Southern Water's Handling of Vulnerable Customer Debacle Sparks Outrage as Meter Mix-up Revealed After 18 Years
A senior citizen living alone with dementia has been unfairly charged by Southern Water for nearly two decades due to a blunder with her water meter, the company admits. The billing mix-up left the elderly woman facing a £500 monthly bill, despite being on the priority services register, which aims to protect vulnerable customers from price hikes.
The issue was not immediately apparent when the neighboring household had only one or two residents. However, as more people moved in, the senior citizen's bills skyrocketed due to the mistake. Upon discovering the error, she contacted Southern Water, who initially admitted responsibility and corrected the issue. The company confirmed it would refund over £893 in incorrect charges.
However, in a shocking turn of events, Southern Water has now changed its story and is demanding that the woman pay an additional £500, citing "new meter readings." This claim contradicts the actual usage amounts from her new digital meter, which total around £100 per quarter. It appears the company is attempting to cover up its earlier mistake.
The customer's family has reported frequent inconsistencies in Southern Water's responses and a lack of urgency in resolving the issue. The water supplier initially stated that they would make amends but failed to follow through, instead choosing to send the woman a bill she could not afford.
Southern Water now claims it is "very sorry" for the distress caused by the mix-up, but its handling of this situation remains far from satisfactory. It's essential that the water company takes full responsibility for its mistakes and prioritizes customer satisfaction in resolving such issues.
A senior citizen living alone with dementia has been unfairly charged by Southern Water for nearly two decades due to a blunder with her water meter, the company admits. The billing mix-up left the elderly woman facing a £500 monthly bill, despite being on the priority services register, which aims to protect vulnerable customers from price hikes.
The issue was not immediately apparent when the neighboring household had only one or two residents. However, as more people moved in, the senior citizen's bills skyrocketed due to the mistake. Upon discovering the error, she contacted Southern Water, who initially admitted responsibility and corrected the issue. The company confirmed it would refund over £893 in incorrect charges.
However, in a shocking turn of events, Southern Water has now changed its story and is demanding that the woman pay an additional £500, citing "new meter readings." This claim contradicts the actual usage amounts from her new digital meter, which total around £100 per quarter. It appears the company is attempting to cover up its earlier mistake.
The customer's family has reported frequent inconsistencies in Southern Water's responses and a lack of urgency in resolving the issue. The water supplier initially stated that they would make amends but failed to follow through, instead choosing to send the woman a bill she could not afford.
Southern Water now claims it is "very sorry" for the distress caused by the mix-up, but its handling of this situation remains far from satisfactory. It's essential that the water company takes full responsibility for its mistakes and prioritizes customer satisfaction in resolving such issues.
Southern Water needs to get their act together ASAP! The fact that they initially admitted fault, corrected the issue, and then tried to backtrack is just unbelievable. £500 on top of already exorbitant bills is just cruel & unusual punishment for a senior citizen living with dementia. They're basically taking advantage of her vulnerability 
. Can't believe they're trying to cover up their earlier mistake by saying she owes more money now? No way! 
The company needs to own up to their mistakes, listen to customers, and prioritize customer satisfaction 
. It's not rocket science! 
It just doesn't add up. The priority services register is meant to protect people like her, not exploit them. What's going on with these companies sometimes? Can we get some better regulation in place? This whole thing just feels really unfair... 
. They admitted fault, corrected it, and were gonna refund her £893... but now they're trying to take it back saying she owes them another £500? 
That's just not right! The family is saying the company has been inconsistent and not helpful at all. I think Southern Water needs to own up to their mistake, apologize properly, and make sure this lady gets the compensation she deserves 
.
, fam! Can't believe they went from admitting to making a mistake to trying to screw over an elderly lady again 
.
. This lady deserves better, especially since she's already been dealing with dementia and doesn't know any better 
. The company needs to take full responsibility for their mistakes and start prioritizing customer satisfaction for once 
. Anything less is just unacceptable 
and what's up with these "new meter readings" that magically appear out of thin air? 
. It's time for Southern Water to take ownership of their mistake and make things right, not try to cover their tracks again 
.
. What kind of company does that? They need to give this lady the £500 back, and an apology would be nice too 
.
! I mean, 18 years of unfair billing? That's just not right 
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. This poor woman is already struggling with dementia, and this company is just making things worse 
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. Southern Water should be ashamed of themselves for putting this elderly woman through all this stress and anxiety. I'm not surprised her family is frustrated too - they deserve so much better from their water supplier 
Southern Water is like, "Oops, mistake! *refunds £893*"... only to turn around and be all, "Wait, nope! You still owe us £500!" 
That's just not right. I guess Southern Water should take a deep breath, apologize properly, and actually make things right this time around. No more excuses! 
can't believe Southern Water's about-face on this! They initially admitted to the mistake, refunded over £893, and now they're trying to slap the poor woman with another £500? 
. I'm all for a good corporate apology, but actions speak louder than words, you know? 
And what's with the "new meter readings" excuse? Does that even make sense? 
. Southern Water needs to swallow its pride and take full responsibility for the mistake. They should be apologizing and making it right, not trying to shift the blame or raise more money from her. The fact that they're demanding she pay an extra £500 when there's no way she can afford it is just laughable 
That digital meter shows £100 a quarter, not £500! It's like they're trying to keep her in debt forever. 
This is some next-level customer service (or lack thereof). They need to get their act together and treat these vulnerable customers with some respect.