Allowances and adjustment to charges

Reason for adjustment to charges

Adjustment
Retailer driven work

Adjustment
Wholesaler driven work

Most approporiate market form

Overcharge - Adjustment applied up to a maximum of six years from the date notification is received from the retailer.

Undercharge - Adjustment applied back up to a maximum of 6 months from the date notification is received from the retailer or the date that the revised rateable value applies, if within the last 6 months.

Overcharge - Adjustment applied up to a maximum of six years from date we were aware ie. site visit, case or research date (earlier date applies).

Charges raised from the date the meter was identified and a reading taken or 6 months whichever is later.

Overcharge – Allowance applied up to a maximum of six years from date of notification from the retailer.

Overcharge – Allowance applied up to a maximum of six years from date we became aware of the issue - case/site visit/research (earliest date applies)

Overcharge - Adjustments made from the last but one meter read from the date of a meter test, (the date that any relevant notification is received from the retailer) or the date that the retailer is informed by us of the intention to exchange the meter.

Undercharge - adjustments will be made either as overcharge above

OR

From the date of RF (the Final Market Settlement Reconciliation report) if one has taken place.

Whichever is the shorter of the two periods will be applied.

Overcharge - Adjustments made from the last but one meter read from the date that the retailer is informed by us of our intention to exchange the meter.

Undercharge - adjustments will be made either as overcharge above

OR

Overcharge – Adjustment applied back up to 6 years from the date of receipt of the relevant query from the retailer.

Undercharge – Adjustment applied back up to a maximum of 6 months from date the market record is updated.

Overcharge – Adjustment applied back up to 6 years from the date we were aware i.e. site visit, case or research date (earlier date applies).

Undercharge – Adjustment applied back up to a maximum of 6 months from date the market record is updated.

We align to RWG Good Practice Guide for this allowance.

Allowance applied from the start of the charging year (1 April) in which the application is received or the date the allowance became applicable if after 1 April.

By application from the retailer only so opposite information applies.

Charges adjusted from the date of receipt of a successful application from the retailer.

  When applying for large user tariff - The charge period for the large user tariff may be backdated to the date that the retailer received the request from their customer up to a maximum of 12 months. Retailers must provide evidence.

If a premises is found not to be connected to our sewer network charges will be adjusted to a maximum of 6 years from the date that a successful claim is received from the retailer or from when the premises was disconnected or date of occupation if within the last 6 years.

When a customer is connected directly to a United Utilities wastewater treatment works but does not go via a United Utilities public sewer, there is a reduced charge. 

If a premises is found not to be connected to our sewer network, or connected directly to a United Utilities wastewater treatment works (does not go via a United Utilities public sewer) charges will be adjusted to a macimum of 6 years from the date of identiifcation (i.e site visits/research)

Allowances applied as follows:

Water and Sewerage on supply pipe only.

Customers may apply for one internal and one external leak per customer per property every 24 months.

Additional allowances against volumetric sewerage charges will be considered providing it can be demonstrated to our satisfaction that the water lost through the leak did not enter our network e.g. drained away to surrounding ground.

A volumetric allowance will be applied to the relevant service component(s) from the date of repair for the full period of the leak up to a maximum of 6 years;

Provided that the following criteria are met:

- the leak is repaired within 30 days of discovery of the leak; and
- the leak was not due to faulty machinery or equipment; and
- the leak was not caused by faulty fixtures or fittings, such as faulty cistern overflows; and
- there has been no negligence in allowing the leak to occur; and
- the application is received from the retailer within 12 months of the repair date or in accordance with the conditions (section 11) of the Industry Good Practice

Premises incorporating a domestic dwelling - where the leak is on a part of the supply that serves the domestic part of the property an allowance will be applied to water and sewerage charges in line with our Leakage code of Practice.

Where we have identified a leak on our apparatus which qualifies for full water & sewerage.

A volumetric allowance will be applied to the relevant service component(s) from the date of repair for the full period of the leak. The period of this allowance will be unlimited.

The retailer must provide data demonstrating the volume of water used for firefighting, practice or the testing of firefighting equipment. The claim must be sent by the retailer within 6 years of the event occurring

Overcharge – correct charging band applied back to a maximum of 6 months from receipt of a successful claim from the retailer If the site has been identified in the wrong location, or not at all, the banding should be adjusted up to 6 years from the date of receipt of a successful claim from the retailer.

Undercharge – correct site area charging band applied from the date that the Chargeable Area data is corrected against the SPID.

Where the customer has not received a service for which the refund is being issued. The period of refund will be extended to the date that the retailer received the request from their customer up to a maximum of 12 months. Retailers must provide evidence.

Overcharge - Correct charging band applied back to a maximum of 6 months.

If the site has been identified in the wrong location, or not at all, the banding should be adjusted up to 6 years from the date of identification ie site visit/ research completed/case created (earliest date applies)

Undercharge - correct site area charging band applied from the date that the market record is updated

Single band charge is less than the sum of the original bandings – allowance applied up to a maximum of 6 years from the date we receive a successful application from the retailer. – beneficial merge.

Single band charges greater than the sum of the original bandings – single band is applied from the date the market record is updated.

Single band charge less than the sum of the original bandings – allowance applied up to a maximum of 6 years from date identified ie site visit/research completed or date of case (earliest applies).

Single band charges greater than the sum of the original bandings - single band is applied.

Cemeteries and Local Authority parks, places of worship, scout and guide groups – Concessionary scheme will be applied from the date the property became eligible up to a maximum of 6 years from the date of receipt of a successful claim from the retailer.

Schools , Community amateur sports club (CASC), Sea Cadets, Village Hall and Community Centres – Concessionary scheme will be applied back to a maximum of 6 months from the date of receipt of a successful claim from the retailer, or date of eligibility if later.

Where the customer has not received a service for which the refund is being issued. The period of refund will be extended to the date that the retailer received the request from their customer up to a maximum of 12 months. Retailers must provide evidence.

Cemeteries and Local Authority parks, places of worship, scout and guide groups – Concessionary scheme will be applied from the date the property

became eligible up to a maximum of 6 years from identification ie site visit, research or date of case (earliest date applies).

Community amateur sports club (CASC), Sea Cadets, Village Hall and Community Centres – are by application only from the retailer only.

Schools - Concessionary scheme will be applied back to a maximum of 6 months from the date identified ie site visit/research or date of

Normal refund policy’s should be applied where double charging has occurred however, If:

- The double charge was not obvious to the customer and they could not have reasonably identified the error themselves to notify us.
- It is reasonable that UU should have been aware that double billing has occurred.

Where a premises has been vacant since market opening and the customer has recently been brought into charge for the first time we recognise that you or your customer may identify inaccuracies with charges or that certain allowances may be due. For a number of allowance types we will be extending the period for which we pay an allowance up to a maximum of 22 months from the date of your application to us. This allows you to back-bill in line with RF and an additional six month period for you to identify any adjustments that may be required. Impacted allowance types:

 - Incorrect site area charging band
- Surface water and highway drainage concessionary schemes (e.g. community amateur sports club, sea cadets, village hall, community centers, schools)
- Application of a large user tariff
- Return to sewer allowances

Undercharge - Charges will be raised back to date of occupation or up to a maximum of 6 years from the date we update the market.

Following the market code vacancy challenge process date of occupancy will be changed back to date of occupation, up to a maximum of 6 years from the date we update the market.

Currently under review