Help & Advice - IWNL https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/ Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:33:18 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cropped-iwnl-favicon-32x32.png Help & Advice - IWNL https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/ 32 32 Surface Water Drainage https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/surface-water-drainage/ Tue, 27 Aug 2024 08:17:32 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=5389 Understanding Surface Water Drainage

Surface water drainage refers to the system that collects and channels rainwater (surface water) away from properties and public spaces. This water typically flows through drains into sewers and/or green infrastructure like ponds, swales, and raingardens.

When rainwater falls on properties, it runs off surfaces like roofs, driveways, and patios, and is directed into public drainage systems. This will then be charged as part of your wastewater standing charge on your bill.

Water Drainage pipe with water stones gravel around house.

Eligibility for Surface Water Drainage Rebate

You may be eligible for a rebate on your surface water drainage charges if you meet certain criteria. These criteria typically include:

  1. No Surface Water Connection:
    • Your property does not have any surface water entering the public drainage system. This usually means that all rainwater collected on your property is directed to and managed through a private drainage system, such as soakaways, that does not connect to the public sewer.
  2. Proper Documentation:
    • You must provide evidence to support your claim for a rebate. This could include drainage plans or photographs indicating how surface water is managed on your property.
Close up of woman sorting through a stack of documents.

How to Apply for a Rebate

  1. Assess Your Property:
    • Determine if surface water from your property enters the public drainage system. Ensure there are no connections to public sewers and provide evidence of your private drainage system.
  2. Submit an Application:
    • Complete the rebate application form. Attach all supporting evidence and submit your application for review.
  3. Review:
    • Our team will review your application and may contact you for further information or to arrange an inspection of your property.
  4. Rebate Approval:
    • If your application is approved, the rebate will be applied to your account, and future bills will reflect the reduced charge.

Application Form

 

Important Considerations

  • Changes in Property: Inform us if there are any changes to your property that might affect surface water drainage, such as building extensions or changes in drainage systems.

For further information or assistance with your application, please contact us.

]]> Priority Services Register https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/extra-help-where-its-needed/ Tue, 07 Sep 2021 08:42:02 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=3383

We understand that we have customers with vulnerabilities, so we have developed a range of free services to help make it easier for them.

We can help a wide range of people, from those who are of State Pension age, disabled or have a long-term illness, or perhaps a sight or hearing loss, or have a child under 5 years old in the house.

We offer a range of services and support, from sending out bills in an alternative format, speaking with someone else about your account on your behalf and helping you find a way to pay for your bills.

We will find the right support for you, no matter your age, health or life circumstances.

For more information, download our Priority Services Register flyer.

Download

We are constantly reviewing and evolving what we do for our vulnerable customers. Our Vulnerability Strategy details what we are doing now and in the future to continue to help and support anyone in a vulnerable scenario.

 

Who we can help

We can support lots of people, in lots of different ways. If you have any questions, or you’d like to talk to us about joining our Priority Services Register, you can contact us, or login to your account to add services to your account.

Close up of someone tracing their hands over a document written in braille.

If you’re deaf, hard of hearing or have a sight or speech impairment

We can send you your bills in Braille, large print or audio formats. We can also call you to talk your bill out loud to you, or we can send bills to someone you trust if this is easier for you.

Sign up for alternative bill formats

A woman sitting at a desk with an open laptop and notebook in front of her, she is looking down and writing notes.

If English isn't your first language

If English isn’t your first language we can help by providing translated bills or documents.

We also have Recite Me on our website; an online tool which allows you to change our website to meet your needs. You can translate text into different languages, as well as play the text out loud.

For more information on Recite Me, please visit our accessibility page.

A man at a kitchen table in the foreground, sitting in front of a laptop, with documents in one hand and a calculator in the other. In the background, a woman leans against the kitchen counter looking at her phone.

If you have low income or struggling financially

If you are finding it hard to manage your finances, you can talk to us, or visit our help page for more information on how we can help you.

We will do all we can to help you, this may include looking at a payment plan, allowing you a bit of breathing space, or seeing if you are eligible for one of our discounted rates, for example WaterSure.

Help with paying

A woman holding a baby close to her face, with their noses touching. The woman is smiling.

If you're an expectant mother or have a child under 5 years old

We’ll contact you as a priority if your water supply is going to be interrupted, to give you time to prepare.

