Water chiefs are calling for a crack-down on £1.6bn of debt caused by tenants leaving without paying their water charges.
The Environment Minister Richard Benyon is this week launching a consultation on ways to tackle the problem.
One suggestion is to make landlords legally obliged to hand over information about their tenants. Alternatively a voluntary approach may be considered as a preferred initial measure.
Expressing his concern about the problem the Minister has said “It is just not right that responsible people have to pick up the bills of those who are not paying.”
An analysis of the £328million written off by the water companies shows that most water bill debtors were people in rented properties and, unlike electricity and gas customers, there’s no obligation on landlords to inform water companies of the identity of occupiers.
Water bills, which have risen by 50pc over 20 years to an average of £356 per year are set to rise sharply this year as these prices are linked to the inflation rate last year of around 5%.
The debt problem is seen as a serious one for the water companies as recent changes in legislation makes them responsible for sewers on private property. This alone could add another £14 a year to the average water bill.
Tom Entwistle, Editor of LandlordZONE commented: “In my experience the water companies could do a lot more to help themselves in this matter as most landlords would have no objection to indentifying their tenants to them. In fact very often I have found that the companies and their debt collectors seem quite ambivalent about receiving information volunteered by landlords regarding tenant details and forwarding addresses. Landlords should always use a comprehensive tenancy application form giving them all the information they need to trace absconding tenants. They should as a matter of course inform all the utilities suppliers in writing, including the water company, the tenant’s details, including forwarding addresses if known, at the start and end of every tenancy.”
