RA action could return more than £50,000 to Hilltop Park residents
Water refunds could return more than £50,000 to Hilltop Park
Hilltop Park residents could collectively be entitled to more than £50,000 in water-bill refunds and future reductions.
The issue was uncovered through the persistence of one resident, who investigated the charges and brought the evidence to the Residents’ Association. We supported the work, raised it with Wessex Water and helped establish what residents may be able to claim.
At least one household has already received a refund of £151.52. Eligible households could also save around £28 every year until the drainage network is adopted.
Why residents may be entitled to money back
Water bills can include a charge for taking rainwater from a property into the public sewer network.
Wessex Water has confirmed that the relevant drainage network at Hilltop Park remains the developer’s responsibility and has not yet been adopted by the water company.
That means eligible households whose surface water doesn’t drain into Wessex Water’s public network may be entitled to a rainwater drainage allowance.
Depending on the household and its billing history, this can include:
- a refund for previous eligible years;
- a reduction of around £28 on the current annual bill; and
- the same reduction in future years until the network is adopted.
What could this be worth across Hilltop Park?
There are close to 500 properties on the estate. At approximately £28 per property, the annual reduction could be worth around £14,000 across Hilltop Park.
If eligibility extended across the estate for six years, the theoretical value at today’s rate would be approximately £84,000. Individual refunds will vary according to billing history, eligibility and the rates charged in each year, so we are using the more cautious estimate that the total benefit could exceed £50,000.
Even at that lower figure, this is a significant amount of residents’ money.
Credit where it is due
This result began with one resident refusing to accept that the charge was correct.
They deserve real credit for persistently investigating the issue, gathering the information and continuing to pursue it. The Residents’ Association was then able to support the work, escalate it and share the outcome with the wider estate.
It is a good example of why resident involvement matters. One person raising a well-founded concern can uncover something that benefits hundreds of households.
Check whether you can claim
Residents can apply directly through Wessex Water’s online rainwater drainage allowance form:
Apply for a rainwater drainage allowance
The form’s reference to a “soakaway” may be confusing. Hilltop Park uses an estate-wide surface water drainage system rather than individual household soakaways. Wessex Water has confirmed that this system remains unadopted and is the developer’s responsibility. For billing purposes, affected properties should therefore qualify for the same allowance as properties using a soakaway.
You can check whether the allowance has already been applied by looking at the sewerage section of your latest bill. It should show “Standing Charge with Rainwater Allowance”. If your bill only shows the standard standing charge, we recommend completing the application.
The amount received will depend on individual circumstances, but it is worth checking. At least one Hilltop Park resident has already successfully received both a refund and an ongoing reduction.
If you make a successful claim, please tell the Residents’ Association. Knowing how many households benefit will help us establish the true value returned to Hilltop Park.