An elderly woman wearing a face mask standing inside a house looking out through open patio doors to the garden.

If you need help managing your account

You can ask someone you trust to talk to us about your account on your behalf.

A nominated third party will be able to help manage your account on your behalf, which includes dealing with account and billing queries, being contacted if bills are not paid, receiving bills and paying them for you.

To nominate someone else to discuss and manage your account, please fill out our Third Party Form or contact us.

Third Party Form

An elderly man with his back to the camera opens his front door to another man, who is wearing a lanyard.

If you want extra reassurance when we visit your property

Unfortunately, there are criminals who may pretend to work for utility companies to gain entry to your home. We refer to them as ‘Bogus Callers’.

For added protection and peace of mind, we operate a doorstep password scheme which is free and open to all our customers. Once you have set up a password, any employee from IWNL will need to quote this before entering your home.

To sign up to the Doorstep Password Scheme, either log into your online account, or contact us.

A doctor sits next to an elderly woman on a sofa and holds her hand. There is a wheelchair to the right of the sofa.

If you have restricted mobility or a disability or you need to use vital medical equipment

If you receive home dialysis or are reliant on other mechanical medical devices at home, or if you have a disability, we will let you know as far in advance as possible if there’s going to be a supply interruption in your area.

We will offer you priority fault repair and provide an alternative supply of water if the supply is interrupted for more than 12 hours.

]]> Our Guaranteed Standards https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/our-guaranteed-standards-scheme/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:15:43 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=5198 We work hard to make sure all our customers receive great service. Our promises to you are outlined below. They set out the standards you can expect from us and the payments you may be entitled to if we fail to meet these standards.

The rates set out below are aligned to Ofwat’s standards which can be seen here. We will either align to Ofwat, or match any compensation offered by the traditional water company in your area which provides a bulk supply of water to us (whichever is the greatest value).

Summary of payment amounts that apply in England and Wales

  • When we make an appointment with you, we’ll offer you either a morning appointment (before 12pm) or an afternoon appointment (after 12pm).
  • You can ask for an appointment within a two-hour time frame that suits you.
  • If we need to change your appointment, we’ll give you at least 24 hours’ notice.
An elderly man with his back to the camera opens his front door to another man, who is wearing a lanyard. If we do not book the appointment correctly, we’ll pay you £40 (or credit this amount to your account).

If we do not keep the appointment, we will pay you £50 (or credit this amount to your account).
  • We will pay you within 10 working days. If we do not pay you within this time, you can claim a further £40 by contacting us within three months.

If you cancel or miss the appointment, you will not be eligible to receive any payment under this standard.

 

  • We’ll reply to any written queries about your account within five working days from the date we receive your letter or email.
  • If we fail to meet this standard, we’ll pay you £40 (or credit this amount to your account)
  • We will pay you within 10 working days. If we do not pay you within this time, you can claim a further £40 (£40 for business customers) by contacting us within three months.

You won’t be eligible to receive any payment under this standard if your query is vexatious, or you tell us that you don’t want to follow up your query.

A woman sitting at a desk with an open laptop and notebook in front of her, she is looking down and writing notes.
  • If you ask us for a receipt for a payment you have made, we’ll send it to you within five working days.
  • If you ask us for a copy of a bill, we’ll send it to you within five working days.
  • If you move out of your property we’ll send you a final bill within five working days of you telling us that you’ve moved (as long as you have taken a meter reading on the day you moved out, or you’re happy for us to use an estimated reading).

 

  • If you write to us asking to change your payment method and we cannot do this, we’ll tell you within five working days of receiving your letter.
  • If we don’t respond to your request within this time, we’ll pay you £40 (or credit this amount to your account).
  • We will pay you within 10 working days. If we do not pay you within this time, you can claim a further £40 (£40 for business customers) by contacting us within three months.

 

Close up of a woman typing on a smart phone.
    • We’ll respond to all written complaints within 10 working days from the date we receive your letter or email.
    • If we do not respond to you within this time, we’ll pay you £40 (or credit this amount to your account).
    • We will pay you within 10 working days. If we do not pay you within this time, you can claim a further £40 (£40 for business customers) by contacting us within three months.

 

You won’t be eligible to receive any payment under this standard if your complaint is vexatious, or you tell us that you don’t want to follow up your complaint.

