§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers private water companies have to require customers to pay for water in advance under the Water Industry Act 1991. [55562]
§ Mr. MealeWater and sewerage undertakers' powers to charge are provided under section 142 of the Water Industry Act 1991, which enables an undertaker to adopt such methods and principles for the calculation and imposition of the charges as appear to the undertaker to be appropriate. But these powers must be exercised within the framework of the regulatory system overseen by the Director General of Water Services.
The long-established practice of water companies is to charge unmeasured bills in advance. Companies offer a range of payment options, of which payment in six-monthly instalments is the most widely used. Measured bills are paid in arrears.