Tackling 'bad debt' within the water industry in Wales

‘Bad debt’ comes from unpaid bills that are written off by a company as a loss. This is because:

• the debt cannot be collected (all reasonable efforts to collect it having been made) 
• the cost of further action to collect the debt is more than the debt itself.

The cost of debt from non-payment of water bills is covered by all paying customers. In Wales this currently adds approximately £20 per year to each bill. At present the occupier of a property is liable for payment of water bills. But some people do not pay their bills and many water debtors are tenants. We want to help the water and sewerage industry to reduce this debt to help lower bills and help tackle poverty.  

This consultation

Section 144C of the Water Industry Act 1991 allows information on tenants to be given to water and sewerage companies.

We are seeking views upon the “Water and Sewerage Information (Non-owner Occupiers) Regulations” to enable the provision of this information for properties served by water and sewerage companies operating wholly or mainly in Wales.  

The Regulations will place a duty on landlords to provide details of their own address along with a tenant’s name, date of birth and the date they started occupancy. If landlords did not provide this information they would become jointly liable for payment of water charges at the tenanted property.