Occasionally we may need to turn off your water supply to carry out essential, planned work.

  • If we need to interrupt your water supply for more than four hours, we’ll give you at least 48 hours’ notice. We’ll also let you know when we expect to turn your water back on.
  • If we fail to give you notice about planned work, or your water supply is not back on within the specified timeframe, we’ll automatically pay you £50 (£100 for business customers).
  • If we do not pay you within 20 working days of the date your water supply was interrupted, we may pay you an additional £40 (£100 for business customers).

 

Close up of a burst pipe leaking water, sitting in muddy water.
    • If your supply turns off unexpectedly, for example due to a burst main, we’ll aim to get your supply back on within 12 hours of when we became aware of the problem, except in exceptional circumstances.
    • If we can’t get your supply back on within 12 hours, we’ll automatically pay you £50 (£100 for business customers).
    • For each additional period of 12 hours where we do not fix the supply, we’ll pay you an additional £50 (£100 for business customers).
    • If we do not pay you within 20 working days of the date your water supply was interrupted, we may pay you an additional £40 (£100 for business customers). However, in some cases we may not know that the supply to your property was interrupted. In these cases, you will need to contact us to claim your payment.
    • If your supplies are affected by an unplanned interruption, we’ll aim to let you know where you can get an alternative supply of water, if this applies, and who you should contact for more information.

 

We will not pay you compensation if the burst main has been caused by third-party damage.

Internal flooding

  • If sewage from our sewers enters your home, or passes beneath a suspended floor, the first time this happens we‘ll automatically cancel or refund your yearly sewerage charges.
  • We’ll work out any future payments by looking at your water use from the previous year, and calculating the amount you would have been likely to pay based on this year’s prices. There is a minimum of £300, and a maximum limit of £2,000 for each payment we make under this standard.
  • For repeated incidents in the same rolling 12 month period, the minimum increases by £100 per repeat occurrence and the maximum by £500 per repeat occurrence.
  • If we don’t pay you automatically within 20 working days of the flooding, we’ll pay you an additional £40 (£100 for business customers).
  • We will disinfect the area affected and try to help with removing sewage debris.

External flooding

  • We will pay you compensation if water escapes from our sewers and enters your garden, and you let us know at the time. The amount we may pay you will depend on the type and amount of flood damage.
  • We may make more than one payment in a year, and you can claim up to half of your annual sewerage charges (from a minimum payment of £150, up to a maximum of £1000).
  • For repeated incidents in the same rolling 12 month period, the minimum increases by £50 per repeat occurrence and the maximum by £250 per repeat occurrence.
  • If we don’t pay you automatically within 20 working days of the flooding, we’ll pay you an additional £40 (£40 for business customers).
  • We will clean the area affected and try to help with removing sewage debris.

 

  • We will pay you compensation if your water supply is interrupted as a result of a drought order.
  • We will pay you £10 per day or part day (up to the limit of last year’s average household bill).
  • We will pay business customers £50 per day or part day (up to the limit of last year’s water charges for the premises or up to £500 if you were not liable for last year’s charges).

Close up of a hand under a tap with the water running
  • If, due to unplanned events, the water pressure falls below seven metres static head (the minimum water pressure that water companies should maintain) for at least one hour on two separate occasions within a 28-day period, we’ll pay you £50.
  • We will pay you up to five payments in each financial year. We will automatically pay £250 a year for customers with ongoing low pressure issues.
  • If we do not pay you within 20 working days of the date of the low pressure, we will pay you an additional £40 (£40 for business customers)
  • If we don’t automatically pay you, as we cannot identify a drop in pressure, you can contact us within three months of when the pressure dropped to make a claim.

 

A hand holding a glass of water, which is being filled up under a tap.
    • If we discover a problem with the quality of the water we supply to you, we’ll act immediately to do everything we can to fix it as quickly as possible.
    • On some occasions, we may have to place restrictions on your water use. If we have to issue you with a water quality notice, and the supply is not restored by the end of a 48-hour period, we will pay you £40. We will pay you an additional £20 for each number of complete 24-hour periods after the initial 48-hour period during which the quality of supply is not restored. (Up to the cap of the sum of the water supply charges payable by the customer for the financial year in which the notice is served).
    • If we do not pay you within 20 working days of the date of the water quality issue, we will pay you an additional £40 (£40 for business customers)
    • If you tell us that you are not happy with the taste or smell of your water, we’ll investigate. This will involve sending an engineer to your property to take water samples, which will be sent off for testing. We will tell you how long we think it will take to get the results.

