest.’

After composing to Southern Water’s president, Brenda states she got a reaction informing her an engineer had actually ‘repaired a leakage’ which a little leak allowance had actually been used.

She states: ‘It’s not the cash. It’s the concept of it– the quantity they’re stating I am utilizing, which I am not.

I can’t live like this. I desire them to check out the meter and offer me a correct description of what’s going on.’ She includes: ‘It has actually made attempting to grieve definitely difficult, since I fear each time the post comes.’

A Southern Water representative stated: ‘We apologise for the issues this consumer has actually come across in attempting to settle her account and are taking a look at how we can enhance our procedures.

‘Our groups have actually called her to supply an upgrade and have actually credited her account with a goodwill payment, by method of apology.’

Trending topics Charged regular monthly after 56 years

For majority a century, Brian Vayro has actually paid his Severn Trent water costs every 6 months.

And the 78-year-old has actually resided in the exact same four-bedroom home in Heage, Derbyshire, with his partner for the previous 15 years and states he has actually never ever missed out on a payment.

When his newest six-monthly costs gotten here in July 2026, for ₤ 277.31, he observed it just covered simply over 5 months, from February 3 to July 21.

He paid it right away and believed bit more of it. On August 23, another expense landed. This time it was for ₤ 41.77 and covered simply one month, from July 27 to August 26.

Baffled, Brian got in touch with Severn Trent. He states a client service advisor informed him that a ‘back workplace’ had actually examined a variety of accounts and chose to move them on to month-to-month payments.

Brian states he made it clear he did not accept that and wished to continue paying two times a year.

He states the consultant then informed him he would be returned on to six-monthly billing however he was provided no composed verification.

Brian states: ‘I have actually paid my water expense every 6 months for the previous 56 years. I have not granted paying regular monthly.’

Daily Mail and This is Money readers have actually informed of several water providers trying to make this kind of switch.

Previously this month, we exposed Thames Water has actually been making a significant modification to the method a few of its consumers get their costs.

In between 110,000 and 120,000 picked Thames Water consumers with clever meters are being relocated to month-to-month billing by December 2026.

It follows a pilot including 5,000 families which ended in November 2025, with 11 percent of those consumers pulling out.

Clients chosen for the brand-new plan can pull out and go back to six-monthly billing if they want.

A Severn Trent representative stated: ‘We apologise to the consumer for any confusion triggered and have actually connected to ensure him he stays on six-month billing and his account depends on date.

‘We have actually stagnated him or any consumers on to month-to-month billing, with unmetered clients normally billed yearly and metered consumers every 6 months.’

Water regulator Ofwat states business need to provide a sensible series of payment frequencies and approaches, which these need to be correctly marketed so consumers can pick the plan that finest fits them.

Its assistance particularly consists of weekly or fortnightly, month-to-month and yearly, half-yearly or quarterly frequencies.

Thames Water itself states metered clients are generally billed every 6 months, although payment strategies can divide the expense into routine instalments.

Having a water meter might be an important relocation for numerous, particularly single-person homes.

Last April, typical family water and sewage costs throughout England and Wales experienced an extraordinary yearly increase of 26 percent.

Trending topics I didn’t understand I was paying too much

Take legal action against Ponsford, 73, has actually been paying substantially more than she required to for water as a single resident, and thinks she must have looked out to it.

She has actually lived alone in her little Victorian semi-detached home in Shalford, near Guildford, Surrey, for 32 years. Before the pandemic, her water costs was around ₤ 35 a month.

Over the last few years it has actually increased gradually, very first to around ₤ 80, then ₤ 98, and most just recently to ₤ 102 a month for an eight-month duration.

Stunned by the skyrocketing expense, she compared expenses with good friends and found that individuals residing in bigger homes were paying significantly less.

After talking about the concern with Thames Water, she had actually a meter set up in June.

The business then approximated her yearly costs would have to do with ₤ 350 a year, compared to approximately ₤ 800 formerly.

Take legal action against states: ‘I feel more foolish than anything else, to be rather truthful. I ought to have gone on a meter years earlier. The number of other single individuals do not understand?’

A Thames Water representative stated: ‘We are sorry for the confusion Sue experienced following the setup of her meter.

‘Sue’s previous costs were computed properly utilizing the Rateable Value charging approach that used to her residential or commercial property. While her metered charges are lower, this does not imply her previous expenses were inaccurate.

‘We comprehend some consumers might not know all the choices readily available and are constantly pleased to assist them examine their billing plans, go over whether a meter might help in reducing costs and describe the financial backing plans offered.’

• Have you been struck by a shock expense? Email [email protected]

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