Southern Water to use debt collectors against customers boycotting payment
Southern Water is threatening to use debt collection agencies against customers involved in a payment boycott in protest against continuing raw sewage discharges.
The water company, which was given the lowest one star rating for performance by the Environment Agency, has informed boycotters that it will be using bailiffs if they continue to hold back bill payments.
One customer was told in an email this week: “For customers who are unwilling to pay, we will have no option but to pursue the debts incurred and these charges will be passed to our debt collection team. Additional fees could be applied to your account and your credit rating may be affected.
“While we strive to resolve all complaints to our customer’s satisfaction, our complaints procedure has been exhausted in relation to storm overflows and payments for services. We’ll not correspond further on this matter.”
The threat marks a hardening of attitude by the company, which earlier this year offered customers discounts for the part of their bill which covers treatment of wastewater.
The boycott is being taken in protest at what the customers say is Southern’s failure to carry out an essential part of their role, to treat sewage before releasing it.
Southern was fined £90m in 2021 for dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea around Whitstable and the Hampshire coast.
Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson, sentencing the privatised water company at Canterbury crown court, said the offences showed a shocking and wholesale disregard for the environment. The water company is still under a criminal investigation over the discharges by the Environment Agency.
The threat to use debt collection agencies comes as beaches across the Southern water area were under a pollution risk
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