Price Promise
Scottish Water is committed to providing you with a consistent, value for money service. We believe that you should only pay for services you actually receive. That is what our Price Promise Standards are all about.
If, under normal operating conditions, we fail to meet a specified minimum level of service in any of 6 key aspects you can apply to receive an appropriate rebate of your water or waste water charges. The following defines what we mean by service failure for each of the 6 Price Promise Standards and the rebate payment that Scottish Water customers will be entitled to. Some of these payments are paid automatically and for others you need to make a claim.
1. Properties on the Low Pressure Register
Automatic payment
We will pay back 100% of your annual water charge for as long as you remain on the register.
2. Properties on the Internal At Risk Flood Register
Automatic payment
A rebate of 100% of your annual waste water charge for as long as you remain on the register for those at risk from overloaded sewers.
3. Properties materially affected by external flooding from sewers
Claimed payment
Each time you are flooded you can claim 50% of your annual waste water charges up to a maximum of 2 payments, making 100% of your annual waste water charge in any financial year.
Materially affected is defined as when you cannot access your home or building without stepping through sewage flooding within your property boundary.
- Your garden is extensively flooded, meaning it is effectively destroyed and your family and pets can no longer enjoy it.
- Your land is extensively flooded, effectively destroying it so that you cannot plant crops or put livestock on it.
4. Unplanned interruptions to supply
Claimed payment
This applies when there is a failure in our network and the interruption is not related to work we are carrying out. If you are affected you can claim between 25% - 100% of your annual water charge for between 3 and 6 incidents, up to a maximum of 100% of your annual water charge in any one year.
5. Impairment of water quality
Claimed payment
This applies if your water quality is poor on an ongoing basis over a 3 month period. We will confirm the quality failure by testing samples in our lab. If it is caused by Scottish Water's pipework and we cannot solve the issue within that 3 months, you can claim 100% of your annual water charge in any one year.
Impaired quality is defined as:
- When you cannot use your water for normal purposes because of the number and nature of the particles in it.
- Given notice from us to boil your water or not use it for more than 3 months.
If the Drinking Water Regulator has agreed your area is exempt, you will not be able to claim this Standard.
6. Connections to the existing water network
Claimed payment
This is based on connections to the existing water network. If there is evidence that we have caused a delay in connecting you, we will be liable from the agreed connection date, up to a maximum of the connection charge.
- Payment will be 20 pounds per day where it is up to and including a 32mm outside diameter pipe.
- You can claim 100 pounds per day where the pipe is greater than 32mm outside diameter. There are some situations when you cannot claim a Price Promise Standard, such as when your water or waste water service fails due to:
- Extreme weather conditions.
- General surface water flooding in the area.
- Your own actions.
- A defect or blockage in your private drain.
- Industrial action or actions by others
All rebate payments are made to a maximum of 1000 pounds for Price Promise Standards numbered 1-5 above. Customers are only entitled to a maximum of one payment of water and/or waste water charges in any given year or rolling year.
How to contact us
If you require more information on our services, please contact us:
By phone on our Customer Helpline: 0845 601 8855. We record all calls for quality and training purposes.
Write to us:
Scottish Water,
PO Box 8855, Edinburgh,
EH10 6YQ
Alternative formats of the Price Promise leaflet below can be sent to you free of charge. Textphone users please call 0845 603 8855.
For information on Braille, large print, audio and a variety of languages, please call 0845 606 8855.
Some of the payments are paid automatically and for others you need to make a claim within 3 months of the incident.
Please quote this reference code when contacting us: SWPPS 05/13
Guaranteed Standards of Service and our Price Promise. If we do not meet certain standards of service listed in this document you can apply to receive a rebate on your water and waste water charges.
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