Water woes - 2 separate tenants...1 bill...

[Ken Figenus]

I'd have hoped the water board would have stepped up to manage their customers/income and sort this issue out as the building has been a residential plus separate High st commercial for decades before I bought it. But no, the shop all of a sudden says its paying the residential's water bills - this despite a residential tenancy contract being sent to the water board annually so they can bill the right people. Seems they have never billed the residential and have zero interest in finding the 'sub meter' that I was told they have there - all that despite a site visit. They just want to treat it as one tenant. This could very well be in both parties best interests if they agree to split the bill - but its the kind of thing a landlord doesnt really want to get involved in - not being in the water supply business!

Anyone any experience of a change of use scenario where the developer maybe hasn't split things properly or maybe the water board are as utterly confused and as powerless as they seem to be to manage their business/customers? I'm just going 'oinc' in the middle and they wont even talk to me as I am not a customer!