 

  • When you register with our Priority Services Register, we will provide you with confirmation that you have been added.
  • If we fail to confirm your registration within 30 days of you joining the Priority Services Register, we will automatically pay you £100.
  • If we do not pay you within 20 working days, we will pay you an additional £40.

 

  • If you are registered onto the Priority Services Register, but we fail to deliver the priority service during an incident, we will pay you £100.
  • If we do not pay you within 20 working days of the incident in which we failed to provide you with priority services, we will pay you an additional £40.

 

If your account is in arrears (debt), we will undertake a debt recovery process. Part of our process requires us to send you two ‘Outstanding charges notices’. We will give you an opportunity to make payment arrangements or make any representations, in relation to the arrears.

If we fail to do this before we share the arrears information with credit reference agencies, or start legal action, we will pay you £150.

If we do not pay you within 20 days, you are entitled to a further £40.

  • We will read your water meter at least once every 13 months.
  • If we fail to read your water meter at least once every 13 months, we will pay you £40 for the first occurrence.
  • If we fail for a second or subsequent time to read your meter within a 13 month period, we will pay you a subsequent payment of £80.
  • If we do not pay you within 20 days, we will pay you £40.

 

Every home that we supply has a water meter installed already as standard. We do not currently supply any properties on un-measured charges. 

However if there was a situation where a water meter was requested to be installed by a customer, we need to install one and change the tariff to metered charges within 8 weeks after the customer request.

If we fail to do this, you will not have to pay for water charges from the day after the anticipated measured charging date, up to the date we install and change your account to measured charges.

  • If we are made aware that we have made a mistake when handling a payment by direct debit or standing order, for example, we take a direct debit from your account on a date other than the agreed date, or for a different amount, we will rectify this. If you can provide proof of any bank charges or financial loss incurred as a result of our error we will refund you.

 

  • If a court claim is made against you for not paying your bills, and this is due to a mistake or oversight that we have made, we will pay you £100.

 

  • If there is damage to your property as a result of discoloured water, we will pay you compensation.
  • You must send all claims to us in writing. We will decide how much compensation we pay you based on the type and amount of damage.
  • When we pay the cost of replacing damaged parts of your property, the damaged goods will become our property.

  • We are not required by law to make a payment if we fail to meet a guaranteed standard because of circumstances outside our reasonable control. This includes extreme weather conditions, strikes, third-party actions, or acts of customer negligence (recklessness or carelessness).
  • If you owe us money and more than six weeks have passed since the payment was due, we will use any amount you are owed in compensation under this scheme to reduce the amount you owe us.
  • Your rights to take legal action as a result of loss or damage are not affected by payments we make to you under this scheme.
  • By paying you any amount of money under this scheme, we are not accepting or admitting that we are at fault.
  • If you have a dispute with us about your right to a payment, please follow our complaints procedure. You can read this on our website here.

Good to know

Video

What are my water charges?

Find out the water charges for your area.

Go to page
Video

Help with paying your bills

We understand sometimes it can be difficult to pay for all your household bills. Find out how we can help give you extra support.

Go to page
Video

Priority Services Register

We provide a range of services to support customers who feel they need a little extra help, perhaps because of their age, health or a disability, or if they’re going through a difficult time in their lives.

Go to page
]]> WaterSure https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/watersure/ Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:17:34 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=4526

We operate a special scheme known as WaterSure that is designed to reduce the effect that having a water meter has on vulnerable customers who use large amounts of water.

After you have qualified for WaterSure, you will pay:

  • your metered bill based on the amount of water you have used; or
  • a yearly charge which reflects the average household bill for a water or sewerage service (or both) in your area;
    whichever is lower.

