Camden Council secures £1.7 million Thames Water windfall for tenants

A £1.7 million cash windfall is being shared between more than 12,000 Camden tenants after the council reached an agreement with Thames Water to reduce bills.

The news follows a request from the council in 2007 for Thames Water to carry out a major survey of block properties to assess which of them were able to have individual meters fitted and which could not. Where it is not possible to fit a meter residents are potentially eligible for reduced water charges.

As a result of the survey - which is believed to be the only one of its kind in the country - 9,200 tenants received an average refund of £62 for charges paid since April 2007. And since April 2008 a total of 12,000 tenants are saving an annual average of £94 each from lower weekly water charges.

Several Council blocks have shared plumbing that makes them unsuitable for metering. Prior to the agreement struck between the council and Thames Water, only individual tenants who applied for a meter were eligible for the reduced ‘assessed household charge’.

The assessed household charge is split into three price levels, based on the results of a national study into the volume of water used by properties of different sizes.

Thanks to the close working between Camden Council and Thames Water, Camden tenants now account for a third of the 38,000 households in the Thames area benefitting from the lower assessed charge.

Tenants who live in properties that are suitable for metering can choose individually whether to continue with the standard water charge, based on the rateable value of their property, or apply to have a meter installed.

Councillor Chris Naylor, Executive Member for Homes and Housing Strategy, said:
“You can’t fail to notice utility bills are on the rise at the moment, so I’m really pleased we have managed to strike this deal for tenants.

“Having a meter can be a great way to help the environment by reducing water usage. But it’s right that the council’s initiative in this area closes a loophole, allowing those who can’t fit a meter to benefit from lower bills too.”