Thames Water has issued a £500 goodwill payment to a 98-year-old bedridden woman after incorrectly billing her £215 per month based on a faulty smart meter reading that suggested she had used the equivalent of one million cups of tea in six months.
Estelle Mendoza, who lives in Gants Hill, east London, and suffers from dementia, saw her monthly charge jump from £33 to £215 after the supplier recorded 255 megalitres of water usage. The spike was caused by a leak at her property, which has since been fixed.
Her son, Lawrence Mendoza, criticised the handling of the case, stating: "It's a joke. If we had been delayed on an aircraft, we would have got more." He warned that other vulnerable customers could face similar experiences.
A Thames Water spokesperson apologised for the distress caused, saying: "We're really sorry for Mrs Mendoza's experience... We fixed the leak on her property on 17 October. We then compared her normal water use and applied a leak allowance to her account as well as a goodwill gesture."
According to WaterUK, the average person uses 152 litres of water per day, with an average annual water and sewage charge of £408. The incident highlights concerns over smart meter accuracy and support for vulnerable customers.
