Severn Trent Water and the non-existant water supply
I lived in a big shared house with a small outbuilding. This was in a bad state with cracked walls and an asbestos roof, so we stashed things like step ladders in there and locked it up.

One day, a water bill (it was standard water rates; not metered) came for the outbuilding. We scratched our heads; the shack hadn't had a water supply in over 20 years. Sure enough, the water main truncated as it entered the building and there was no evidence of any sinks etc. So we wrote back informing the water company of their mistake, assumed that would be the end of it.

Many months of indignant-letter-tennis later, they threatened to cut the water supply off and sent someone round. "Yes please," we urged, "cut off our imaginary water". The chap was baffled and said he'd do the required paperwork. This happened many times over the next four years. Ignoring the letters meant visits, while replying seemed to trigger more demands.

Anybody else had this?
(IHateSprouts is baking a huge pie shaped like an enormous pie, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 23:35, 3 replies)

Water companies are prohibited by law from cutting off a supply on public health grounds.
That'll be why it went round in circles. Or you're embellishing somewhat.
( BraynDedd Natasha Kaplinsky's labia majora, Sat 25 Feb 2012, 23:30, closed)

I am aware that they can't cut water off, but the original post was not intended as a guide to human rights and the law, but merely to tell a story.
I could have inserted info points like "* NB they can't actually do this; their staff were either lying or misinformed" ...but felt it would be a bit dull and unnecessary.
(IHateSprouts is baking a huge pie shaped like an enormous pie, Mon 27 Feb 2012, 15:14, closed)

yes - British Gas
British Gas kept pestering our flat about a non-existent gas meter and kept threatening to come around and cut off the imaginary gas!
(protocoldroid, Sun 26 Feb 2012, 18:20, closed)