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Here is a copy of a letter I've just sent to Thames water.
22nd June 2006
Customer Services Manager
Thames Valley Water
PO Box 188,
Bishops Rise,
Hatfield,
Herts
AL10 9AE
Customer reference; 1234567-8
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your recent bill advising me that you wish to increase my direct debit by just over 30%. I write to advise you that this request is denied for the reasons set out below.
I have struggled hard to think of any monopoly business where the customer collects the freely available product for the supplier and is billed for doing so (rebate available for those without guttering that allows rainfall to enter the sewer). Further, I struggle to find any business where the customer pays for the product and then returns the product to the supplier who charges for this (sewerage charge) where the supplier then cleans it up and sells it back to the customer again.
If the above wasn’t evidence of extortion alone, then the fact that the supplier can manage to lose over 800 million litres of the product every day and still make in excess of 300 million pounds profit per year is such evidence. Given the year on year profits and the obscene waste of so much water per day due to lack of investment, is it any wonder that the public and OFWAT are somewhat fed up with the supplier.
Because your company has failed to invest adequately in significantly reducing leakage and failed to invest in new reservoirs you have had to apply for a drought order. So whilst most of the country basks in having plenty of water, the South East faces water shortages. I am staggered that in the 21st century, we are without adequate water supplies in this area.
My consumption of water has dramatically reduced as I can no longer water my garden or wash my car with a hosepipe. Hence there is no reason whatsoever for my direct debit to be increased. Your request is denied. In fact I feel that as you are no longer providing the service I am paying for having restricted my usage via legislation, the direct debit should be reduced by 30%. Therefore please amend your records to reflect the new amount being the sum of £xx.xx.
Roll on the day that we are free to buy our water from any other company in just the same way as we can our gas and electricity. When it comes, you will lose a lot of customers.
Yours faithfully,
I no doubt i'll get some pathetic response about how they are 'doing all they can'.
22nd June 2006
Customer Services Manager
Thames Valley Water
PO Box 188,
Bishops Rise,
Hatfield,
Herts
AL10 9AE
Customer reference; 1234567-8
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your recent bill advising me that you wish to increase my direct debit by just over 30%. I write to advise you that this request is denied for the reasons set out below.
I have struggled hard to think of any monopoly business where the customer collects the freely available product for the supplier and is billed for doing so (rebate available for those without guttering that allows rainfall to enter the sewer). Further, I struggle to find any business where the customer pays for the product and then returns the product to the supplier who charges for this (sewerage charge) where the supplier then cleans it up and sells it back to the customer again.
If the above wasn’t evidence of extortion alone, then the fact that the supplier can manage to lose over 800 million litres of the product every day and still make in excess of 300 million pounds profit per year is such evidence. Given the year on year profits and the obscene waste of so much water per day due to lack of investment, is it any wonder that the public and OFWAT are somewhat fed up with the supplier.
Because your company has failed to invest adequately in significantly reducing leakage and failed to invest in new reservoirs you have had to apply for a drought order. So whilst most of the country basks in having plenty of water, the South East faces water shortages. I am staggered that in the 21st century, we are without adequate water supplies in this area.
My consumption of water has dramatically reduced as I can no longer water my garden or wash my car with a hosepipe. Hence there is no reason whatsoever for my direct debit to be increased. Your request is denied. In fact I feel that as you are no longer providing the service I am paying for having restricted my usage via legislation, the direct debit should be reduced by 30%. Therefore please amend your records to reflect the new amount being the sum of £xx.xx.
Roll on the day that we are free to buy our water from any other company in just the same way as we can our gas and electricity. When it comes, you will lose a lot of customers.
Yours faithfully,
I no doubt i'll get some pathetic response about how they are 'doing all they can'.
