Information for Customers in Yorkshire Relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The industry-wide Vacant Relief Scheme, introduced by the water regulator for England, Ofwat, came to an end on the 31 July 2020. As a result, we can no longer suspend charges beyond that date. We do however recognise that the impact of COVID-19 will continue to be felt in the months to come. In addition to providing a range of payment plans, we also offer a COVID-19 Repayment Scheme, which allows customers to apply to have their charges deferred for up to 3 months and then an extended period to repay these deferred charges.

Provided it’s safe to do so, we would also encourage you to take a meter read and submit your reading here. This will help to ensure your water bill is accurate and you are only charged for what you use. If you are unable to take a reading then we will use an estimate until an accurate reading can be taken.

If you have any concerns about making payments then please do contact us on 0345 1 24 24 20 and our dedicated team will be able to help.

If your business was closed due to COVID-19 anytime between 16 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 and you saw a significant reduction in water consumption of at least 95%* then we can mark your property (properties) as temporarily vacant and can apply a credit adjustment to cover your fixed charges (standing charges and Surface Water Drainage). We contacted those businesses that we believe were closed, in line with Government guidelines, so that we could pro-actively apply this credit adjustment. If, however, you didn’t hear from us then please contact us on 0345 1 24 24 to provide details, including the date that your business closed and re-opened, and, if safe to do so, an up to date meter reading. If you require further support then we do offer a range of flexible payment plans and would be happy to find one that works for you.

We have made changes to our Terms and Conditions for customers in England and Wales, which can be viewed here.

* in accordance with regulatory guidelines

We appreciate this is a difficult time for many businesses and we want to help. From the outset we have been working with the water regulator, Ofwat, to identify the best ways to support our customers that have been directly impacted by COVID-19.

We are pleased to be able to offer a repayment plan which we hope will provide our customers with greater flexibility and support during this time. Please get in touch with our team on 0345 1 24 24 20 to discuss the options available to you.

Please note, these measures are in place to help support those in need. If you are able to make payments then please continue to do so.

In England, if a business ceases trading and moves out of the property, charges will continue up to the point that the business no longer has a legal right to occupy the property (e.g. a lease has ended naturally or has been terminated by a landlord). At that point we will issue a final bill which will includes charges up to the move out date.

If you are moving out of your property then please complete this webform to let us know your move out date and final meter read. This will help to ensure your final bill reflects your actual consumption and you are only charged for the water that you used.

If you are having any issues making payments then we’d be more than happy to help you find a flexible payment plan that will work for you. Please contact one of our friendly advisers on 0345 1 24 24 20 who will be happy to help.

The health and safety of our employees and customers is of upmost importance. We are working with our external partners, including meter readers, to ensure they are following Government guidelines and taking extra precautions at this time. If you have any concerns then please do let us know. We will continue to keep this under review and provide any updates on our website.

If your business property was closed for a period of weeks or months then there are some simple steps you can take to ensure your water quality hasn’t been impacted and your pipes are working properly:

• Stagnated water can lead to water quality issues. Make sure you run all your taps individually to ensure that the water in your plumbing system is fresh. Run the water until it is clear and feels cool.
• Ensure that all appliances are thoroughly flushed through before use. Details on how to do this will be provided in the appliance’s instruction manual.
• If your property has any water softeners or internal filters then please check that these are working correctly, as instructed in the manual guides.

Check for any leaks. Whilst not always visible, if your tap continues to drip when you turn it off or your toilet is continually running then this may mean you have a leak. If you suspect a leak then contact us on 0345 1 24 24 20.

For further details, please read this guide produced by the UK water industry body, Water UK.