Yorkshire Water offers support for Storm Ciara victims

Yorkshire Water will be doing its bit to help customers affected by Storm Ciara by offsetting the cost of increased bills caused by the floods.

The storm has caused havoc across the county, with rising river levels leading to widespread flooding.

Customers who have been forced from their homes will have their charges suspended until they are able to return, while the company will also make an allowance for those eligible customers who choose to remain in their homes but whose bills rise significantly as a result of cleaning up.

Yorkshire Water Director of Customer Experience, Zoe Burns-Shore, said: “We have all seen the devastation that Storm Ciara has caused and we want to do our bit to help customers in what is obviously an extremely worrying time for them.

“We are working really hard to support the emergency effort and we have extra resources which will stay in place to help with the recovery.”

The company has deployed an extra 51 jet vans and increased numbers at its contact centre by almost 50 per cent.

Customers should contact Yorkshire Water on 0345 124 24 24, use our live chat facility on yorkshirewater.com/contact-us, or tweet @YWHelp to discuss their individual circumstances.

Who qualifies for this assistance?
Anyone whose home has been flooded by the storms in Yorkshire. We can help if you have had to move out of your property or if you have incurred higher water charges because of the extra water used in cleaning up.

What if I am still living in my flooded home?
We will continue to charge you as normal if you are still living in your flooded property because you are still using water and wastewater services. If you have a water meter we understand that you might see an increase in water usage due to the extra water used in cleaning up after the floods. We will make an allowance for this extra water usage so you will not have to pay for it.

Will I get an allowance if I don’t have a water meter?
If you have had to move out of your house we will suspend your full water and sewerage charges regardless of whether you pay based on Rateable Value or whether you have a water meter.

If you are still living in your home after being flooded and you pay based on Rateable value, your fixed yearly charge will not change no matter how much additional water you need to use, and we will not make an allowance.

When will I have to start paying my water bill again?
When you move back into your home we will start to charge you again for your water and wastewater services.

What about the water bill at the temporary accommodation I have moved into?
If you are responsible for the water bill at your new temporary accommodation you will be charged as usual at that address. If you have moved in with friends or relatives they will be responsible for the water bill as normal.

Why do you need my contact details?
We will need to keep in touch with you throughout the period that your property is empty. Also, it may be necessary to make checks on your water supply or your water meter before you move back in again.