Thames Water filed our home under ‘commercial’
Two years ago Thames Water – unilaterally and without notice – decided that the residential rental property we lived in until this August was a commercial one and transferred our account to Castle Water. We were told that it was our new provider, but not the reason behind it.
Since our direct debit was also automatically transferred, we continued to pay and didn’t think further about it. It was only when I notified Castle Water we were moving that I found out they thought we were a commercial customer. We are a family of two adults and a baby.
After receiving assurances that the mistake would be rectified and that Thames would claim the money we’ve paid to Castle, we received two bills for nearly £1,000 from Thames Water.
We have not received any refunds from Castle Water so this would mean paying for our water twice. I have also sent an inquiry to the Consumer Council for Water but have received no reply yet. Our first complaint was in mid July 2019 and I haven’t heard from Thames Water for at least two weeks.
GC, London SW6
You are one of many unwittingly caught up in the acquisition of Thames Water’s (supposed) business accounts by Castle Water, which describes itself as a dedicated water retailer to business customers. Castle Water started in Scotland, but has since bought up a number of other water businesses across the UK. Clearly the reason for the transfer of accounts was not clearly communicated in your case.
Our intervention seems to have broken the logjam. Thames Water says an admin error meant your property was listed as being non-household rather than domestic so when it sold the non-household customer base to Castle Water you were switched, too.
Thames insists: “We’re sorry for any confusion but are investigating how this has occurred. We are working with Castle Water and the customer to ensure they’re not left out of pocket.”
Castle Water has now refunded you £818 – based on its tariff – but the bill from Thames Water was £874.
Thames Water is, in the meantime, offering you an instalment plan. The Consumer Council for Water says Castle Water has remained above the industry average for complaints over the last 18 months.
The 88-year-old asked to ‘prove’ he was over 18
Since August 2018 I have used Amazon to send my uncle bottles of Ricard – his favourite pastis. He is 88, has limited mobility, no driving licence, no passport and no other form of photo ID.
However, Amazon now requires the recipient to present some form of photo ID to prove they’re over 18. He is therefore ineligible to receive certain products.
Amazon assures me that there are no exceptions. I think this is unfair and discriminatory.
BL, Surbiton, Surrey
We sense your irritation over an 88-year-old being asked for documentary evidence that they are over 18. However, online retailers are expected to ask for proof of age to comply with the law. Some may say it is a sledgehammer to crack a nut, others that it is an essential tool to stop potentially harmful and dangerous goods getting into (younger) hands.
In England and Wales (with similar rules for Scotland) trading standards has to enforce the law relating to age-restricted products, including alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco, fireworks, offensive weapons such as knives, solvents (all 18) and party poppers, petrol, aerosol spray paints, lottery and “instant win” cards (all 16).
Amazon referred us to its “strict” age restrictions for delivering alcohol. If an adult over 18 is not available at an address, or an adult cannot show valid photo ID, the item is redelivered the following day.
And finally …
CB of Norwich made a second visit to Orkney on the revamped Caledonian Sleeper advertised as a “hotel on wheels”. But, she says, it was a great disappointment. “Old rolling stock, filthy and no food or refreshment – not even drinking water – until we all made a fuss. After 10 days its head of customer services called … I felt I had been taken seriously and was happy to accept all the apologies and explanations. I now have two return tickets for my next trip – using my Cally Sleeper freebies.”
