News
The UK water retail customers crying out for facts not fiction!
As we draw nearer to the UK water retail market opening date of April 2017 rumours are rife within the water industry, customers and indeed many if not all water consultants in the water industry are confused.
Especially after Corporate Director of Water Plus (the joint venture between United Utilities and Severn Trent Water) announced in Utility Week yesterday his “Market view : Five water market myths”
The article kicks off by saying “As competition in the water market draws nearer there is a deluge of information available to customers but not all of it is accurate” says Tony McHardy, he goes on to say “There’s a real buzz about the water market with just months to go until the introduction of competition, new information is coming thick and fast from a number of quarters”
What quarters are these?
Certainly the water audit experts at H20 Building Services have issued many pieces of news and opinion content based on information issued by the water suppliers either verbally and or written form.
More specifically Lucy Darch the Managing Director of Northumbrian Water Group Business said in Utility Week only days ago “Margins in the English market are tight, this therefore begs the question of what level of discount will be available in England”
She added “I am imagining somewhere between 0% and 5% of potential discount that a customer could get in England”
She goes onto say “This differs from Scotland where customers get much bigger discounts with some achieving up to 30%”
So Lucy Darch the Managing Director of Northumbrian Water Group Business states 0% – 5% discount available in the English Water Market, this is completely different to the statement made by the Corporate Director of Water Plus Mr Tony McHardy in comparison where he claims as stated in Utility Weeks October 7th, “One of the Five water Market Myths. The net and gross margins available on every site are 2.5% – 8% a lot of people believe this but it isn’t true, gross and net margins vary across the market according to the region, tariff and band and retailers cost to serve.
Depending on these factors gross margins can be anywhere between just above 0% and 30% and retailers cost to serve have been observed at anything between 1% and 9%”
So who is right and who is wrong?
With many other water supply companies quoting figures similar to Northumbrian Water 0% – 5% it looks like Mr McHardy on balance is widely exaggerating discount levels maybe in an effort to attract more customers to Water Plus or indeed Mr McHardy has got it wrong, either way customers deserve more accurate information don’t you think?
Is your company seeking independent accurate expert advise on the English Water Retail Market?
Are you seeking to maximise savings on your water bills? or just seeking more information on the English water Retail Market? then call 01924 387 873 and ask to speak to a water audit expert.