In order to qualify you must occupy the premises as your only or principal home, the principal use of the premises must be as your home and the water supply should not be used to water gardens (other than by hand) or replenish a pond or swimming pool with a capacity greater than 10,000 litres., and the following two conditions need to be fulfilled:

You may be eligible for the WaterSure scheme if you:

  • receive Child Benefit for three or more children under 19 who live in your household; or
  • someone in your household uses more water than average because of a medical condition

Eligibility

1) You (or another resident) should be in receipt of one of the following:

  • Council Tax Benefit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (except for families in receipt of the family element only)
  • Pension Credit
  • Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Universal Credit

2) There should three or more children under the age of 19 living at the property for whom child benefit is being claimed, or someone in the household should have been diagnosed with one of the following medical conditions:

  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Abdominal stomas
  • Incontinence
  • Desquamation (flaky skin disease)
  • Kidney failure requiring dialysis at home (except where a contribution is made by the health authority towards the cost of water used)
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Weeping skin disease (eczema, psoriasis, varicose ulceration)
  • Any other condition that necessitates significant extra use of water

To support your claim you will need to include copies of the following documentation where applicable with your completed application form:

Benefits or tax credits:

Photocopy of the latest notice of entitlement or award notice. This should be less than one year old for benefits, less than six months old for tax credits. If you have lost your notice of entitlement or award notice certificate, please get a replacement certificate by contacting the organisation that administers the benefit or tax credit to you.

Three or more children for whom benefit is claimed:

Evidence of the entitlement for child benefit that includes the dates of birth of each child. This can be either a completed copy of form CH84TS available from the Child Benefit Centre, or a photocopy of both the front and inside cover of your child benefit book. If you cannot find your latest notice of entitlement for child benefit, please contact the Child Benefit Centre for a copy.

Medical condition – specified on the list on the list above:

Medical evidence such as a doctor’s certificate, a letter/statement signed by a registered medical practitioner, or a copy of a repeat prescription.

Medical condition – not specified on the list above:

A written certificate/statement signed by a registered medical practitioner, which states:

  • The name of the person with the medical condition
  • The diagnosis of the medical condition, which results in significant use of water
  • Date the certificate was given
  • Name and address of the registered practitioner

More information

Please note that it may be necessary for us to contact an appropriate authority such as the Benefits Agency, Inland Revenue or a medical practitioner in connection with the information that you have given in this form. We will treat all information as confidential and we will not use it for any other purpose.

To process your WaterSure application, IWNL will also share your details with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to confirm your benefit status.

You will receive WaterSure credits, where applicable, while we verify your eligibility. If the DWP cannot confirm this, we will contact you for more information. If you are not able to provide the required evidence, any WaterSure credits applied to your account will be reversed.

You will then be required to re-register if you think that you still qualify for the tariff. We will send you a reminder to let you know when you need to re-register, but if you do not, your account will automatically transfer to the basic tariff.

If you tell us during the year that you are no longer eligible for the WaterSure scheme, we will switch your account to the basic tariff from the date of the next scheduled meter reading.

You must inform us immediately if you cease to qualify for the Watersure Tariff. At the end of the charging year the charges will be adjusted if necessary, so that your charges do not exceed the amount you would have paid under the Standard Measured tariff or such other tariff for which you would have qualified if you had not applied for the Watersure tariff.

We may check entitlement to the tariff through visits, periodic requests for proofs of benefits entitlement and medical condition and periodic checks with JobcentrePlus, the DWP, Inland Revenue, the Pension Service or by contacting your medical practitioner.

]]> Reading Your Water Meter https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/reading-your-water-meter/ Wed, 30 Jun 2021 23:01:25 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=2938

Watch our helpful video on how to read your water meter simply and easily.

.

Your water meter

We use meters to bill our customers; calculating the amount of water you have actually used.

Our meters communicate via radio signal to pick up your reads remotely; we aim to read the meter at least once a year. They also have alarms that assist in the detection of leaks, high consumption and stuck meters.

To locate your water meter please watch the video above. Our preferred meter location is external either at our stopcock or inside the boundary of your property. If you can’t find your meter, ring us on 02920 028 711 and we’ll help you to locate it.

To submit a meter read please login into your account

Testing your meter

If you suspect your meter is faulty, you can contact us and request we test it. The meter will be independently tested and if necessary, be removed and replaced.

If your meter has tested as faulty, the charges will be adjusted to reflect the correct level of usage. We will calculate this either from the date the meter became faulty, or if we don’t know the date, we will calculate it from the date of the second-to-last meter reading.

