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Families break the law to keep warm (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Families break the law to keep warm
1:20pm Thursday 6th November 2008
Families are risking prosecution by refusing to pay their water bills in a bid to save enough money to cover rocketing energy prices.
Chippenham residents living in Allington, Redlands, Westcroft, London Road, Pewsham, Monkton Park and Hill Rise have already refused to pay their water bills because water company Wessex Water cannot cut off individual homes.
They are also doing this because if they are taken to court they think they will be made to pay back the outstanding debt and any incurred costs on a nominal basis – usually £1 a month.
Chippenham town councillor Bill Douglas sympathises with their situation.
He said: “In Chippenham, families in the benefit and lower income sections that I work with are discussing the possibility of jointly stopping all payments on water bills, as they know that water supplies cannot be cut off.
“The feeling being, that this is the only way of surviving the crisis.
“With the money saved they hope to pay energy bills and get through the coming winter.
“It may be a desperate measure but one can only sympathise with their plight and ask that the Government take practical steps to assist people in their situation.”
One father-of-three from the Redland area said: “I have stopped paying my water bill because I simply cannot afford to pay it.
“We would rather be warm and alive than owe a few pounds here and there.”
But the move has been slammed by North Wiltshire MP James Gray and by Wessex Water.
Mr Gray said: “As citizens were are duty bound to pay our bills.”
A Wessex Water spokesman said: “It would be irresponsible for anyone to encourage customers not to pay their water bill just because it is a service that can’t be disconnected.
“If people do not pay their water bills, other customers who do pay would end up paying more. Wessex Water has a range of “Wessex Water has a range of schemes that support people who are struggling to pay their water bills, however, we won’t hesitate to take action, through using various debt recovery measures, against those who are simply refusing to pay.”
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Your Say YourGazette
Grumpy Old Cynic, Chippenham says...
4:57pm Sat 8 Nov 08
mobyduck, Devizes says...
11:01am Sun 9 Nov 08
Mike J, says...
12:41pm Sun 9 Nov 08
Under the "Home Office- Joint Tenancy Agreement" councils openly discriminate in favour of foreigners claiming asylum. ALL of their household bills are paid at source by the landlord (and repaid by the govt)and that is before they get their weekly allowance to spend on what they wil. No such luxury is afforded to UK citizens in need.
A level playing field is all people want.
mjhudston, Chippenham says...
10:44am Mon 10 Nov 08
If I cant aford something, I go without. I pay all my bills. I turned down my heating to save moeny, I walk whereever possible to avoid using fuel.
I wonder if any of these families have actually contacted the water company to discuss their problems. Or have they been seeking independant financial advice.
Oh and yes, how many of these use their cars un-nessasarilly, and have sky subscriptions and the like which are all luxuries.
And one of them was a father of three. Being blunt, maybe if you had thought of the cost of having so many children, then you wouldnt have a large family in the first place.
Why should I subsidise thouse of you that cant learn to keep your out goings lower than your income. Its not as if you have all suddenly been made redundant.
Paul Tucker, Chippenham says...
12:49pm Wed 12 Nov 08
mobyduck wrote:How much are you prepared to bet?
I wonder how many of these people have a Sky subscription, drive large cars and enjoy nights out at the pub. Quite a few I'll bet.
I can only guess that you work, or know someone who works for the Gazette and Herald. I can't think of any other reason why your bigoted prejudices have been aired on the home-page.
The comments should be more along the lines of "why do we have to pay for water in this country?". There's no shortage of the raw material.
mobyduck, Devizes says...
6:53pm Wed 12 Nov 08
opinionated-08, Devizes says...
9:42pm Wed 12 Nov 08
hendyphilhendy, Coate says...
8:34am Thu 13 Nov 08
I too am fed up, as someone who works hard to earn a wage, see people who refuse to work given a house to live in and have council tax benefits etc.
How about some benefits to the people who pay their bills!!
anon246, says...
6:24pm Sat 15 Nov 08
Yes water is plentiful on this earth but without the water companies we wouldn't be able to turn on a tap in our own home and have safe, clean water at our disposal.
People should sort their priorities out and pay those water bills. We pay for the privilage of having our water cleaned at the sewerage plants and pay the wages of the hardworking people who run the plants.
Don't be such freeloaders, be grateful to live in a country like ours.
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Coun Bill Douglas sympathises with those struggling with high energy bills
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Yokel, Upavon says...
6:19pm Thu 6 Nov 08