My home Corporate Wholesale Sign in / Register My account My water supply Get help Search Search Home Get help Your bill explained Your bill explained Bill got you in a muddle? Find answers to some commonly asked questions below... How is my bill worked out? Metered bills If you have a water meter installed in your home, you'll only be billed for the water you use, plus a small standing charge. This charge is based on where you live and is reflective of the cost of abstracting water from the area. Click here to find out what the charges are for your area. Unmetered bills If you're not on a water meter, you'll be charged one of the following: • Rateable Value (your bill will be reflective of the rateable value of your property) • Assessed Charges (the standard assessed charge is an annual sum based on the number of bedrooms at the property) For both rateable value and assessed charge customers you can either pay on receipt of your bill or by monthly payments. If you chose to pay your bill monthly it will be divided across ten (April to January) or 12 instalments. If you move into the property part way through the year, the bill will be divided across the number of months remaining. For example if you move into the property in August, payment will be taken from September to January (five payments). What tariffs do you offer? An overview of our different tariffs can be found below. If you find yourself struggling to pay your bill, or you want to find out more about the different support tariffs we offer, pop your details into our online form here. A member of our Customer Care team will then be assigned to you and get in touch to see what tariff is best for you. Social Tariff To qualify for the Social Tariff you must have a household income of less than the HMRC’s low income threshold, which currently is £16,385.00 (excluding any disability payments that you receive). WaterSure WaterSure caps your charges to our average bill. You could be considered for WaterSure if you are a metered customer in receipt of certain qualifying benefits, have either three or more children under the age of 19, or have someone in your home with a medical condition which means you use a lot of water. Helping Hand Our Helping Hand scheme is funded by donations from us and offers financial assistance to clear water and sewerage debt owed. We make grants through the scheme to our customers who demonstrate they are taking steps to achieve financial stability but need help clearing water and sewerage debt which has built up over the years. Water Direct This is a third party scheme administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If you claim certain benefits such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s or Employment Support Allowance, we may be able to take deductions straight from your benefits. In summary, it may be possible for the DWP to pay us directly from your benefits if you are in receipt of one of the above. The scheme is free and, if successful, you won't have to worry about any further debt recovery action. You'll pay your current year's charges plus a fixed amount to help clear your arrears. If you're on assessed charges, there may be a cheaper tariff for you: Single Occupier Tariff Are you the sole occupier of the property? If so, you may be eligible for our single occupier tariff. Single Room Tariff We offer a single room tariff which can help those customers who occupy a single room with communal hot water and laundry facilities, such as sheltered accommodation and bedsits. If you're interested in going on either of the above tariffs, please get in touch. Help – I'm struggling to pay my bill If you find yourself struggling to pay your bill, we can help support you and discuss other payment options, so you've got one less thing to worry about. Find out more Why is my bill higher than normal? If you have a water meter and your latest bill is higher than normal, don’t panic – there could be a simple explanation. An increase in your bill or Direct Debit payments is normally because of an increase in the amount of water you're using. Your water meter records all the water you use, which helps us to calculate your bills. So before you give us a call, please check the steps below: #1 – Are there more people living in your home? Have any more people moved into the property? Do you have a new baby in the family? Do you have a son or daughter home from university? Is a member of the family spending more time at home due to illness or retirement? #2 – Do you have any new water-hungry appliances in your home? Have you had a power shower fitted? Have you had a new combined washer/dryer fitted? You may be surprised to learn they use a lot more water than a standard washing machine as the washer/dryer uses cold water as part of the drying process Are you using washing machines or dishwashers more than usual (often due to extra people staying in your home)? #3 – Do you have a leak on your property? Have you checked all taps (including any outside taps) to make sure they are not leaking water? Have you recently had a meter installed? If your meter’s been installed in the last 12 months, we offer a free service to come and check for repairs Have you checked outside to see if water is leaking out of any overflow pipes from water tanks in the loft? #4 – Have you been using more water in the garden? Have you been using a hosepipe or sprinkler in the garden this summer? Do you have any new water features in your garden, such as a pond or water fountain? And finally…. Was your previous bill an estimate? If so, we may have underestimated the amount of water you use, which means your most recent bill will appear much higher than your previous estimated bill. Still not figured out what could have caused your bill to increase? Please give us a call on 0333 000 0001 and we’ll be happy to help. There's a credit on my account. Can I get a refund? A credit on your account will be shown as CR next to your current balance. We'll be happy to refund you any credit you've built up on your account. However, it's worth remembering that we figure out how much you pay a month based on how much water we think you'll use over the year. So while we recommend you keep any credit under £70 there to give you a head start on your bills next year, if you'd still like a refund just get in touch and we'll sort it out for you. Please give us a call on 0333 000 0001. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am - 7pm, and Saturdays between 8am and 1pm. How often will I receive my bill? On a meter? We aim to take a reading at least once a year and send you a bill twice a year. Not on a meter? You'll get an annual bill from us between February and April each year, telling you how much your water charges will be for the next year (1 April to 31 March). How do I change the name the name on my account? Please use our web form here to tell us if you're changing/have changed your name. Or you can phone us on 0333 000 0001. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am - 7pm, and Saturdays between 8am and 1pm. I have a disability, can you help me? If you have a disability or a long term illness, registering for our free Priority Services means we'll be able to give you any additional support you need, and respond quickly to your query. It's easy to register online for Priority Services. Call our dedicated Customer Care Team on 0333 000 2468 or apply online by clicking the blue button below. All of our advisors are specially trained to offer confidential advice and support. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am - 7pm, and Saturdays between 8am and 1pm. Apply for our Priority Services Register Can I amend my payment plan? You can now amend your Direct Debit amount using your online account. Alternatively, please phone us on 0333 000 0001. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am - 7pm, and Saturdays between 8am and 1pm. How much is the average water bill? The below table gives a good indication of how much the average water bill (fresh water only) is per year. The cost will depend on the number of people in your household. People in household Above average cost Average cost Below average cost 1 £294 £186 £105 2 £394 £276 £186 3 £466 £339 £231 4 £520 £385 £267 5 £556 £457 £303 6 £601 £493 £367 These charges pay for the abstraction, treatment and supply of top quality drinking water direct to your taps and do not include a standing charge. We work hard to ensure your bills remain affordable and believe that our average household water bill, which comes to 56p per day, remains excellent value for money. To find out the specific charges for your area, click here. How can I check my balance? To check your balance, you'll need to register for an online account. Don't worry, it's really simple and quick to do. Plus, not only can you use it to check how you're spending, there's also the ability to view your bills 24/7, tell us about any changes to your account and make quick, easy payments. Register for an online account Our promise to you Find out more What’s new with My Account? Find out here Twitter FaceBook LinkedIn Instagram .st0{fill:#007FA3;} The legal stuff Careers Accessibility South East Water© All rights reserved • Company number: 02679874 • Registered address: South East Water, Rocfort Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5AH