Please note, if your meter is not faulty, you may be charged for the test, the replacement of the meter, postage, packaging and other administrative costs. Please note: The meter is the property of IWN and it is a criminal offence to tamper with it, or remove it.

]]> Understanding Your Bill https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/understanding-your-bill/ Wed, 02 Feb 2022 09:20:46 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=3917
Illustration of an IWNL bill

Your bill explained

Utility bills can sometimes be confusing. We have put together this helpful guide so you can see how your water bill is made up. If you have any questions please get in touch.

Download

If you’ve received your bill and it is based on an estimated read, if you provide us with an accurate reading, we can update your bill right away and you’ll see your new balance.

Billing on demand

]]> Water Quality Sampling – Home Visit https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-quality-sampling-home-visit/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:30:42 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=5272
Street view of new built houses.

Why we collect samples

We will collect water samples from your kitchen tap to ensure the water quality meets the standards set by the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016. These are random samples, so one of our samplers may knock on your door unexpectedly. They will carry ID badges at al times to identify who they are before entering the premises. If there are any concerns raised about water quality, possibly by your neighbours, We might also collect samples from your property. These samples will be sent to a laboratory for testing, we will only get in touch if there is an issue, so if you don’t hear from us about these then there is no need to be concerned.

Each sampling process takes approximately 40 minutes and includes a free plumbing check (also called a fittings inspection).

Close up of two men shaking hands, with one forward facing and wearing a hi-vis vest

Process

  • The technician will ask at the doorstep if you have a water softener and will verify this by checking under the kitchen sink once inside.
  • You will be asked to remove any items from the kitchen sink, such as cutlery or plates.
  • The technician will remove any fittings from your tap, like an aerator, and will reinstall them before leaving.
  • Your water will be tested for temperature, free chlorine, and total chlorine.
  • A swab will be taken from your kitchen tap.
  • The technician will disinfect the tap with a chlorous solution before collecting a sample for bacteriological analysis.
  • The tap will be flushed for at least 4 minutes.
  • The technician will ensure your kitchen tap and surrounding areas are left as they were found.
  • In some cases, a sample may also be taken from the bathroom tap.

Fittings Inspection

We are responsible for ensuring that the supply system complies with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. This helps protect the quality and safety of the water supply.

Our technician will ask to carry out a plumbing check, which should take no longer than 15 minutes.

Man reading clipboard, while examining pipes under the sink.

Process

  • Photos will be taken of your kitchen tap, including any aerators, and the technician will clean and refit them if necessary.
  • Photos will be taken of the area under your sink to check for correct installation, including the stopcock, backflow protection valves, and any water-saving devices like pressure-reducing valves or descalers.
  • The technician will check and take photos of your garden tap to assess its backflow protection.
  • They will inspect and take photos of your utility room taps or appliances.
  • Photos will be taken of your boiler and any hot water cylinders.
  • The technician will visit your bathroom to take photos of the basin and bath taps, shower hose (checking for a shower clip), and the inlet valve of your toilet.

The technician might suggest improvements for some fittings, such as placing the shower hose back into its clip for safety. If there are significant concerns, the water regulations team will provide a detailed report highlighting necessary improvements to ensure compliance with the regulations.

]]> Paying Your Bill https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/paying-your-bill/ Mon, 06 Sep 2021 10:47:09 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=3264

If you pay by direct debit we will send you a bill twice a year. If you pay by another method, you will receive your bill every month. You must pay the full balance within 10 working days of receiving the bill. We understand that sometimes it can be difficult to manage your finances, so if you’re having problems paying your bills please contact us as soon as possible to discuss other payment options. We are here to help.

If your bill is based on an estimated meter reading, if you provide us with an accurate reading, we can update your bill right away and you’ll see your new balance. 

Billing on demand

Login screen showing the username and password boxes.

Online account

Receive your bills electronically and pay via your online account.

  • Receive a £1.50 discount on your bills every year
  • Track your monthly water outgoings online
  • Track past payments made online
  • View bills online and receive an email notification when they are ready to view

To switch to E-Billing, call our customer services team on 02920 028711, or if you already have an online account, you can login in an set this up.

Register/Login

Direct debit logo

Monthly direct debit

The easiest and cheapest way to pay! We will collect a payment from your account on the date you specify, or the next working day (if this day falls on a weekend or bank holiday). You can setup your Direct Debit to be taken weekly, fortnightly or monthly. This can really help you budget and spread your payments over manageable periods.

