Water firms ask for bill rises of between 24% and 91%

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce55vp78n40o

by djpolofish

44 comments

  1. From the Article:

    The regulator is unlikely to approve the bill rises in full, but the BBC understands it is expected to agree to bill rises of at least half the amount the companies are requesting, and in some cases considerably more than half.

    How much are companies increasing bills by?

    Southern Water – 91% increase (£436 a year)

    Thames Water – 59% (£278)

    Hafren Dyfredwy – 56% (£243)

    Severn Trent – 50% (£219)

    Wessex Water – 50% (£274)

    Yorkshire Water – 46% (£215)

    Dŵr Cymru – 43% (£210)

    United Utilities – 38% (£185)

    South East Water – 35% (£85)

    Pennon – 33% (£158)

    Portsmouth Water – 31% (£37)

    SES – 30% (£73)

    Anglian Water – 29% (£153)

    Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water – 26% (£108)

    Affinity Water 25% (£59)

    South Staffs & Cambridge Water – 24% (£43)

    Source: Consumer Council for Water

    Southern water CEO’s are holding out for a new yacht, they got some cojones asking for 91%… I guess it’s to make the eventual drop appear more reasonable, even though it’ll be anything but.

  2. Ahh, capitalism. Where a company fails to invest in its infrastructure properly, it starts to fail, and rather than having shareholders take a bit less for. While, it jacks up the prices for everyone to pay for the infrastructure needed for the last 20 years.

    Don’t forget, folks. The private sector is better.

  3. How’s about instead of that they go fuck themselves?

  4. Ahahahahahahaha

    If they really wanted any more reason to appropriate these companies into public ownership, here it is. They literally pump shit into rivers to the point where they’re dangerous to enter and want to double their fees? Are they literally insane?

  5. Or, right, we claw back some of that £85bn that has been pulled out of the system over the last 30 years? No? Can’t have the shareholders being unhappy.

  6. They should be asking to keep their heads (metaphorically)

  7. Nationalise them and start again. It may cost more in the short term but thats what happens when a utility like water is given to private investors. They are always on the hunt for more money with minimal upgrades to services. Fuck them all.

  8. How could anyone possibly argue against nationalisation? This is a disgrace.

  9. What can we do to fight this? This is the last straw for me. We keep being taken for mugs. How can we actually stand up to this besides voting?

  10. Why aren’t Labour making this thier number one Pledge to fix, I don’t understand politics at all, it’s the easiest win ever. Who the fuck would disagree with nationalising water, cleaning up the rivers and getting cheaper bills at this point.

  12. The cycle continues. Labour will nationalise, invest billions into stopping leaks, upgrading pipes and infrastructure and stopping shit being dumped into rivers. 

    Then I’m 10 years time Tories will get into power citing Labour spending, sell all the water companies for pennies in closed openings to their friends, and privatise them again. 

    The British cycle. 

  13. Sounds like the standard ‘ask for an unimaginably huge rise on the basis that even if it gets knocked down we’re still quids in’ tactic.

  14. HAHAHAHAHA; I just spat my water out! (Not because of this headline but because of the faecal matter floating in my glass).

    The headline is also hilarious.

  15. Why does nothing get done about this? We can’t exactly refuse to pay our bills? How does the general public win in this situation?

  16. Ah well I guess I’ll just switch water supplier then, ya know cus capitalism and competition…. /s

  17. Correct me if I’m wrong but they’re not allowed to cut your water off if you refuse to pay as far as I’m aware. So what’s there to stop a mass refusal to pay? This one could actually be a successful protest unlike the energy one that never really gathered any momentum.

  18. How are we not marching to these companies hqs and not stringing up the leadership? This is price gorging and is unacceptable.

  19. Meanwhile the post office proceeds to be sold off to replicate this model… GOOD TIMES AHEAD.

  20. Some of the water firms who are asking to increase rates are also increasing dividends. Shamelessly exploiting the captive market for profit.

    Southern water is increasing dividends by 10.9%

  21. Water companies for year: Woohoo, we can pay dividends on our huge profits. You get a bonus, I get a bonus, we all get a bonus!!
    Water companies when it is time to upgrade the infrastructure: well obviously we can’t afford that and to keep our bonuses, so time to cough up!

  22. In 2030, when water costs half of your paycheck. Capitalism wins

  23. Comical.

    We are being fleeced left, right and centre. Wonder how much more we’ll take?

  24. When do we actually start mass protests in this country?

  26. Man, I love being forced to line the pockets of shareholders.

  27. Poo going in people’s water… but increase the prices anyway!

  29. I know people won’t do it…but everyone should refuse to pay them a penny till they fix things…absolute joke when they make records profits and that just goes to shareholders

    I can see what will happen…bills will rise even more…more money for shareholders than ever before, nothing gets fixed. then they often to sell back to government, only ask for government to give them ridiculous amount to buyback…government being idiots do it and still have to up the bills…basically going private, making as much money as possible till the service basically doesn’t work and sell it back for profit

  30. The sad fact is we voted for this again and again by giving parties thst support water privatisation huge majorities in Parliament.

  31. Re-nationalisation is the only answer water is a resource not a commodity give these so called shareholders the price they paid a share at nationalisation

  32. They cannot cut of your supply even if you don’t pay.

    rent? Get kicked out. Electric? Sitting in the dark. Council tax? Coming out your wages direct. Water? They can’t do shit.

  33. How about, only if they are taken 51% into public ownership as a condition of the raise?

  34. Time to organise a collective action to refuse to pay until they’re all re-nationalised and people are prosecuted. Worked with the Poll Tax…. Just sayin’

  35. Guys, I’ve just got back from the wholesalers and I’ve got 150 pallets of cooking oil. It’s not gonna be enough but it will have to do. Now we can bend over and let them shaft us and it will be a little less painful. No reply to my email to the water companies yet on whether they will give us a smoke afterwards. Will keep you updated.

  36. Ofwat are a not very funny fucking joke.

    We can’t switch suppliers , we can’t refuse to pay, we can’t demand better service.

    What exactly do they do, other than allow them to repeatedly pollute the waterways and pay peppercorn fines?

    Oh wait, it’s to rubber stamp all their demands to fleece customers .

  37. How about FUCK OFF IN CAPITAL LETTERS 🤔YOU pollute our rivers and tap water and ask for a massive bill rise when you can’t even get the basics right 😲one job you had one job !!!

  38. Our country has been sold from underneath us and no politician will do a single damn thing about it.

    We will own nothing and damn well have to take it. Subscription service country.

  39. What!, so water company share holders can pay themselves even higher dividends. As a previous water company employee, as long as the people at the top are paid massive performance bonuses based on profit, then there will be no incentive ro invest. Plus there is a spinless regulator whom the the government seems to have purposely granted inadequate powers to do their job properly. Privatisation of the water companies has been an unmittigated disaster for the public

  40. Like Rees-Mogg said, they should all be left to go bust. The state should buy the assets at a competitive rate and the creditors can have whatever they’re entitled to according to liquidation rules. The shareholders get nothing – tough – the liability is limited not non-existent.

  41. I am soooooo happy living in Scotland having Scottish Water.

    Nationalise it and reap the benefits as citizens.

  42. Might stop paying and deposit my shits on the doorstep of Thames water HQ instead

  43. I think I’m just gonna start buying there shares. The British will tolerate anything anyway

  44. Absolutely ripping the arse out of the public’s wallet.

    All the utilities are completely and utterly broken. They all need to be nationalized. This is rediculous.

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