Water Charges / Tax / Demonstrations / Irish Water / Meter Installations etc etc

Pawwed Rig

Where are Irish Water getting their info does anyone know? We got a bill for someone in the letterbox today that hasn't lived here in 3 years

Bob24

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Where are Irish Water getting their info does anyone know? We got a bill for someone in the letterbox today that hasn't lived here in 3 years

LPT database for landlords and PRTB database for tenants as far as I am aware.

Maybe you are a tenant and your landlord hasn't updated the PRTB when you moved in?

Pawwed Rig

Bob24 wrote: »

Maybe you are a tenant and your landlord hasn't updated the PRTB when you moved in?

That must be it alright. Wonder why they didn't cross reference the addresses though rather than sending 2 bills for 2 different people to one address:rolleyes:

cheers

Bob24

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

That must be it alright. Wonder why they didn't cross reference the addresses though rather than sending 2 bills for 2 different people to one address:rolleyes:

cheers

Ah yeah that is weird if you got 2 bills for the same address. I can't remember the exact wording but there is something like a service point reference number which is meant to be unique to each address. If curious maybe see if it is the same on both bills? (It also is possible that the bill for the other guy was sent to your address as this is what the LPT database has for his correspondence address, but is actually for another property he owns)

Something wrong with them anyway ...

Pawwed Rig

Well they did have a few spelling errors on the second bill so maybe they have us down as 2 different addresses although I thought there was an address locator on the website.
I can probably look forward to a litany of threatening letters then for not registering :pac:

Bob24

Yep the previous tenant will have a bad name with them ;-)

Pawwed Rig

I doubt she cares. She moved back to Spain three years ago

pyxxel

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

If you read back a few pages some people have posted their usage. Ours was 17.491 cubic metres. 2 adults, 1 at home during the day.

Same situation here, 2 adults, 1 being at home during the day, 12.752 cubic metres. I guess we're just dirtier than you! :rolleyes:

athtrasna

I also got two bills at this address. I registered and got my bill. One arrived a week later in my ex's name. He hasn't lived here for two years. Not impressed, to the point of not paying my bill yet. I will, when I get an explanation and apology from them, but not until then. I did the right thing by registering and then they show how incompetent they are.

kleefarr

Did you see this on facebook?..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203760166274280&set=a.1205970519055.2027531.1522423806&type=1

Friend of mine said it was more expensive than electricity.

Bob24

kleefarr wrote: »

Did you see this on facebook?..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203760166274280&set=a.1205970519055.2027531.1522423806&type=1

Friend of mine said it was more expensive than electricity.

Saw this. The bill is for 112500 litters of water in a quarter - that's 1250 litters per day (or another way to put it: 1,25 ton of water). Way above normal usage.

Either these people are massively wasting water, or (more likely) they have a pretty bad leak that needs to be addressed.

The way I would look at it is that we (taxpayers) have being pouring over a thousand euros per year to subsidise their crazy usage or the fact there is an unfixed leak at their property. They are now getting a kindly heads-up: we are still sponsoring them with the capped charge for now, but eventually they will have to do something about their usage.

runawaybishop

Bob24 wrote: »

Saw this. The bill is for 112500 litters of water in a quarter - that's 1250 litters per day (or another way to put it: 1,25 ton of water). Way above normal usage.

Either these people are massively wasting water, or (more likely) they have a pretty bad leak that needs to be addressed.

The way I would look at it is that we (taxpayers) have being pouring over a thousand euros per year to subsidise their crazy usage or the fact there is an unfixed leak at their property. They are now getting a kindly heads-up: we are still sponsoring them with the capped charge for now, but eventually they will have to do something about their usage.

The stupidity of the people commenting on that on Facebook is breathtaking.

kleefarr

Bob24 wrote: »

Saw this. The bill is for 112500 litters of water in a quarter - that's 1250 litters per day (or another way to put it: 1,25 ton of water). Way above normal usage.

Either these people are massively wasting water, or (more likely) they have a pretty bad leak that needs to be addressed.

The way I would look at it is that we (taxpayers) have being pouring over a thousand euros per year to subsidise their crazy usage or the fact there is an unfixed leak at their property. They are now getting a kindly heads-up: we are still sponsoring them with the capped charge for now, but eventually they will have to do something about their usage.

