Decision report 201203839

Summary

Mr C has a commercial workshop in his garden. After he fitted a toilet in the workshop, Business Stream issued him with invoices for water and water services. As the premises concerned were not metered, they based the charges on rateable value. Mr C was unhappy with this, and disconnected the water to the toilet. He complained that Business Stream continued to invoice him for water services only, which he considered unreasonable.

Our investigation took all the relevant information into account, including the complaints correspondence and details of Mr C's account, as well as Business Stream's internal computerised records and investigations with Scottish Water. This confirmed the situation as described by Mr C but the investigation also showed that, in terms of the relevant legislation, Business Stream were obliged to charge non-domestic premises on the basis of their rateable value, whether there was a connection or not. Business Stream were not charging for either waste water or drainage. They had, however, recognised Mr C's concerns and provided a number of options to resolve his problem. They also allowed him to pay money outstanding over a fifteen month period.