Elderly couple shocked by £40,000 water bill

An elderly couple who received a water bill of almost £40,000 have been told nearly two months later that they no longer have to pay it.

Robert Smith, 81, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, said when he first opened the envelope "it was enough to give anybody a heart attack".

Thames Water has now recalculated the bill, cleared the balance as a "gesture of goodwill" and apologised for the "distress and inconvenience caused".

Mr Smith told the BBC that he and his partner Patricia Wood, 77, who usually pay about £33 a month, were becoming ill over the stress from the bill, which was caused by a leak.

He said he would wait to see that the bill had been cancelled in writing before believing they were in the clear.

"If it does happen, it's a big weight lifted off our shoulders," he said.

The couple, who did not notice any leaks on their property, have lived in their two-bedroom bungalow for about 20 years.

Mr Smith said they began to experience low water pressure in August and reported it to the water company.

Technicians visited the property in September and October and informed them of a large leak, though the couple were unaware of any flooding. The leak was eventually repaired in November.

Mr Smith and Ms Wood, who use a water meter, then waited for the bill. The one they received on 3 January said there was nothing to pay.

But on 27 January they received a statement of £39,395, which, after Mr Smith phoned the company, was revised in March to £37,688.

Mr Smith said: "I thought it was a big joke and I didn't take it seriously at first.

"I asked Thames Water if they thought we were trying to pay for the money they owe other people - the debt they were in."

The company has a £20bn debt pile and recently had the go-ahead for a £3bn rescue loan.

The couple wrote to their local MP Layla Moran, who in turn approached Thames Water for an explanation.

In a statement, the company said: "The bill was calculated on meter readings after a long period of estimates.

"We have now calculated a leak allowance, which left Mr Smith's balance at £168.11.

"We've credited this as a gesture of goodwill to apologise for the distress and inconvenience caused."

It said Mr Smith had been advised of the adjustments and offered a new payment plan.

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