  • Save £3.50 on your annual bill
  • Pay your bills on time without the hassle of having to remember
  • Spread the cost over the year
  • Get peace of mind with the Direct Debit Guarantee

Switch to Direct Debit

Payzone

This a free and easy way to pay your bill. You will need to call us to request a Payzone card and agree your schedule of payments. Then simply take your card to your local Payzone retailer, along with the amount you need to pay.  To find your local outlet, please visit the Payzone website or give us a call on 02920 028711.

WaterDirect

If you receive income support, job seekers allowance, pension credits, or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions, you may be able to arrange for you to make payments directly from your benefit under WaterDirect. This only applies if you are in arrears with your water bill. Please contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for more details and make sure you let us know.

Online banking

Please use the following details to pay your bill via your own online banking services:

Our bank: Barclays
Our account number: 73619559
Sort code: 20-00-00

Please remember to quote your customer reference on all transactions. You can find this on the first page of your bill.

Credit/debit card

You can call us on 02920 028 711 and use your credit/debit card to pay over the telephone. You can arrange to pay by telephone in monthly instalments using your credit/debit card.

Post

You can pay your bill in full or by agreed instalments by sending us a cheque(s) payable to Independent Water Networks. You can find our address details on page 18 of this document.

Your bank

You can use the slip at the bottom of your bill to make cash or cheque payments at any bank or building society. Alternatively, you can call us and request a payment booklet. However, please note you may be charged a handling fee.

Post office

You can pay your bill at a Post Office using the payment slip at the bottom of the bill (although the Post Office may charge).

Barclays

You can use the slip at the bottom of your bill to make cash or cheque payments at any Barclays branch FREE OF CHARGE. Alternatively, you can call us to agree and request a payment booklet for making regular payments (e.g. monthly, fortnightly, or weekly).

Difficulty paying?

We understand at times it can be difficult to manage your finances, so if you’re having problems paying your bills, please call us on 02920 028711 to discuss alternative payment options. We can always help, but we won’t know unless you tell us!

For more information on help with paying your bills please click here.

]]> Extra Support With Paying Your Bills https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/bills/ Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:16:37 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=3958
Close up. over the shoulder view of a woman at a laptop, with receipts and a calculator next to her.

We understand sometimes it can be difficult to pay for all your household bills. If you’re worried about paying your bills, or think you might need a little extra support, we are here to help – please let us know as soon as possible.

This page provides information on the additional support we offer, as well as links to independent debt advice.

For more information, download our flyer.

Help with paying your bills

If you’re worried about your finances, please contact us.

Chat with our Financial Support Team

 

Received an estimated bill?

If your bill is based on an estimated meter reading, if you provide us with an accurate reading, we can update your bill right away and you’ll see your new balance. 

Billing on demand

 

Government help

The government can offer support to you if you are struggling. Their website lists the support you may be able to get. There’s information and advice on how to increase your income, as well as support for bills, housing and childcare costs online here.

Benefits calculator

Are you receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to?

Turn2us are a National charity who help people when times are tough. Use their Benefits Calculator to find out which welfare benefits you may be entitled to to maximise your income.

Benefits calculator

Payment plans

If you let us know you are struggling to pay your bills, we may be able to look at a payment plan which can help you spread the cost of your bills, over flexible payment periods, such as weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

If you are in arrears, the payment plan will cover the cost of your arrears and your water usage.

If you would like to discuss payment plans, please contact us.

You can also fill in our Income and Expenditure form which helps us to set up payment plans with you, which are realistic and manageable for you.

Income and Expenditure form

Social Tariffs

Our Social Tariff is aimed at customers struggling with paying their water bills. It offers discounts on water bills to low-income households that meet certain criteria. If your income is below average and you need help, please fill out our application form here and we’ll check if you’re eligible.

WaterDirect

You may be able to arrange for your payments to be taken directly from your benefits under WaterDirect. This only applies if you are in arrears with your water bill.

If you receive income support, job seekers allowance, pension credits, or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions, you may be eligible.

Please contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for more details and make sure you let us know.

Breathing space

This is a way to pause payments if you need help getting back on your feet.

