How we’re helping customers and limiting the impact of Coronavirus

We want to reassure you that we’re keeping our core services going, while we maintain the safety and wellbeing of all our teams here during the current uncertain and difficult time.

We’re working as fast as we can to reply to your enquiries, but there may be some delays. You can get in touch with us by phone, 0345 072 6072, or email using the address on your bill.

How we’re helping you

We’re here to work with you about any concerns you have and can discuss your account with you.

1. Helping businesses with payment options - we’re working with business who need our support and letting them know about their options around payment plans and timescales. If this will help you please get in touch.

2. Stop your water charges if you've temporarily closed - if your site has closed as a direct result of the coronavirus we can put your account hold and mark you site as temporarily vacant. This will ensure you don’t incur charges for your water during this period. Please complete our quick online form to let us know
3. We’ve stopped all late payment fees or interest charges so you don’t need to worry about these if you’re having problems paying.
4. We’ve paused all enforcement action for non-payment of bills - we won’t pass any accounts to our debt collection agency or charge any fees for this.
5. We’ve stopped all disconnections for customers who haven’t paid their bills.
6. We can reassess your monthly Direct Debit payment - if the amount of water your business uses is likely to reduce.
7. If you don’t pay by Direct Debit it's a good way to spread the costs of your water - if you set one up now it will spread any current amount you owe plus the charges for your future water equally over 12 monthly instalments.

Measure 3, 4 and 5 are in place from 8 April until 31 May 2020. These dates have been set by Ofwat (the water industry regulator) and the end date may change. If it does we’ll keep you up to date on this webpage.
 

While we’re taking these actions, it’s important that business that can pay their bills on time as normal should continue to do so.

 

What else you can do

• If your business is using less water, please send us a meter reading. We’ve had to stop our meter readers going out, so this will help us to update your account and ensure we bill you for the water you’ve used.  It’s best to send meter readings a month apart – but only take readings if it’s safe to.
• Please call us on 0345 072 6072 to give us your meter reading for your business. 
• If you’re thinking of cancelling your Direct Debit, please contact us first to see if we can help with our payment options ​
• Our free online area, MyAccount, is the best way for smaller and medium-sized businesses to view your bills, and review your contact information. If you haven’t signed up already, you can register here.

We’ll keep you informed and up to date

We’re part of ongoing talks in the industry and with Ofwat (the industry regulator in England) and Defra (the government department responsible for water) about further steps and action to help customers during this ever changing and challenging time.
 
We’ll continue to update this web page on any further developments on what we and the industry are doing.

In case you haven’t seen the information, the Government has issued advice on financial support for employers and businesses. The Government is updating this page so it’s worth continuing to check their information and advice.