United Utilities have refused to back churches, charities and clubs as they work to convince Ofwat to follow Government guidance and not bill us as if are commercial buildings.
This week, troubled water company, United Utilities has begun the charm offensive with initial phone calls being made and meetings arranged all designed to sell the ’rain tax’ to those most effected by the charges.
It is reminiscent of big American companies who in the 1980’s tried to sell toxic sludge to their local neighbourhoods. The ‘rain tax’ will drain essential services, it is unfair however it is dressed up.
Two years a go this problem did not exist-everything worked well, no one was complaining. The solution is very simple-in 2000 the Government told Ofwat that churches, charities and clubs should not be billed as if they were factories, Ofwat need to follow this guidance and instruct water companies to apply a broad permanent exemption, as we used to have, or the Government need to review the charging mechanism with serious consideration given to regulations that would introduce a charity band or the return to rateable value charging for churches, clubs and charities.
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unfair rain tax
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