As reported in The Property Drum today the
Government is considering pulling back from powers that would force landlords
to share information on changes of tenancy with water companies, and even make
them liable for their tenants’ debts.
Proposed under The Flood and Water Management
Act, the Government’s current plan is to make owners liable for payment of
water and sewerage bills if they fail to provide specified details of
occupiers.
Mindful of the burden that regulation may
impose on landlords, the Government is considering whether ‘bad debt’ can be
tackled through a voluntary and non-regulatory approach.
Government believes that the lack of
consequences of non-payment has contributed to unpaid bills from domestic water
customers spiralling from £705m in 1998-99 to £1.635bn in 20010-11. The
industry wrote off approximately £328 million of household debt in 2010-11 an
increase of £168 million from the previous year.