Agreed, something is definitely wrong somewhere.

Bob24

runawaybishop wrote: »

The stupidity of the people commenting on that on Facebook is breathtaking.

Yes it shows they have no concept of the actual value of drinking water or any understanding of how crazy it is to be using that much.

This is why I hope the government will quickly enough move towards full metered charges (as long as the price per cubic litter is reasonable) rather than capped charges. I know it is politically tricky and won't happen within the next year, but this is what is needed for people like these commenters to stop wasting everyone else's tax money.

Toto Wolfcastle

Their argument that the government made a big mistake by putting the metered usage on the bill because people will then realise how expensive water is is really stupid. Ours was less than a euro above the capped amount. I'm sure many people are in the same boat. There's clearly a leak involved in that bill.

dudara

For two people, our bill was just €24. That level of usage is excessive and points to a either a flagrant use of water or a leak. Either way, action is required on their part.

Personally, I really liked seeing my metered usage on the bill. It's good motivation.

Bob24

My landlady received my bill at their address. I did register and apparently IW put my name on the account but made a mistake and left my landlord's home address rather than mine.

Luckily the landlady knows I am a pretty reliable tenant so she didn't think I was trying to coerce her into paying :-D

Inconvenient but I have to say the resolution was easy. I didn't have to queue more than 5 seconds to be connected to a CSR and it just took a minute to correct the details and re-issue the bill. I didn't complain or sound angry, but I have never heard a CSR apologizing that much! They must have instructions to keep very low profile.

foggy_lad

I have been waiting since may 7th for a registration pack from these shower of clowns. If they have sent the pack with my name on it to a Landlords address does that breach data protection?

The_Conductor

dudara wrote: »

For two people, our bill was just €24.

€24?
Thats remarkable.
That means- when you get your 100 Euro rebate, if you have further bills at the same level- you'll actually be a few quid up- not much- but you'll be netting a little nonetheless.
Your usage must be really quite remarkable.

Graham

foggy_lad wrote: »

If they have sent the pack with my name on it to a Landlords address does that breach data protection?

Call this a long shot but I suspect your landlord already knows your name and address.

Pawwed Rig

The_Conductor wrote: »

€24?
Thats remarkable.
That means- when you get your 100 Euro rebate, if you have further bills at the same level- you'll actually be a few quid up- not much- but you'll be netting a little nonetheless.
Your usage must be really quite remarkable.

I can see situations where people would use very little water. For example where you goto the gym in the morning and shower there you would save most of your daily usage. Where you are then in work until 6 or 7 there is zero usage during the day. Might flush the toilet once in the evening and do a little bit of cooking.

dudara

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I can see situations where people would use very little water. For example where you goto the gym in the morning and shower there you would save most of your daily usage. Where you are then in work until 6 or 7 there is zero usage during the day. Might flush the toilet once in the evening and do a little bit of cooking.

Pretty much this. Both of us are usually out of the house until 7pm/8pm. There is a dishwasher & washing machine that are used 2-3 times per week max. No baths, just showers.

I have heard stories of similar usage from other people.

ianobrien

Well, I registered with Irish Water well before Christmas. Then I phoned them at the start of January twice to say I was no longer at that address and to register a new address. They sent me a bill for the previous property in April. Naturally I phoned them again to say the bill was wrong. They said "Don't worry, we'll send out a corrected bill".

When the new bill arrived, it has the usage for the first three months for the new property, and the previous bill added also as an unpaid bill. I tried to email them to get to the bottom of it I was told they can't discuss anything via email for data protection reasons, please phone. What's the point in phoning them as they have gotten in wrong in three phone calls! I reckon the only option for communication is letter as they won't deal with email and they cant deal with a phone call correctly.

Oh, before any body says anything, yes I paid the portion of the bill for the first three months.

PeteK*

ianobrien wrote: »

Well, I registered with Irish Water well before Christmas. Then I phoned them at the start of January twice to say I was no longer at that address and to register a new address. They sent me a bill for the previous property in April. Naturally I phoned them again to say the bill was wrong. They said "Don't worry, we'll send out a corrected bill".

