Seems as if they now want to me to pay 66 quids a year for surface water/highway drainage.
Thing is i live in an appartment block and have 3 ceilings above me a and a roof, and there are only 6 appartments out of 36,directly under this roof, so how do i persuade/tell united Utilities that they should not charge all the 30 of us, because theyre geting an extra 66 quid x 30 surface water drainage from us, which is basicly fraud.
standard charge put up and jog on
Sao would you be happy if you got charged for your neighbours run off, especially when they are paying as well.
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumerissues/chargesbills/prs_web_swdpos
might be something on here?
Tell them you will fit a water butt and collect any rain from your ceiling 
I presume it is a bill for the whole building averaged over all residents and you will need to put up but you could at least ask how they work it out.
apartment block? where do you live? Do you mean block of flats?
We have appartment blocks in England, as opposed to caves in scotlandshire 
appartment blocks = 29er
If it's a new build check if you are connected the drains or have soakaways. If you have soakaways then you can reduce your bill
"surface runoff and highway drainage" suggests this is not just roof run-off. i'd seek clarification on that point, for starters. if the charge is for all surface water flows to the sewerage/surface water system(s) then i'm guessing arguments regarding roof size won't get you too far. all in my humble, of course...
EDIT: see if you can't check who is responsible for surfaces road flows. often it'll be the council who provide the gulleys, which then connect into the water company's drainage system. just working this out may prove tricky (i've worked on flooding schemes and it used to get pretty fraught regarding the old blame game...)
the rain water runs down cast iron drians in the building services core to underground pipes linked into the main drainage system.
Do you know if the surface water bit is being charged on rateable value or property type? If the former you should be able to change to being charged by property type which as you're a flat should be cheaper (it's 27.99 for a flat in the STW area)
They will have worked out the charge based on the number of properties in the apartment block. UU bases its charge on an total surface area so i suspect they divide this cost by the number of properties.
It's f'ing expensive to provide drainage, c£5.month seems a good deal.
Give UU a shout. They explain how you can get a reduction. Fitting a water meter will help you too.
Fitting a water meter will help you too.
IIRC all newbuilds in Englandshire have water meters from the start
EDIT - no idea why I thought it was a newbuild!
project - Member
Seems as if they now want to me to pay 66 quids a year for surface water/highway drainage.
Thing is i live in an appartment block and have 3 ceilings above me a and a roof, and there are only 6 appartments out of 36,directly under this roof, so how do i persuade/tell united Utilities that they should not charge all the 30 of us, because theyre geting an extra 66 quid x 30 surface water drainage from us, which is basicly fraud.
You pay highway drainage if you incur foul sewerage charges, essentially it's a simple method to apply the charge. House size does not directly affect the surface water charge (it's a standard charge)
however
if your block is on a single meter and common billing arrangement you can ask to be charged by the site area mechanism (not necessarially cheaper). Section 4.5.4 is the relevant bit.
details here
http://www.unitedutilities.com/Documents/Final_Charges_Scheme_2011-2012.pdf
otherwise it's tough and pay up
You might get a reduction if you offer to collect your own poo and pee and take it to the sea yourself?
Don't forget the nice big car park which discharges to the sewer as well.
Thanks for all the advice.
i know someone living in mid wales who was being hassled by welshwater despite being on a tank and getting water from a well. they first claimed he had to pay anyway (as they own the water once it touches the ground apparently!)when he offered them out in court they then claimed his well which has been in use for 100s of years, wasnt fit for human consumption. they came to test his water and failed it, he demanded a re-test and when they failed it again he pointed out the hose he had connected to his neighbours supply ready for the re-test, running to the tap they had just tested- they had just claimed their own water was unfit for human consumption. funnily enough they have left him alone after that.
(as they own the water once it touches the ground apparently!)
when they failed it again he pointed out the hose he had connected to his neighbours supply ready for the re-test, running to the tap they had just tested- they had just claimed their own water was unfit for human consumption.
it was new push fit pipe mate
edit; you know like this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Push-Fit-Pipe-22mm-John-Guest-/320824138130?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item4ab29bd992#ht_500wt_1287
You might get a reduction if you offer to collect your own poo and pee and take it to the sea yourself?
First collect a weeks worth, post it to UU and ask them to weigh it so that they'll know how much to credit your account by annually
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