Water Industry Act 1991

[F1 Restrictions on charging E+W

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 144A and crossheading preceding it inserted (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 9, s. 6; S.I. 1999/3440, art. 3

F2 144A Right of consumer to elect for charging by reference to volume. E+W

(1) Where—

(a) water is supplied by a water undertaker to premises in which, or in any part of which, a person has his home, and

(b) charges in respect of those premises are fixed by virtue of any charges scheme under section 143 above without reference to the volume of water supplied,

the consumer may at any time give the undertaker a notice (in this section referred to as a “measured charges notice”) requiring the undertaker to fix charges in respect of the supply by reference to the volume of water supplied.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, a water undertaker must give effect to a measured charges notice before the end of a period determined in accordance with the undertaker’s charges scheme.

(3) A water undertaker is not obliged to give effect to a measured charges notice if—

(a) it is not reasonably practicable to fix charges in respect of the premises by reference to the volume of water supplied, or

(b) to do so would involve the incurring by the undertaker of unreasonable expense.

(4) Any dispute between a water undertaker and a consumer as to the application of paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (3) above may be referred to [F3 the Authority] for determination under section 30A above by either party to the dispute.

(5) Where—

(a) either the conditions in subsection (6) below or the conditions in subsection (7) below are satisfied in relation to premises in respect of which a measured charges notices has been given, and

(b) such other conditions as may be prescribed are also satisfied in relation to the premises,

the consumer may, at any time before the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the day on which the supply began to be measured by volume for charging purposes, revoke the measured charges notice by notice to the water undertaker.

(6) The conditions in this subsection are—

(a) that the person who gave the measured charges notice had not given any previous measured charges notice in relation to the premises, and

(b) that he remains the consumer in respect of the premises.

(7) The conditions in this subsection are—

(a) that the person who gave the measured charges notice has, since the notice was given, ceased to be the consumer in respect of the premises,

(b) that neither he nor the person who has become the consumer had given any previous measured charges notice in respect of the premises, and

(c) that any person who was in occupation of the premises when the measured charges notice was given remains in occupation.

(8) Where a measured charges notice has been revoked under subsection (5) above, the water undertaker must—

(a) if reasonably practicable, before the end of the period of twelve months referred to in that subsection, or

(b) in any other case, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of that period,

revert to fixing the charges for the supply in respect of the premises without reference to the volume of water supplied.

(9) If and so long as a water undertaker is obliged under subsection (2) above to fix charges for the supply of water in respect of any premises by reference to the volume of water supplied, a sewerage undertaker is under a corresponding obligation to fix charges in respect of foul water drainage provided by the sewerage undertaker in respect of those premises by reference to that volume.

(10) If a water undertaker is obliged under subsection (8) above to fix charges without reference to volume, a sewerage undertaker is under a corresponding obligation in respect of charges for services provided by it.

(11) Any charges scheme under section 143 above—

(a) must contain provision for determining the period mentioned in subsection (2) above, and

(b) shall have effect subject to the preceding provisions of this section.

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 144A and crossheading preceding it inserted (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 9, s. 6; S.I. 1999/3440, art. 3

F3 Words in Act substituted (1.4.2006) by virtue of Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 36(2), 105(3); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 4(c)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 144A: certain functions transferred to the National Assembly for Wales (15.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/2787, art. 3

C2 S. 144A applied (with modifications) (28.6.2013) by The Water Industry (Specified Infrastructure Projects) (English Undertakers) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1582), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. 1 para. 11(4) (with reg. 1(1)(c))

[F4 144B Restriction on undertakers’ power to require fixing of charges by reference to volume. E+W

(1) Subsection (2) below applies where—

(a) water is supplied to any premises in which, or in any part of which, a person has his home,

(b) charges in respect of those premises have previously been fixed without reference to volume, and

(c) such conditions as may be prescribed are satisfied in relation to the premises.

(2) Where this subsection applies, a relevant undertaker may not by virtue of any charges scheme under section 143 above begin to fix the charges in respect of those premises by reference to volume unless either—

(a) the consumer—

(i) has given the undertaker a measured charges notice under section 144A above which has not been revoked under that section, or

(ii) has consented to the charges in respect of the premises being so fixed and has not revoked that consent under section 144A, or

(b) there has been a change in the occupation of the premises and no charges have yet been demanded from the person who has become the consumer.

(3) A change in the persons occupying any premises does not constitute a change in the occupation of the premises for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above if any person who was in occupation of the premises before the change remains in occupation after the change.

(4) Where a consumer gives consent for the purposes of subsection (2)(a)(ii) above in relation to premises in which, or in any part of which, a person has his home, he shall be treated for the purposes of subsections (5) to (8) of section 144A above as having given a measured charges notice under that section.]]

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 144B inserted (30.6.1999 for certain purposes and 1.4.2000 otherwise) by 1999 c. 9, ss. 7, 17(2)(f); S.I. 1999/3440, 3

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 S. 144B: certain function transferred to the National Assembly for Wales (15.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/2787, art. 3

[F5 144C Non-owner occupiers E+W

(1) This section applies to residential premises which are occupied by one or more persons other than the owner (and not by the owner).

(2) The owner must arrange for the undertaker to be given information about the occupiers.

(3) If the owner fails to comply with subsection (2), the occupiers' liability for charges under this Chapter becomes shared jointly and severally with the owner.

(4) The Minister may make regulations—

(a) about the information to be given under subsection (2);

(b) about timing and procedure in connection with subsection (2) or (3).

(5) The Minister may make regulations exempting owners from liability under subsection (3) where—

(a) information supplied by them is false or incomplete, but

(b) they have taken steps specified by the regulations to ensure its accuracy or completeness.

(6) “Residential premises” means premises that are—

(a) occupied by one or more persons as a home (but not necessarily as their only or main home), and

(b) a “dwelling”, a “house in multiple occupation” or “accommodation for the elderly” within the meaning of paragraphs 1 to 3 of Schedule 4A.

(7) Where a person is the “owner” of premises by virtue of being agent or trustee (see section 219(1)) the duty and liability under this section attach to the principal (and not to the agent or trustee).

(8) “The Minister” means—

(a) the Secretary of State, in relation to services provided by an undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in England, and

(b) the Welsh Ministers, in relation to services provided by an undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in Wales (for which purpose section 213 applies with references to the Secretary of State and either House of Parliament being taken as references to the Welsh Ministers and the National Assembly for Wales).]

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 144C inserted (1.10.2010 for specified purposes, 1.1.2015 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (c. 29), ss. 45(1), 49(3) (with s. 49(1)(6)); S.I. 2010/2169, art. 4; S.I. 2014/3155, art. 2