When the new bill arrived, it has the usage for the first three months for the new property, and the previous bill added also as an unpaid bill. I tried to email them to get to the bottom of it I was told they can't discuss anything via email for data protection reasons, please phone. What's the point in phoning them as they have gotten in wrong in three phone calls! I reckon the only option for communication is letter as they won't deal with email and they cant deal with a phone call correctly.

Oh, before any body says anything, yes I paid the portion of the bill for the first three months.

Send them a letter in the post if you can't email?
What they're saying doesn't seem fair, about the emails and data protection.

ianobrien

PeteK* wrote: »

Send them a letter in the post if you can't email?
What they're saying doesn't seem fair, about the emails and data protection.

Oh the letter is gone off already.

As for not able to deal with email for data protection, that fair enough but they can deal with a stranger if I phone up and pretend to be somebody else and that's OK?

PeteK*

ianobrien wrote: »

Oh the letter is gone off already.

As for not able to deal with email for data protection, that fair enough but they can deal with a stranger if I phone up and pretend to be somebody else and that's OK?

I mean I'm on your side.. :pac: I can't see why an email isn't okay with them.

tomasrojo

I hope this is the right place to ask this.

I've had very low water pressure (a trickle, essentially) in my house in Dublin 16. I notified Irish Water just over a week ago, a few days after the problem started. I've had two responses to emails, both reassuring me that someone from the Local Water Department will be in contact with me, but nobody has. One of the emails asserted that I didn't have an Irish Water meter (in response to a query I made about the Interim First Fix Scheme), when in fact I do. Not brimming with confidence here.

Is there any way to get them to hurry up?

(It may not be their problem directly, as my neighbour's pressure is fine, hence my query about the First Fix Scheme.)

Bob24

tomasrojo wrote: »

I hope this is the right place to ask this.

I've had very low water pressure (a trickle, essentially) in my house in Dublin 16. I notified Irish Water just over a week ago, a few days after the problem started. I've had two responses to emails, both reassuring me that someone from the Local Water Department will be in contact with me, but nobody has. One of the emails asserted that I didn't have an Irish Water meter (in response to a query I made about the Interim First Fix Scheme), when in fact I do. Not brimming with confidence here.

Is there any way to get them to hurry up?

(It may not be their problem directly, as my neighbour's pressure is fine, hence my query about the First Fix Scheme.)

Have you received your first bill already? If you have a meter it should show the quantity of water that went to your property and based on that it should be pretty clear whether there is a leak (I believe they need that to trigger their First Fix Scheme process).

In any case if sill no feedback this week I would ring them and ask them to do something about it.

tomasrojo

I have got a first bill, but it was an unmetered bill. Over the phone, I was told that it probably was an unmetered bill because the meter wasn't in place for the entire duration of the first quarter. That was just an opinion of the guy on the other end of the phone, base on my hazy recollection of when the meter went in. I wonder now whether their records are just wrong.

Bob24

tomasrojo wrote: »

I have got a first bill, but it was an unmetered bill. Over the phone, I was told that it probably was an unmetered bill because the meter wasn't in place for the entire duration of the first quarter. That was just an opinion of the guy on the other end of the phone, base on my hazy recollection of when the meter went in. I wonder now whether their records are just wrong.

If it has been more than 5 working they are in breach of the complains resolution targets set by the CER (see page 28 here: https://www.cer.ie/docs/000956/CER14087%20Draft%20Irish%20Water%20Customer%20Handbook.pdf)

"The complaints process should lead to a response to the complaint in 5 working days with a resolution or an outline plan of the timely and specific case related steps required to achieve a resolution."

I don't think telling you that the local Water Departement will call you is an acceptable "plan of the timely and specific case related steps required to achieve a resolution". You are a customer of IW and they are your only point of contact so who does the work and how they organise their local agents is not your problem: they need to tell you what will be done and when.

I would personally wait a bit more and try another call with a soft approch first. But if you want to escalate things a bit, you can call/email them again and point out the fact that they are in breach with CER regulations; and tell them you will report them to the CER if not immediate action is taken on their side. I think it will have an effect as they probably don't want to look bad in front of their regulator just after serious business is starting for them.