Yorkshire Water Price Increase (6.1%?)

[Cyclone]

It's not a level playing field, Cyclone, though. If I think my butcher is charging too much, I can go elsewhere.

 

What it comes down to, is that these companies are becoming greedier and greedier and it's a total disgrace when hardworking families are struggling and told they must have a pay freeze again.

 

I agree that privatising utilities was a mistake, by definition they are a monopoly, so to sell them off is to give someone a license to print money. Maybe water should be made like gas and electricity, or better it should be regulated in it's pricing by government, even if it is to be left in private ownership.

[truman]

It does seem reasonable that you pay based on the value of your property, .

 

Why? Genuine question..what does the value of your house have to do with the amount of water you use..?

[Cyclone]

Why? Genuine question..what does the value of your house have to do with the amount of water you use..?

 

Assuming that house prices are fairly homogenous across an area, houses worth more will be bigger (including having bigger gardens, etc...).

 

House size correlates quite well (although not perfectly) with family size and having a larger garden means using water for plants more often.

 

I don't expect that it's a perfect fit, but I'd think that higher value houses generally use more water.

 

There might also be a throwback to the relationship to council tax, higher value houses don't actually use more council services, but they are charged more, it's the 'from each what they can afford' bit of socialism isn't it!

[biotechpete]

I agree that privatising utilities was a mistake, by definition they are a monopoly, so to sell them off is to give someone a license to print money. Maybe water should be made like gas and electricity, or better it should be regulated in it's pricing by government, even if it is to be left in private ownership.

 

The water industsry is regulated in a very similar way to the energy industry by Ofwat. They have agreed the increase to fund investment.

From the link in my OP:

In 2009 the industry regulator, Ofwat, announced a five-year plan of annual rises from 2010 to 2015 to help fund £22bn of investments.

 

Though as far as I can see, we in the YW region are getting among the smallest amount of investment in return for the biggest increases.