United Utilities compensation hold-up an 'insult'

2:11pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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Residents have hit out after United Utilities failed to grant them compensation even though they were left without water during three days of disruption earlier this year.

People living in the Holmfield Road area of North Shore are furious after finding out neighbours just a block away have received compensation cheques for £25 while they remain empty handed.

The row comes four months after 20,000 households in north Blackpool and Wyre were left without water after a catastrophic failure at Warbreck Reservoir.

Pensioner Ken Andrews, 64 and his wife Phyllis, 66 of Wolverton Avenue, are a couple who feel strongly about the compensation.

Mr Andrews, who until his retirement ran Andrews Footwear on Holmfield Road said: "The issue is not about the money as £25 is not nearly enough to compensate people for all the inconvenience.

"This is about the principle of United Utilities making amends with their customers who were left without water for many hours and suffered a great deal of distress.

"I know for a fact that people just a block away on Shaftesbury Avenue have had cheques, but when I called them they said we did not meet the criteria for compensation. It's an insult."

Similar concerns were expressed by Mary Burney, who lives on Holmfield Road and has run the hairdressing salon Mary's Way there for more than 30 years.

She said: "My business suffered as obviously we need water and I also had problems with the water supply at home.

"United Utilities said at the time not to worry and that the compensation would be paid out automatically. Well I've not seen it on my utility bills and no cheque has arrived.

"I think their customer service needs to be looked at as I'm sure the folk around here deserve to be compensated."

A spokesman for United Utilities, said: "We are providing compensation to around 19,500 customers in total. This is being provided either via cheque, or a credit to a customer's water account.

"It is important that residents who feel they are entitled to compensation, but have not received a cheque, look carefully at their latest water bill, to see if a credit has been made. Where customers owed money on their water account, a water bill credit will be the most likely method of compensation.

"If, after checking their bill, any customer still feels they are entitled to compensation, they can get in touch with us on 0845 746 2200."