August 27th 2024.
Anna Pearce and her family were excited to move into their new home in Cowden, a charming village in Kent. They had been living there for only a few months when they received a shocking bill from two water companies, totaling £12,000. The reason? A supposed leak that never existed.
Anna, 44, and her husband Andrew, 45, had moved into their semi-detached property with their two children in February 2018. But just a few months later, they were hit with a £7,000 bill from Southern Water and an additional £5,000 bill from Sutton and East Surrey Water.
As property workers themselves, the couple was shocked and confused. They had not noticed any signs of a leak and when engineers were sent to their home, they couldn't find one either. It wasn't until a local contractor working in the area the following year that the source of the issue was discovered - a nearby water plant with a meter conveniently located on Anna and Andrew's driveway.
After contacting both water companies, SES Water was quick to write off their half of the bill. However, Southern Water continued to send debt collectors to the couple's home, demanding the £7,644.90 in 2020. Anna, who runs an investment company called Property Empress, shared her frustration, stating, "We did everything we could, and yet they still sent debt collectors. It made us feel unimportant and unheard."
In November 2020, an engineer from Southern Water finally visited and listened to Anna's explanation. They installed a new meter that was not tangled up with the water power plant. However, this didn't stop the company from harassing the family and threatening legal action. It wasn't until Anna filed a formal complaint in May 2021 and took it to regulator Ofwat in December of that year that the issue was finally resolved.
"We just kept getting more and more desperate - pleading for them to stop harassing us," Anna shared. They even included SES Water in their emails to Southern Water, who confirmed that the bill should be dismissed. "I don't even know how to put it into words," Anna added. "My husband couldn't handle the stress and had to disconnect, and I was just getting more and more frustrated. It felt like a form of torture, especially during lockdown."
In July 2022, Southern Water finally apologized and closed the case after Anna and Andrew spoke with Ofwat. Looking back, Anna now realizes how poorly they were treated throughout the ordeal. "We just didn't realize it at the time because we weren't being heard," she stated. She even shared her experience on TikTok in hopes of raising awareness.
Ashley Marshman, head of customer services at Southern Water, issued a statement saying, "This should not have happened, and we are deeply sorry for the distress caused by the confusion." Anna, who now homeschools her children, has since moved out of the property.
As for SES Water, a spokesperson stated, "We are committed to providing accurate billing and fair treatment to our customers, especially in cases where unforeseen issues like leaks may affect their water usage. We believe that every customer deserves to be heard and supported, and we will continue to work diligently to maintain their trust and confidence."
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