If you have had a change in certain personal circumstances that has had an unexpected negative impact on your income; such as illness, redundancy or bereavement, you may be eligible.

If you would like to benefit from Breathing Space, please Contact Us.

Get discounts on your bills with:

WaterSure

WaterSure is a scheme that puts a cap on charges for customers who need to use a lot of water.

You may qualify for the Watersure scheme if someone in your household receives a benefit or tax credit, and one of the following applies:

  • The person who claims benefits or tax credits is responsible for three of more children under 19 living in the household; or
  • You or someone in your household uses more water than average because of a medical condition.

If you think you qualify and would like to apply, please download an application form here.

Aquacare Plus

This tariff has a higher annual standing charge while the charge per cubic metre is lower than the standard rate.

If you live in the Anglian Water region and are in receipt of certain state benefits, you could be eligible for lower water charges on the Aquacare Plus scheme.

Find out about the eligibility criteria by viewing our Aquacare Plus fact sheet.

If you think you qualify and would like to apply, please contact us.

Aquacare Application Form

Other ways we can support you

An elderly man in a wheelchair, with a black dog laying on his lap.

Priority Services Register

If you are of State Pension age, are disabled or have a long-term illness, and you feel you need a little extra help, we can add you to our Priority Services Register. We provide a range of services to support customers identified as vulnerable, including customers who:

  • Are blind or partially sighted
  • Are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Have disabilities
  • Have a child under the age of five living with you
  • Are in financial difficulties

To find out more, visit our Priority Services Register page, have a look at our Priority Services Register factsheet or phone us on 02920 028711.

Looking for independent advice?

You can always talk to us about your finances, but if you would like free, independent and confidential help, these organisations will be able to help:

Organisation Contact details
Step Change Free, independent debt advice.
0800 138 1111
www.stepchange.org
Citizens Advice General money, legal and consumer support.
03444 111 444
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Money Advice Service For debt advice and tools for managing budgets.
0800 138 7777
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
National Debtline Provides free help and advice on dealing with debt.
0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Turn2us www.turn2us.org.uk
Mind 0300 123 3393

https://www.mind.org.uk
Samaritans 116 123

https://www.samaritans.org
Christians Against Poverty 0800 328 0006

https://www.capuk.org
Money and Mental Health Advice https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org
Scope Free disability helpline

0808 800 3333

Helpline | Disability charity Scope UK
Organisation Contact details
Step Change Free, independent debt advice.
0800 138 1111
www.stepchange.org
Citizens Advice General money, legal and consumer support.
03444 111 444
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Money Advice Service For debt advice and tools for managing budgets.
0800 138 7777
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
National Debtline Provides free help and advice on dealing with debt.
0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Turn2us www.turn2us.org.uk
Mind 0300 123 3393

http://www.mind.org.uk
Samaritans 116 123

https://www.samaritans.org
Christians Against Poverty 0800 328 0006

http://www.capuk.org
Money and Mental Health Advice https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org
Scope Free disability helpline

0808 800 3333

Helpline | Disability charity Scope UK

Code of practice on debt

Our Code of Practice on Debt for domestic customers provides lots of information on how we can help and advice on the steps you can take.

You can view our Code of Practice on Debt here.

]]> Water Hardness https://www.iwnl.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-hardness/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:42:55 +0000 https://www.iwnl.co.uk/?post_type=custom_post_projects&p=4198

In Your Area

The hardness of your water depends on how many naturally occurring minerals are present in it. This will be determined by the geographical features of where you live in the UK.

There is no health-based standard for the hardness of drinking water and hard water is perfectly safe to drink, in fact there is lots of evidence that it can even be good for our health.

To find out the water hardness in your area, please enter your postcode here.

You can read more on water hardness in our advice leaflet.

 

Limescale

Limescale is common in hard water areas and is a result of the naturally elevated concentrations of calcium and magnesium. One of the signs of a hard water supply is limescale deposits on basins, sinks, baths and toilets. Normal household limescale removing cleaning products can help you to get rid of this.

Water companies do not usually soften water because if the water is too soft it can cause the water pipes to corrode. If you would like to soften your water at home, there are many devices available but be aware that some of these lead to water with a high sodium content which should not be used for drinking or cooking. We are unable to advise on the use of water softeners or descalers. For independent advice, you can contact British Water or Water Regs UK.

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