Southern Water Admits 18-Year Meter Mix-Up but Insists on Reversing Credit Amid Repeated False Claims.
The beleaguered water company, Southern Water, has acknowledged a catastrophic 18-year meter mix-up that left an elderly woman and her grandson overcharged by £893. The error had been consistently denied despite repeated demands for clarity by the couple.
Initially, in December, Southern Water informed the pair that they had cancelled the £614 monthly bill and credited their account with £500. However, when confronted about the true extent of the mistake, the company has inexplicably reversed its story, claiming that the debt should still be paid – despite evidence from their own meter readings suggesting a far lower usage rate.
Critics argue that Southern Water's repeated denials were an attempt to cover up the massive 18-year blunder. With each new conversation, customers are met with confusing explanations and unhelpful instructions, leading many to question the company's credibility.
The couple discovered that Southern Water had mistakenly linked their grandmother's account to a neighbouring household's supply and was now charging them for it. This resulted in an initial £614 quarterly bill being sent, despite the fact that the meter readings did not match.
In light of this discovery, Southern Water has issued a cheque for overpayments made by the grandson since taking over the account last summer, as well as a goodwill payment to his grandmother. The water company has also accepted that their complaints team had reviewed the issue after the couple raised concerns.
Despite admitting responsibility for the mistake, Southern Water's latest statement still demands repayment of £500, contradicting its own evidence and sparking outrage among those who believe they have been unfairly treated.
The beleaguered water company, Southern Water, has acknowledged a catastrophic 18-year meter mix-up that left an elderly woman and her grandson overcharged by £893. The error had been consistently denied despite repeated demands for clarity by the couple.
Initially, in December, Southern Water informed the pair that they had cancelled the £614 monthly bill and credited their account with £500. However, when confronted about the true extent of the mistake, the company has inexplicably reversed its story, claiming that the debt should still be paid – despite evidence from their own meter readings suggesting a far lower usage rate.
Critics argue that Southern Water's repeated denials were an attempt to cover up the massive 18-year blunder. With each new conversation, customers are met with confusing explanations and unhelpful instructions, leading many to question the company's credibility.
The couple discovered that Southern Water had mistakenly linked their grandmother's account to a neighbouring household's supply and was now charging them for it. This resulted in an initial £614 quarterly bill being sent, despite the fact that the meter readings did not match.
In light of this discovery, Southern Water has issued a cheque for overpayments made by the grandson since taking over the account last summer, as well as a goodwill payment to his grandmother. The water company has also accepted that their complaints team had reviewed the issue after the couple raised concerns.
Despite admitting responsibility for the mistake, Southern Water's latest statement still demands repayment of £500, contradicting its own evidence and sparking outrage among those who believe they have been unfairly treated.
! 18 years is a looong time to get it wrong & they're still trying to screw people over 
. The fact that they kept denying the meter mix-up even when faced with evidence from their own readings is just mind-boggling 
. And now, they're trying to stick with their original story despite having a clear conscience? Come on! 
It's just not right that they're expecting people to pay back £500 while their own data shows it was way lower usage rates 
. I think the fact that they've finally admitted responsibility & are making amends is a good start, but you can't just turn around after 18 years of messing up & expect everything to be okay 
.
and what's with the confusing story changes? shouldn't they just own up to it like they did when they said they cancelled her bill initially? it's not right that this couple had to deal with so much stress over something that was never their fault 
i feel bad for the elderly woman and her grandson though, over £893 is a lot of money. it's crazy how they're still trying to make them pay after accepting their mistake 
. I mean, come on, an 18-year meter mix-up? That's just a tiny mistake, right? They're basically saying sorry for apologizing and now they want to keep demanding cash from the poor grandma. Give her a break! 
.
. I don't think the customers have any grounds to complain, considering Southern Water has basically owned up to their mistake 
.
It's like they're trying to cover up something and don't want to admit the truth.